Air conditioning in Watford
We install, service and repair air conditioning in homes and businesses across Watford. Below: the town's conservation areas and Article 4 directions, how its homes affect an install, parking on the day, and prices.
- conservation areas
- 10
- controlled parking zones
- 19
- office wall unit, from, + VAT
- £1,795
Planning in Watford
Watford Borough Council handles planning for the whole town. It's a compact borough of 12 wards: Callowland, Central, Holywell, Leggatts, Meriden, Nascot, Oxhey, Park, Stanborough, Tudor, Vicarage and Woodside.
Outdoor units on houses can often go up without a planning application under permitted development, within limits on size, position and noise. In Watford those rights are restricted in a lot of places, because the council has made Article 4 directions covering its conservation areas and some individual houses. Our planning guide sets out the national rules.
Watford's conservation areas
The council has 10 conservation areas, and it lists an Article 4 direction for each one. These remove permitted development rights for external changes.
| Conservation area | Article 4 direction |
|---|---|
| Civic Core | Yes |
| Estcourt | Yes, residential and commercial |
| Grove Mill Lane | Yes |
| High Street and King Street | Yes, residential and commercial |
| Macdonell Gardens | Yes |
| Nascot | Yes, residential and commercial |
| Oxhey | Yes, residential and commercial |
| St Mary's | Yes |
| The Square | Yes, residential |
| Watford Heath | Yes, residential and commercial |
Some individual houses also have their own Article 4 direction, including addresses on Cassiobury Drive and Cassiobury Park Avenue. The council publishes the full list.
Watford homes and what they mean for an install
| Type of home | Typical areas | What it means for the install |
|---|---|---|
| Victorian and Edwardian terraces | Callowland, Oxhey, streets near the town centre | Outdoor unit at the rear. Check first whether your street is in a conservation area with an Article 4 direction. |
| Edwardian and interwar semis | Nascot and the streets around Cassiobury Park | Plenty of room at the side or rear. A multi-split can serve two to four bedrooms from one outdoor unit. |
| Post-war and newer family homes | Garston, Meriden, Woodside | Usually permitted development and a simple install, often done in a day for a single room. |
| Town-centre flats | Central, near the High Street and the stations | Freeholder or managing agent consent first. Condensers go on balconies or flat roofs where the building allows. |
Offices and businesses
Clarendon Road is Watford's main office location. The council protects it with an Article 4 direction that stops offices being turned into homes without permission. Watford Business Park, on Greenhill Crescent, Caxton Way and Faraday Close, covers about 30 hectares and holds more than 100 businesses.
We fit wall units, ceiling cassettes and multi-split systems for offices, meeting rooms, small server rooms, shops and restaurants. Office installs are done in business hours, floor by floor if needed, so the building keeps working. We also take over servicing from other installers and keep your F-Gas records.
Parking on install day
Watford has 19 controlled parking zones, each with a letter code, and their hours vary. Zone V, around Cassiobury Drive and Parkside Drive, only runs on weekday middays from September to June, for example. Tell us your zone when you book and we'll plan where the van parks, because we need to unload the outdoor unit close to the house.
Prices for Watford homes
Our starting prices are the same here as across London and Hertfordshire.
- 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£6,500inc. VAT
Four rooms
Multi-split
- from£119inc. VAT
An annual service
Keeps the manufacturer warranty valid
Prices for Watford offices
Business prices are plus VAT. You get a fixed quote after a site survey.
- from£1,795+ VAT
Commercial wall unit
Fitted in business hours
- from£2,750+ VAT
Ceiling cassette
In a suitable suspended ceiling
- from£59inc. VAT
Each extra indoor unit
Same visit
- from£169inc. VAT
Plus plan
Essential, no diagnostic fee, 10% off repair labour
Watford questions
Do I need planning permission for air conditioning in Watford?
If you live in one of Watford's conservation areas, probably yes. Most of them have Article 4 directions that remove permitted development rights. Outside them, a unit on a house can often be permitted development if it meets the limits. Our planning guide explains them.
I live in Nascot. What should I check?
Nascot is a conservation area with residential and commercial Article 4 directions. Check whether your house is inside the boundary on the council's conservation area map. If it is, plan for a planning application and a rear position for the outdoor unit.
Can you fit air conditioning in a Clarendon Road office?
Yes. We survey the space, check with the landlord or managing agent about where condensers can go, and fit during business hours. Cassettes suit open-plan floors with suspended ceilings. Wall units suit meeting rooms.
How much does a single room cost in Watford?
A 2.5 kW wall unit for a bedroom or study starts at £1,850 including VAT, with a 5 m pipe run, fitted in a day. Living rooms usually need 3.5 kW, from £2,050.
Can you service my existing system?
Yes. An annual service starts at £119 and keeps the manufacturer's warranty valid. We service most brands, whoever installed them.