Air conditioning in Bedfordshire
We install, service and repair air conditioning across Bedfordshire, for homes and businesses. A lot of the county's housing is new, which makes installs simpler. Here's who handles planning, what to check in older towns, and what it costs.
- unitary councils
- 3
- single room, from
- £1,850
- two rooms, one outdoor unit
- £3,650
Which council handles planning in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire County Council was abolished on 1 April 2009. Luton had already become a unitary council in 1997. Today three councils handle planning, each for its own area.
| Council | Main towns |
|---|---|
| Bedford Borough Council | Bedford, Kempston, Wixams, Sharnbrook |
| Central Bedfordshire Council | Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Biggleswade, Sandy, Ampthill, Flitwick |
| Luton Borough Council | Luton |
Bedfordshire homes and what they mean for an install
The outdoor unit's position and the pipe route decide most of the job. Here's how that works out in the county's main types of home.
| Type of home | Where you'll find it | What it means for the install |
|---|---|---|
| New-build family homes | Wixams, Houghton Regis and estates on the edge of most towns | Usually the simplest installs. Well insulated, so smaller units often do. Check the deeds for covenants. |
| Victorian and Edwardian terraces | Bedford, Luton, Leighton Buzzard | Outdoor unit at the rear, with pipes along the back extension. Check for conservation areas first. |
| Interwar and post-war semis | Suburbs of Bedford, Luton and Dunstable | Straightforward. One outdoor unit at the side can serve two or three bedrooms with a multi-split. |
| Village and market-town houses | Ampthill, Woburn, Potton, Harrold | Often listed or in a conservation area. A rear or ground-mounted position, out of view, works best. |
| Flats | Bedford and Luton town centres | Freeholder consent first, and often planning permission. Balconies or flat roofs take the condenser. |
Where Bedfordshire is growing
Wixams is a new settlement for up to 4,500 homes south of Bedford, with its first village in Bedford Borough. North of Houghton Regis, Central Bedfordshire has given permission for a large new neighbourhood.
New homes are well insulated and airtight, which keeps the heat in during winter but can make upstairs rooms warm in summer. They're also the easiest homes to fit. Pipe routes are simple, walls are sound, and there's usually space for an outdoor unit at the side.
Conservation areas and the Chilterns
Bedford Borough has 29 conservation areas, including Bedford, Elstow, Harrold, Cardington, Turvey and Stewartby. Central Bedfordshire's include Ampthill, Woburn, Potton, Biggleswade, Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable.
In Luton, the Plaiters' Lea Hat District conservation area covers just under 4.5 hectares of former hat factories and showrooms, the best-preserved part of the town's hatting industry. It's one of five conservation areas in the town.
The Chilterns, including Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs, reach into the south of the county.
Outdoor units on houses can often go up without a planning application under permitted development, within limits on size, position and noise. In a conservation area a unit can't go on a wall facing the road without permission, and listed buildings need listed building consent. Our planning guide has the details.
Air conditioning for Bedfordshire businesses
We fit and service systems in offices, shops, restaurants, clinics and small server rooms across the county. Ceiling cassettes suit offices with suspended ceilings. Wall units suit shops and smaller rooms.
Commercial installs are done in business hours. Converted factory buildings, like those in Luton's Hat District, often need planning permission for outdoor units, so we sort out the siting before fixing a date.
What air conditioning costs in Bedfordshire
Our starting prices are the same in Bedfordshire as in London. Business prices are plus VAT.
- from£1,850inc. VAT
A bedroom or study
2.5 kW wall unit, 5 m pipe, fitted in a day
- from£2,050inc. VAT
A living room
3.5 kW wall unit
- from£3,650inc. VAT
Two rooms, one outdoor unit
Multi-split
- from£5,100inc. VAT
Three rooms
Multi-split
- from£2,350inc. VAT
Floor-standing unit
2.5 kW console
- from£1,795+ VAT
Commercial wall unit
Fitted in business hours
- from£119inc. VAT
An annual service
Keeps the manufacturer warranty valid
Questions from Bedfordshire customers
Which council do I apply to for planning in Bedfordshire?
Bedford Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council or Luton Borough Council, depending on where you live. There's been no county council since 2009.
Can I fit air conditioning in a new-build house?
Usually, yes, and it's often the simplest install. Check your deeds and any estate rules for covenants about external equipment. If the developer still owns the estate roads or shared areas, they may need to agree too.
My upstairs bedrooms get too hot. What do I need?
Most bedrooms need a 2.5 kW unit, from £1,850. Two bedrooms can share one outdoor unit with a multi-split, from £3,650. We size each room at the survey.
I live in Ampthill or Woburn. Is planning permission likely?
Both have conservation areas. If your house is inside one, a unit on a wall facing the road needs permission, and listed homes need listed building consent. Out-of-view rear positions are the usual answer.
Will it heat my home in winter?
Yes. The systems we fit are heat pumps that heat as well as cool, so they can take the load off your main heating in rooms you use most.
Do you repair air conditioning someone else fitted?
Yes. We repair most brands. A repair visit is £125, covering the first hour, and comes off the bill if you go ahead.