Refurbs on Older Homes · Renovations, extensions
A thatched cottage, a bungalow, a period farmhouse. None of them were built to be efficient. All of them can be.
Some homes were designed for a different century’s idea of comfort; others were never built with a heat pump in mind. Whether you’re modernising an older property, extending a bungalow up into the loft or out at the back, or bringing a substantial period home back to life, we understand the design challenges and will work with you to get the heating, cooling, ventilation and energy management right for your renovation.
Ground source specialists
Since 2009
Substantial and period property
Specialists
Certification
MCS | RECC | GSHPA
We specify
Maxa & Ecoforest
Why This is Different
There is often no existing system to design around or it’s so old it needs upgrading.
A major renovation changes the building the heating has to serve. An extension adds rooms, a loft conversion adds a floor and new insulation and glazing change how the whole house holds heat. Some older homes have no conventional heating to work from at all; others have a system sized for a smaller house or a different way of living. So every element is designed from a blank sheet, against the finished building, and within what planning or listed status permits.
Planning a barn conversion? See our Class Q barn conversion page.
Specialists in Deep-Retrofit
Four things a standard heat pump install doesn’t have to consider
01
Old and new under one roof
An older home with a modern extension often means mixed construction, uneven insulation and rooms with very different heating demands. We calculate heat loss against the actual fabric of each part, not an average across the house.
02
Planning and heritage constraints
Listed status, conservation area rules, or a conversion’s planning consent can all restrict external changes, visible pipework, or where equipment can sit. We design around those constraints from the outset.
03
Low-temperature design is non-negotiable
At this scale, an emitter system that isn’t correctly sized against the actual fabric will either fail to heat the building properly or force the heat pump to run inefficiently for its entire life.
04
Ground source suits this scale well
No external unit to site awkwardly against a period elevation, quieter, and a stable ground temperature that helps compensate for what an older or larger building’s fabric can’t do alone.
The Technology
Intelligent systems, designed for the home you’re creating
Depending on the property, its planning status, and what the site allows, a project like this can include any combination of the following.
Ground or air source heat pumps
We size our ground source and air source heat pumps against a heat loss calculation for the building’s actual volume and construction, not a domestic rule of thumb.
Low-temperature emitter design
Underfloor heating where floors allow it, correctly sized radiators, or a considered mix across very different room types. Take a look at our underfloor heating & radiators.
Cooling
Large south facing open plan living areas, master bedroom suites whatever rooms would benefit from cooling can be designed and installed to work with your heat pump.
Solar PV and battery storage
Solar and battery storage all specified within whatever planning or heritage constraints apply to the property, and often easiest to fit while the roof is being worked on.
Zoned smart-tariff integration
Genuinely valuable here, since different parts of a large or converted building rarely perform the same way. Take a look at our controls and tariffs.
The Investment
Funding for your renovation
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme puts £7,500 towards a qualifying air or ground source heat pump, or £9,000 where the property is off the gas grid and currently heated by oil or LPG, on applications made between 21 July 2026 and 31 March 2027. Qualifying work is zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027.
On a renovation, the timing matters. Air source vouchers run for three months once approved and ground source vouchers for six, so we plan the application around your build programme. As an MCS certified installer, we make the application on your behalf and deduct the grant from your contract total.
£7,500
Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant towards an air or ground source heat pump, plus 0% VAT on qualifying work.
Questions
Frequently asked questions.
Can you put a heat pump in an old house?
Yes. We’ve designed and installed systems in National Trust cottages, thatched and cob cottages, churches, schools, listed buildings, period mansions and a great many bungalows. The real question is whether the fabric and the emitters can deliver comfort at the flow temperature a heat pump runs efficiently at. Heat pump technology has moved on considerably and now also includes high-temperature models. It all starts with the detailed design survey, and if the answer’s no, we’ll tell you.
Can a heat pump heat a bungalow extension or loft conversion too?
Yes, and a renovation is the best time to plan for it. Extending up into the loft or out at the back changes the heat loss of the whole house, so we size the heat pump and the emitters for the finished building rather than the one you have now. We can work from your existing property and your architect’s plans to calculate what’s needed, so the system is ready when the build is.
Does listed status rule out a heat pump?
Rarely. It restricts what can be seen externally and where equipment can sit. Ground source often suits a listed building particularly well for that reason: there is no outdoor unit to place against a protected elevation, and nothing visible above ground once the array is in. We work through what is realistic within the property’s status during the survey.
How is sizing different when old and new are combined?
The spaces are rarely uniform: sometimes one large open-plan extension, sometimes a dozen rooms with different original uses and different fabric under one roof. We calculate heat loss against the actual construction, room by room and design the emitters to match what each space needs.
We're partway through a conversion already. Is it too late to bring you in?
Not necessarily, though earlier is always better, particularly if the underfloor heating or a ground array position is still open. Tell us what stage you’re at and we’ll be straight with you about what’s still achievable.
Can this cover ventilation as well as heating?
Yes, and on a major renovation it usually should. An older building often needs a proper ventilation strategy alongside the heating, particularly where the original construction has to remain breathable rather than being sealed tight.
Does a renovation qualify for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
Generally, yes. An existing home being renovated or extended is eligible where the heat pump replaces fossil fuel heating and the other scheme rules are met. A valid EPC helps but it’s no longer essential, as other evidence can be used. We handle the assessment and the Ofgem paperwork as part of the design work.
Ongoing Care
Already have a system installed? We can take on the servicing.
Whether it was installed by us or by someone else, we service, diagnose and repair heat pumps across the South West. If your heating or air conditioning is due a service, underperforming or needs a repair, our service team can take it on, whoever fitted it originally.
Annual servicing keeps performance where it should be and catches small issues before they become expensive ones. If your system is underperforming, our diagnostic service will find out why.
Servicing
Annual servicing to keep warranties valid and the system running at the efficiency it was designed for.
Diagnostics
Something not performing as it should? We’ll identify what’s actually wrong before recommending any work.
Repair
Parts and labour repairs, including systems installed by other companies.
We maintain most major brands, including:
Ecoforest · Maxa · Kensa · Volta · Mitsubishi · Vaillant · Viessmann · Daikin · Samsung · Clivet · IDM
4.7
★★★★⯪
Based on 210+ reviews on Trustpilot
The First Step
Tell us about your building.
An older home being modernised, a bungalow going up and out, or something that doesn’t fit neatly into any category: all worth a proper conversation before anything’s assumed about what’s possible.
Prefer to talk it through first?
