East Sussex · Heat pump installation
Air Source Heat Pumps in Cooksbridge
Looking for air source heat pumps in Cooksbridge? We look at the job first, give you a fixed-price quote and do the work at a time that suits you, finishing with proper records.
- Checking emitters for a heat pump
- Questions about the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- Deciding on the outdoor unit position
How we handle air source heat pumps in Cooksbridge
Air-to-air heat pumps can qualify for a £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, but only in some cases. It has to replace the fossil-fuel heating, cover the whole heating demand, be fitted by an MCS certified installer and be in a home; adding it alongside a boiler does not qualify. The work covers air-to-air heat pumps, underfloor heating and hot water cylinders, and people most often call us about plans to switch to electric heating with a heat pump and working out whether radiators need upsizing.
Homes around Cooksbridge typically have room outside for a heat pump, so the design comes down to heat loss, radiators and hot water.
For a fault on a system that may still be under warranty, send us the make, model and installation date. We’ll tell you how the manufacturer’s warranty is likely to apply before anything chargeable is done.
- Location
- Cooksbridge (BN8)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Costs
- £8,000–£16,000 (0% VAT on homes), before the grant
- Pricing
- Fixed, in writing
- Credentials
- F-Gas certified, NICEIC approved, MCS
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 30 October 2026
What happens on the day
The first job on site is protection: sheets over the floor and any furniture nearby and nothing is moved without asking you. After that, anything electrical is made safe and we start. The work on site takes from a couple of days to around a week, depending on the system and how much of the heating changes, and we clear up before we go. If a lane or gateway near Cooksbridge is tight for a van, let us know and we’ll plan for it.
- Step one is understanding the house, how it’s heated today and what you’d like to change.
- The survey measures heat loss room by room and looks at radiators, hot water and the best spot for the outdoor unit.
- A fixed-price quote follows, setting out the system, any grant that applies and the VAT.
- We fit the outdoor unit and connect it to the heating, hot water and controls.
- We commission the heat pump, complete the MCS paperwork and talk you through the controls.
Getting ready for the visit
- Let us know if the units are on a roof, a high wall or in a locked area
- Clear access to the fuse board
- Keep pets out of the rooms we’re working in
How to get a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to send photos: the inside and outside of the property where the work is, plus the rating plate of any unit already there. Add the address and what you’d like done, and many jobs can be priced from that.
Advice
Common problems we fix in Cooksbridge
When a home is being extended or renovated, it’s a good moment to look at heat pumps. It’s simpler to plan radiators, pipework and a cylinder while the builders are in.
What we are most often called about:
- Wanting to stop using oil, LPG or gas for heating
- Checking whether planning permission is needed
- Checking eligibility for a heat pump grant
Anne of Cleves House lies about 2.5 miles south. Owners of listed homes need consent before a heat pump is fitted, so it’s one of our first questions.
Questions to ask before you book
- If the quote is based on a survey, pictures or a diagnosis
- How VAT is shown, and which rate applies
- Exactly what the price includes, from supply and fitting to commissioning
How the job changes from property to property
Outdoor unit position and planning
Permitted development conditions in England include an outdoor unit of no more than 1.5 m³, compliance with MCS 020(a), and use for more than cooling alone. It cannot be within the curtilage of a listed building.
Heat loss surveys
Without a proper survey, a heat pump can be too big or too small, and both cause problems.
Your questions about air source heat pumps in Cooksbridge
Is planning permission needed for a heat pump in Cooksbridge?
The answer turns on the property and where the outdoor unit would sit. The Hamsey (Cooksbridge) Conservation Area is close to the centre of Cooksbridge. The permitted development rules for heat pumps leave out listed buildings and stop outdoor units going on road-facing walls or roofs in conservation areas. Anything outside the rules needs an application, and we raise it with the planning department at Lewes council, usually the authority for Cooksbridge first.
Can I get the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant in Cooksbridge?
Yes, the scheme covers homes in England, including Cooksbridge, if they qualify. It gives £7,500 towards an air-to-water or ground source heat pump, or £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump that replaces the fossil-fuel heating and meets the whole home’s heating need. You do not apply yourself: the MCS certified installer does, which is us.
Who is responsible for leak checks?
The F-gas rules share it between the equipment’s operator and the engineers who work on it. The interval depends on the refrigerant charge, measured in tonnes of CO2 equivalent: at least yearly for 5 to under 50 tCO2e, and every 6 months for 50 to under 500 tCO2e.
What’s the price of a heat pump installation?
Air-to-water work is in the £8,000–£16,000 range (0% VAT on homes), with any grant still to come off. Where you land depends on the size of heat pump, any radiators that need changing and the hot water cylinder, and air-to-air systems are priced after a survey.
Can you look at a system you didn’t fit?
Yes. Systems fitted by other companies are fine from all the leading brands. Tell us the make and model and send any paperwork you have.
What does F-Gas certified mean?
The law says any company working on equipment containing F gas has to be certified, and each engineer needs the right qualifications too. It means the refrigerant in your system is handled legally.
Are you F-Gas certified?
We hold F-Gas company certification, which the law requires for any business working on refrigerant. We are also NICEIC approved, MCS certified for heat pumps and Checkatrade members.
Honest limits
In fairness, there are a few things this work will not fix:
- Tax rulings, which only HMRC can give
- Disconnecting or servicing a gas boiler
- Planning approval where permitted development doesn’t apply
If in doubt, give us a ring on 07833 053749 or write to us at info@aircondoctor.co.uk and we will say what we think before you book.
What we work on in Cooksbridge
- Radiator systems
- Air-to-water heat pumps
- Underfloor heating
- Air-to-air heat pumps
- Homes heated by oil, LPG or gas
- Hot water cylinders
Homes in Cooksbridge and heat pumps
The 2021 Census found about 37% of households in terraced houses. In a terrace, the outdoor unit position and the MCS noise check need particular care.
If your home is one of the older properties near Church of St Peter, the survey checks whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before the outdoor unit position is chosen.
Cooksbridge is about 2 miles north of Lewes, in East Sussex. Our engineers cover Cooksbridge for air source heat pumps, along with the rest of East Sussex. Cooksbridge is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we work for homes and businesses. You can also see our page for Burgess Hill, roughly 6 miles from Cooksbridge.
The closest recent job we can point to from Cooksbridge was on High Street, Lewes (BN7), about 2 miles south: installing a Fujitsu wall-mounted split system in the retail area, with the outdoor unit positioned in the rear courtyard to preserve the listed street frontage.
Our engineers cover all of BN8 and the roads nearby. Whether you’re on Station Mews, Chatfield Close and Chandler's Mead or a nearby road, our engineers can take on the work. Nearby, we also cover air source heat pumps in Chiltington (1 mile north-west), Barcombe (1 mile north-east), Barcombe Cross (2 miles north-east), Barcombe Mills (2 miles north-east) and Upper Wellingham (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Eastbourne (15 miles south-east), Seaford (10 miles south-east), Hailsham (12 miles east) and Crowborough (13 miles north-east).
Near you in Cooksbridge
We fit and service air conditioning in homes and premises around The Rainbow Inn and the streets around them. Cooksbridge has its own railway station: Cooksbridge station. Nearby you’ll also find Lewes Victoria Hospital (2 miles south) and Lewes Castle (2.3 miles south). Not far away are Malling Down and Offham Hill.
Towns and villages near Cooksbridge
Also in Cooksbridge
What a customer said
“Office air con broke down in the July heatwave. Called at 8am, engineer was here by noon and fixed within 2 hours. Brilliant emergency response. They now hold the service contract for the whole building.”
James T., Crawley, office manager