This page contains affiliate links. If you get a quote through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this site earns money.
Introduction
Once you have decided a heat pump is right for your home, the next big decision is who installs it. That choice matters more than most people expect. Two identical heat pumps can run very differently depending on how well the system was designed, sized and set up, and that is down to the installer, not the badge on the outdoor unit. In my career, I have seen plenty of very good heat pumps held back by poor installation.
This guide compares the main national companies offering heat pump installation in the UK (Octopus Energy, British Gas, Boxt, Heatable, iHeat, Aira and OVO) alongside the option most people forget: a local MCS-certified installer. I have looked at what each one fits, how they price, what warranties they offer and what to watch for, from the point of view of someone who installs these systems for a living.
The short version
- Lowest published typical price: Octopus Energy quotes a typical price of £4,459 after the £7,500 grant, and you don’t need to be an Octopus customer.
- Strongest comfort promise: British Gas offers a money-back Warm Home Promise if the system doesn’t heat your home as well as a boiler (terms apply).
- Quickest fixed online price: Boxt and iHeat both give prices online before a survey, with finance options.
- Longest cover: Aira’s 15-year guarantee, but it costs £19.90 a month after the first year.
- Best for tricky or older homes: a good local MCS installer who does a proper room-by-room heat loss survey.
What to check in any heat pump quote
Whoever you choose, a good quote should cover the same ground. These are the things I would want to see before signing anything:
- A room-by-room heat loss calculation. This is what the heat pump size and any radiator changes should be based on. A quote sized from floor area alone is a guess.
- A design flow temperature. Ask what temperature the system is designed to run at. Lower is more efficient; around 45°C or below is a good sign.
- Radiator and pipework changes, listed. You should know which radiators are being upsized and whether any pipework is being replaced.
- The hot water cylinder. Most homes need a heat pump-compatible cylinder. Check it is included and what size it is. My hot water cylinder guide explains what to look for.
- MCS certification and the grant. Only MCS-certified installers can claim the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for you. Check whether the price you are shown is before or after the grant.
- Warranty, in writing. Separate the manufacturer’s warranty on the heat pump from the installer’s workmanship warranty, and check whether an annual service is required to keep it valid.
- Who actually does the work. Some national firms use their own engineers; others use subcontractors. Either can work well, but you should know who to call if something goes wrong.
Heat pump installers compared
| Installer | Heat pumps fitted | Published price guide | Warranty | Finance | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Octopus Energy | Octopus Cosy (own brand), Daikin, Grant Aerona | Typical £4,459 after the £7,500 grant | Up to 8 years on the unit (5 on Daikin); 8 years labour | Loans over 5 to 10 years (Novuna) | £200 survey deposit, refundable until you sign. Pairs with the Cosy Octopus tariff. |
| British Gas | Not named on its site | No headline price published | 5 years unlimited repairs on the heat pump; 1 year on the wider system; annual service required | 0% for 2 years, or up to 10 years with interest | Warm Home Promise: money back if it doesn’t heat your home as well as a boiler (terms apply). |
| Boxt | Not named on its site (independent reviews report Vaillant aroTHERM plus) | From £4,799, shown with its £7,500 grant message | Not stated on its heat pump page | 60 months at 9.9% APR on its example | Fixed online price; installation within 4 weeks; grant paperwork handled. |
| Heatable | Not named on its site | £7,000 to £13,000 range | Not stated on its heat pump page | Monthly plans | £240 in-person survey, deducted if you go ahead; installation in 2 to 4 weeks. |
| iHeat | Alpha Hydro, Vaillant aroTHERM plus, Worcester Bosch 5800i | Online estimates of £10,595 to £11,995 inc. VAT. iHeat doesn’t say whether the £7,500 grant is already taken off, so ask for the after-grant price on your quote. | 7 years on the models shown | 0% APR options, buy now pay later (12 months), or up to 10 years | Estimate includes the cylinder, electrical work, old boiler removal and up to 6 replacement radiators. £399 survey and heat loss report counts towards the price. |
| Aira | Aira (own brand), 6, 8 and 12kW | No published prices | 15-year guarantee: free for year 1, then £19.90 a month | Finance available | Grant applied in the quote; check coverage for your area. |
| OVO | Not named on its guide page | £2,500 to £6,500 after the grant for a typical 3-bed | Warranty included; ask for the terms | Available | Covers the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Home Energy Scotland. |
| Local MCS installer | Usually several brands to choose from | Quote after survey | Manufacturer warranty (often 5 to 7 years, sometimes more) plus the installer’s own workmanship cover | Varies | Find one on the MCS website or the Heat Geek map. Quality varies, so check reviews and ask for a heat loss calculation. |
“Published price guide” is what each company shows on its website, not a quote. Some prices are shown after the grant and some before; where a company doesn’t say clearly, check before you compare.
Installer-by-installer notes
Octopus Energy
Octopus has become one of the biggest heat pump installers in the UK, largely on price. It says its typical price is £4,459 after the £7,500 grant, based on the median of its quotes between September 2025 and February 2026. It fits its own Cosy heat pumps as well as Daikin and Grant units, and the price includes the cylinder, plumbing, labour and the grant paperwork.
You pay a £200 deposit for the survey, which is refundable until you sign the installation agreement, and you don’t have to switch your energy supply to Octopus. If you do, its Cosy Octopus tariff has cheaper windows during the day that suit a heat pump well. My guide to the best electricity tariffs for heat pump owners compares it with the alternatives. Its grant information covers England and Wales, so check availability if you are in Scotland.
British Gas
British Gas doesn’t publish a headline price; you get a figure after a free survey. Its standout feature is the Warm Home Promise: it says it will only install if it is confident the heat pump will heat your home as well as a boiler, or you get your money back. Read the terms carefully, but it is a reassuring commitment for anyone nervous about comfort and maybe a bit sceptical about a heat pump’s performance.
The cover includes five years of unlimited repairs on the heat pump and one year on the wider system, as long as you have it serviced every year. Financing runs from 0% over two years up to ten years with interest, and it has its own Heat Power tariff with cheaper electricity at set times.
Boxt
Boxt built its name on fixed-price online boiler quotes and now does the same for heat pumps, advertising installation within four weeks from £4,799. That figure sits alongside its “save £7,500” grant message, but its page doesn’t spell out whether the grant is already taken off; I suspect it is, but check your quote carefully. Boxt says the price includes a heat loss assessment, removal of the old boiler, the cylinder, any radiator upgrades needed, a filter, a system flush and the controls.
Its heat pump page doesn’t name the brand or the warranty length; an independent review from July 2026 reports that it fits the Vaillant aroTHERM plus. Ask for both in writing before you commit.
Heatable
Heatable gives an online estimate first, then follows up with a call and an in-person heat loss survey costing £240, which is deducted if you go ahead. Its published range is £7,000 to £13,000 depending on the home, with installation typically two to four weeks after the survey, and it handles the grant paperwork. It doesn’t name brands or warranty terms on its heat pump page, so ask at the quote stage.
iHeat
iHeat is another online installer that started with boilers and now offers heat pumps. It shows estimates on its site for three models: the Alpha Hydro at £10,595, the Vaillant aroTHERM plus at £11,495 and the Worcester Bosch 5800i at £11,995, all including VAT. Those estimates are more complete than most: they include the heat pump, a hot water cylinder, electrical work, removal of your old boiler and up to six replacement radiators. iHeat advertises the £7,500 grant alongside them but doesn’t say whether it has already been deducted, so ask for the price after the grant when you get your quote. Each model comes with a seven-year warranty, and finance options include 0% APR, buy now pay later over 12 months, or spreading the cost over up to ten years.
Installation is carried out by MCS-certified engineers across a nationwide network and normally takes two to three days. Before that there is a £399 home survey and heat loss report, which counts towards the price if you go ahead and is refunded if your home turns out to be unsuitable. As with any online quote, the final price can change after the survey if your home needs more work than expected, and some reviewers mention exactly that. It isn’t unique to iHeat, but it is worth knowing.
Aira
Aira fits its own-brand heat pumps in 6, 8 and 12kW sizes and doesn’t publish prices; the £7,500 grant is applied in the quote. Its headline is a 15-year guarantee, which is free for the first year and then costs £19.90 a month. That is a long time to be covered, but over 14 years the monthly fee adds up to more than £3,300, so weigh it against a standard manufacturer’s warranty and a yearly service. Check that Aira covers your area before you get too far.
OVO
OVO’s heat pump installation service gives a guide price of £2,500 to £6,500 after the grant for a typical three-bedroom home, with design, installation, warranty and support in one service. It works with both the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales and Home Energy Scotland, which is useful if you are in Scotland.
A local MCS-certified installer
The national companies get the advertising, but plenty of heat pumps are still fitted by local firms. A good local installer will usually offer a choice of brands, design the system around your home rather than a standard package, and be the same person you call if something needs adjusting in the first winter. The catch is that quality varies a lot, so you need to do some homework.
Search the MCS Find an Installer tool for certified firms near you, or look for a trained installer on the Heat Geek map. Ask to see a heat loss calculation and photos of recent installs, and check recent reviews.
National company or local installer?
There is no single right answer, but in my experience it comes down to your home and how much you want to be involved.
- A national company suits you if you want a clear price quickly, finance arranged in one place, a set process and a big company behind the warranty. They work best on fairly standard homes.
- A local installer suits you if your home is older, larger or awkward, you want a particular brand, or you value design and aftercare from someone who will come back to fine-tune the system.
- Either way, get at least two quotes and compare them on the same points: heat loss calculation, design flow temperature, radiator changes, cylinder, warranty and the price after the grant.
Ready for a price?
Get a fixed-price heat pump quote online
iHeat installs Vaillant, Worcester Bosch and Alpha heat pumps across the UK using MCS-certified engineers, and can apply the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for you. The online quote takes about a minute.
Get my iHeat quoteInstaller’s tip: get a quote from a local MCS installer too, so you can compare. If you go ahead through this link, I may earn a small commission that helps keep this site up to date, at no extra cost to you.
Which installer suits which home?
- You want the lowest typical price and a heat pump tariff: start with Octopus Energy.
- You’re worried the house won’t be warm enough: a British Gas Warm Home Promise or a local installer who designs to a low flow temperature and explains the numbers.
- You want a price today without a sales visit first: Boxt or iHeat, then confirm everything at the survey.
- You’re replacing oil or LPG: check you are being offered the higher £9,000 grant, available until 31 March 2027 for eligible off-gas homes.
- You live in Scotland: grants come through Home Energy Scotland rather than the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and not every national firm covers Scotland. OVO and local installers are worth a look.
- Your home is older, larger or unusual: a local MCS installer with a proper heat loss survey is usually the safer bet.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be an Octopus customer to get an Octopus heat pump?
No. Octopus installs heat pumps for anyone in its coverage area, though its Cosy Octopus tariff is designed to go with them.
Is the £7,500 grant taken off the price I am quoted?
With MCS-certified installers, the grant goes to the installer and is deducted from your bill, so you never handle the money. Some companies advertise prices before the grant and some after, so always check which you are looking at.
Can any installer claim the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant?
No. The installer must be MCS certified and registered for the scheme. You can check this on the MCS Find an Installer tool.
How long does installation take?
Most air source heat pump installs take three to five days on site, once the survey and design are done. The companies above quote anything from two to four weeks from survey to install.
Should I get more than one quote?
Yes. Prices for the same home can vary by thousands of pounds, and comparing quotes is the easiest way to spot one that has skipped the heat loss calculation or undersized the radiators.
Final thoughts
The installer you choose will shape how well your heat pump performs for the next 15 to 20 years far more than the brand you pick. The national companies have made heat pumps easier to buy, with clear prices, finance and big-company warranties, and for many standard homes they are a sensible route. For older or unusual homes, a good local installer is often worth the extra effort to find.
Whichever way you go, get more than one quote, ask for the heat loss calculation, check the price after the grant, and make sure the warranty is in writing. If you are still choosing the heat pump itself, my UK heat pump brands comparison sets out the main options side by side.