Greater London · Heat pump installation
Air Source Heat Pumps in North Cray
MCS certified installation of air source heat pumps for heating and hot water, with the boiler upgrade scheme grant applied for, for North Cray and the surrounding area. Call for a fixed-price quote, and we’ll reply the same working day.
- Not knowing whether a grant applies
- Moving away from fossil-fuel heating
- Deciding on the outdoor unit position
How we handle air source heat pumps in North Cray
In England, an air source heat pump on a house can often go in under permitted development rights. The conditions include an outdoor unit of no more than 1.5 m³ and compliance with MCS 020(a), and the unit cannot be used solely for cooling or sit within the curtilage of a listed building. We check the rules for your property as part of the survey. The work covers radiator systems, air-to-air heat pumps and underfloor heating, and people most often call us about moving away from fossil-fuel heating and replacing a combi boiler with a heat pump.
For flats in North Cray, the lease, the freeholder and the rules for flats all come into it. Permitted development limits are different for flats, and we check before designing.
Think of the paperwork as the system’s health record: what was fitted or found, what was done and when. If anything goes wrong later, it helps the next engineer and the manufacturer and it’s worth keeping safe.
- Location
- North Cray (DA14)
- Region
- Greater London
- Response
- Same working day
- Credentials
- NICEIC and F-Gas, MCS
- Quote
- Fixed, in writing
- Price guide
- £8,000–£16,000 before the grant, 0% VAT on homes
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 30 October 2026
Your questions about air source heat pumps in North Cray
Do I need permission to put air conditioning in my flat in North Cray?
Often, yes, but the lease and the freeholder typically have a say. Permitted development rules for flats are tighter than for houses, so we check the outdoor unit position and give you the details to send to the freeholder or managing agent.
Does the Boiler Upgrade Scheme cover homes in North Cray?
North Cray is in England, where the Boiler Upgrade Scheme runs. Air-to-water and ground source systems attract £7,500. Air-to-air gets £2,500, but only where it takes over from fossil-fuel heating and covers the whole home’s heating demand. You don’t apply yourself: the MCS certified installer does, which is us.
Do you work on all makes?
We work with the leading brands, including Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, Fujitsu, Panasonic, Toshiba, LG, Samsung, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi. Tell us the make and model and we’ll take it from there.
Will I get records for the system?
Yes. It’s the record a manufacturer or the next engineer will ask to see: the date, the work, and any refrigerant added or recovered.
How long will it take to install a heat pump?
Expect it to take anything from a couple of days for air-to-air to the best part of a week for air-to-water with radiator changes. How much of the heating changes decides most of the time, and we confirm the timing with your quote.
Which accreditations do you hold?
F-Gas company certification, NICEIC approval for electrical work and MCS certification for heat pumps, plus Checkatrade membership. Engineers who handle refrigerant hold their own F-gas qualifications as well.
What does an air-to-water heat pump cost?
For air-to-water, the price is £8,000–£16,000 (0% VAT on homes) before any grant. Eligible homes in England and Wales can get £7,500 through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and we confirm eligibility before you commit.
Air source heat pumps in North Cray: the local picture
The Valuation Office Agency’s council tax figures date about 44% of homes across North Cray and its surrounding area to the post-war years, 1945 to 1972, and about 67% of households live in detached or semi-detached houses, according to the last census (2021). Whether the walls and loft have been insulated makes a real difference to the heat pump size for homes of that period. Houses normally have space for an outdoor unit and a hot water cylinder. In London, outside space and the rules for flats often decide which kind of heat pump suits.
Live in one of the older houses around Parish Church of St James? Expect the survey to look closely at heat loss and at the building’s planning status. Historic houses such as Hall Place and Gardens, about 1.4 miles north-east, are a reminder that listed homes need consent before a heat pump goes in.
North Cray is about 2 miles east of Sidcup, in Greater London. From the centre of North Cray to the outskirts, our engineers cover air source heat pumps, from small jobs to large ones. Across Greater London, we cover 764 places, North Cray among them. Bromley is in our area too, about 6 miles from North Cray.
The closest recent job we can point to from North Cray was on Station Road, Orpington (BR6), about 4 miles south-west: installing three Daikin cassette units in the main office area and a wall-mounted unit in the client meeting room.
We work across the DA14 postcode area for air source heat pumps and the streets around it. From Water Lane, North Cray Road and Leafield Lane to the smaller roads in between, the whole area is covered. Other places close to North Cray include Bexley (1 mile north), Coldblow (1 mile north-east), Ruxley (1 mile south), Blendon (1 mile north-west) and Joyden's Wood (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover London (11 miles north-west), City of Westminster (14 miles north-west), Marylebone (14 miles north-west) and Kensington (15 miles west).
Near you in North Cray
We fit and service air conditioning in homes and premises around Foots Cray Meadows, Cleeve Park School and The White Cross pub. The nearest railway station is Albany Park station, about 0.6 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Broadway Shopping Centre (1.7 miles north) and Bexley Hospital (1.8 miles north). The countryside around North Cray includes Wansunt Pit and Summer Hill.
What we do, step by step
Testing is the last part of the visit wherever the system can be switched on. Then we explain what was done and answer your questions, and anything that needs a follow-up is pointed out there and then. The visit takes a few days for most air-to-water installations, with air-to-air systems often quicker. If your building in North Cray has a managing agent, a concierge or sign-in rules, mention them when you book.
- It starts with a conversation about the home, the existing heating and your plans.
- On the visit we calculate what every room loses on a cold day, then check the radiators, room for a cylinder and outdoor unit options.
- You get a fixed-price quote, with any grant you are eligible for and the VAT explained.
- Fitting day: the outdoor unit is placed, the indoor side connected and the controls set up.
- Commissioning, MCS certification and a handover of the controls finish the job.
How to prepare
- Give us access to the outside wall, roof or yard where the outdoor unit sits
- Let us know if the units are on a roof, a high wall or in a locked area
- Let us know where we can park and unload
Getting a quote
Published ranges are a starting point; the quote is built on your property, because every property is different. Once we’ve looked at the job, from photos or on a survey, you get a fixed price. To get going, phone 07833 053749 or drop us a line.
Related advice
Places near North Cray
More services for North Cray
What the work involves, system by system
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme covers England and Wales: £7,500 for air-to-water and ground source, and £2,500 for air-to-air in limited cases. The installer applies.
Outdoor unit position and planning
Flats have tighter limits, and an Article 4 direction can remove permitted development rights. Listed buildings also need separate consent and we check what applies to you.
Keeping the system healthy
Simple habits make a real difference. We recommend:
- Read the manufacturer’s warranty terms for your brand
- Leave indoor units unobstructed
- Keep the MCS certificate with the manufacturer’s paperwork
Where we applied for a Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, we keep you informed through the process, as the installer applies for it.
Book a service every year. Your manufacturer’s warranty terms may say something about servicing.
When something else is needed
In fairness, some problems need a different answer:
- Tax advice on your own circumstances
- Disconnecting or servicing a gas boiler
- Getting planning permission or listed building consent on your behalf
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or fill in the contact form and we’ll say what we think.
What the work covers
- Air-to-water heat pumps
- Radiator systems
- Air-to-air heat pumps
- Underfloor heating
- Homes heated by oil, LPG or gas
- Hot water cylinders
What a customer said
“Very professional from the initial survey through to installation. The engineer explained everything clearly and the quote was exactly what we paid. Would not hesitate to recommend AirCon Doctor.”
David W., Haywards Heath