What an MCS heat pump install actually costs in 2026.
Primary question · What should I budget for a heat-pump install; and what drives the variance?
A typical 7 kW R290 monoblock install lands at £10,500–£14,500 in 2026 before the £7,500 BUS grant; so most thoughtful installs come out around £4,500 out of pocket. Solid-wall Victorians, complex pipe routes, hot-water-cylinder relocations and small-scale fabric work each move that number upward.
Anyone planning a real installed cost; not a brochure number.
Typical 3-bed: £10,500–£14,500 installed, £3,000–£7,000 after BUS grant. Solid-wall Victorian: add £2,000–£4,000 for emitters and pipework.
- Real installer numbers
- Honest about why a Victorian costs more
- Captures the £7,500 grant in the headline
- Won't capture genuinely unusual installs (listed, off-grid)
Run the heat-pump sizing planner to put a specific number on your home.
The grant has done most of the work. The remaining decision is which installer earns the rest of your money; and that decision is worth two weeks, not two phone calls.