THE MANCHESTER FIELD GUIDE / AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS
Where will the cylinder go after the old boiler comes out? Map that space and the outdoor route before accepting a Manchester heat-pump price.
START WITH THE PROPERTY
For a Manchester terrace, mark the yard, current boiler, possible cylinder cupboard and every narrow passage between them. A photograph of the outside unit alone will not reveal the hot-water and pipework problem.
BEFORE YOU ACCEPT A QUOTE
If a quote names the heat pump but leaves the cylinder or radiator work as 'subject to survey', ask for the survey and a revised all-in scope before comparing it with a more complete offer.
LOCAL COST EVIDENCE / OCTOBER 2026
A quoted installation price depends on the work inside the home. Electricity use depends on the finished design and tariff.
We could not verify a representative local average for a fully installed, family-sized system. Published installer figures mix starting prices, example homes and different scopes. Averaging them would suggest more certainty than the evidence allows.
For a useful comparison, ask each installer to itemise the heat pump, cylinder, radiator changes, electrical work and commissioning, then show the price before and after any eligible grant.
about £780approximate annual cost if the October–December 2026 unit rate lasted a full year
This is a model, not a measured bill or an average for families with heat pumps. It starts with 10,698 kWh, the 2024 mean annual domestic gas use per meter in Manchester. We apply 85% boiler efficiency and a heat pump seasonal performance factor of 3.1, then price the electricity at 26.49p per kWh in North Western England.
Calculation: 2024 mean gas kWh per domestic meter × 0.85 ÷ 3.1 × Ofgem electricity unit rate. The result is rounded to the nearest £10. It assumes the gas meter's entire use was for heating and hot water, so cooking and other gas use can make it too high. It does not include existing electricity standing charges, servicing, or changes to your other electricity use.
Gas consumption is by local authority, except London, which uses the London region. Oxfordshire combines its five districts by gas-meter count. The electricity rate follows the distribution region for the place; Oxfordshire spans two regions. Actual cost depends on your heat-loss survey, hot-water use, chosen tariff, controls and the installed system's measured performance. Ask the installer for a property-specific annual estimate.
ILLUSTRATIVE QUOTE COMPARISON
One price lists the outdoor unit and connection to the old heating circuit.
Another includes a cylinder, emitter work, electrical changes and making good.
Give both firms the same survey and request a line-by-line scope. The lower total only wins if it delivers the same finished heating and hot-water service.
ANOTHER PROJECT AT THE SAME ADDRESS?
NEXT STEP IN MANCHESTER
Ask for heat loss, radiator changes and flow temperature alongside the space plan. A system can fit physically yet still need more emitter work than the first price suggests.