Air conditioning in Reading
We install, service and repair air conditioning for homes and businesses across Reading, from Caversham and Tilehurst to Whitley, Earley and Woodley. Reading's suburbs fall under three different councils, so this page starts with who handles planning at your address.
- conservation areas in Reading
- 15
- single room, from
- £1,850
- annual service, from
- £119
Which council handles planning in the Reading area
The Reading urban area is bigger than Reading borough. Where you live decides which council you'd apply to.
| Area | Council |
|---|---|
| Central Reading, Caversham, Whitley, Southcote and eastern Tilehurst | Reading Borough Council |
| Earley, Lower Earley, Woodley and Shinfield | Wokingham Borough Council |
| Western Tilehurst, Purley on Thames and Calcot | West Berkshire Council |
Under plans announced in July 2026, West Berkshire is due to join a new Ridgeway council with parts of Oxfordshire. Until that happens, West Berkshire Council handles planning there.
Reading homes and how we approach them
Much of inner Reading is Victorian red-brick terraces, on tight streets close to the town centre and the university. In these homes the outdoor unit usually goes on the rear wall or on a ground pad in the back yard, with the pipes run along the back addition to the bedrooms. Loft rooms in these terraces get hot first and are often the first room people cool.
Further out, Caversham, Tilehurst and Earley have a lot of interwar and post-war semis and detached houses with side access. A multi-split works well here: one outdoor unit at the side can serve two, three or four bedrooms.
Town-centre flats, many near the station and along the river, need the freeholder or managing agent's consent before anything goes on the outside. We can give you the unit sizes and noise data they ask for.
Reading's 15 conservation areas
Reading Borough Council lists 15 conservation areas. Several cover streets of Victorian houses where an outdoor unit on the front would stand out, so the back is the place for it.
Reading's Local Plan also protects the character of some traditional terraces in central Reading that aren't conservation areas, such as Sackville Street and Vachel Road, Stanshawe Road and Blakes Cottages. If you live on one of these streets, keep the outdoor unit away from the front.
- Alexandra Road, Christchurch, Downshire Square and Eldon Square
- Horncastle, Kendrick, Market Place and Redlands
- Routh Lane, South Park, Surley Row and The Mount
- Castle Hill/Russell Street/Oxford Road
- St Mary's Butts/Castle Street and St Peter's
Do you need planning permission in Reading?
Often not. A unit that heats as well as cools, on an unlisted house, can usually go in under national permitted development rules if it meets the limits on size, position and noise. The outdoor unit must be no bigger than 1.5 m³ and pass the noise calculation at your neighbours' windows.
In a conservation area it can't go on a wall or roof that faces the road. Listed buildings, flats with a second heat pump, and cooling-only units need an application. Ask the council that covers your address if you're unsure. Our planning guide explains the rules in full.
Parking on install day
Many streets in central and east Reading have residents' permit parking. Reading Borough Council issues permits for tradespeople, so tell us when you book if your street is in a permit zone. We'll sort out where the van can go before the day, because we need to unload the outdoor unit close to the house.
Air conditioning for Reading businesses
Reading has a lot of office space, from the town centre to the business parks on its edges. We fit ceiling cassettes in offices with suspended ceilings, wall units in meeting rooms, and dedicated cooling for comms and server rooms. Commercial work is done in business hours.
We also fit and service systems in shops, restaurants, salons and clinics, and take over servicing of existing systems from most manufacturers, with F-Gas records kept for systems that need them.
What air conditioning costs in Reading
Our starting prices are the same in Reading as across Berkshire and London. Home prices include VAT. 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£1,795+ VAT
Commercial wall unit
Fitted in business hours
- from£2,750+ VAT
Ceiling cassette
In a suitable suspended ceiling
- from£119inc. VAT
An annual service
Keeps the manufacturer warranty valid
Areas and postcodes we cover around Reading
We cover the whole town and the suburbs around it. If you're not sure, put your postcode in the quote form and we'll confirm.
- RG1: the town centre, Katesgrove and the Oxford Road area
- RG2: Whitley, Lower Earley and Shinfield
- RG4: Caversham and Emmer Green
- RG30 and RG31: Tilehurst, Southcote and Calcot
- RG5 and RG6: Woodley and Earley
Reading questions
I live in Earley. Do I apply to Reading Borough Council?
No. Earley, Lower Earley and Woodley are in Wokingham Borough, so planning questions go to Wokingham Borough Council. If you're in western Tilehurst or Purley on Thames, it's West Berkshire Council.
Can I have air conditioning in a Reading Victorian terrace?
Yes. The outdoor unit usually goes on the back wall or in the yard, with a short pipe run to the room. If your street is in a conservation area, a rear position also keeps you clear of the rule against units on walls facing the road.
Is my street in a Reading conservation area?
Reading Borough Council publishes a map of all 15 conservation areas, and you can check your address on its My Reading map. We also check at the survey before we quote.
Which size unit do I need for a bedroom?
Most bedrooms need a 2.5 kW wall unit, from £1,850 with a 5 m pipe run, fitted in a day. Loft rooms with large roof windows may need 3.5 kW. Our sizing guide explains how we work it out.
Can you cool the server room in our Reading office?
Yes. Small server and comms rooms usually need a dedicated wall unit that runs all year. A commercial wall unit starts at £1,795 plus VAT, sized at the survey from the heat your equipment gives off.
Do you service systems another company fitted?
Yes. An annual service starts at £119, plus £59 for each extra indoor unit on the same visit. We service most brands, including Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, LG and Panasonic.