Air Conditioning Installation in Exeter

A cathedral city on the River Exe

Exeter is a cathedral city and the county town of Devon. It stands on the River Exe. The 2021 census counted 126,175 people in its built-up area, and only Plymouth is larger in Devon. The city retains notable medieval, Tudor and Georgian buildings.

Exeter Cathedral was founded in 1050, although the present building dates from around 1400. It holds the longest continuous medieval stone vault in the world. In addition, the city has six Grade I listed churches, and the Bishop’s Palace is separately Grade I listed.

The city changed sharply during the Second World War. For example, the Baedeker Blitz destroyed roughly 40 acres of Exeter. Post-war rebuilding made limited effort to preserve historic structures, and landmarks such as Bedford Circus were lost.

Suburbs with their own histories

Heavitree was once a separate village on the road to London. Its population grew from 833 in 1801 to 7,529 by 1901, as the expanding city absorbed it. It joined Exeter in 1913 and is now an eastern district of the city.

Across the river, St Thomas and Alphington sit on the western side. In 1960, the Exe burst its banks and flooded both, along with Exwick. As a result, the city built new flood defences between 1965 and 1977.

Local stations at Pinhoe, Polsloe Bridge and Exeter St Thomas serve those districts. Meanwhile, the new town of Cranbrook, about five miles east of the city, is now home to several thousand residents.

What that means for fitting a system here

Because Exeter mixes old and new buildings, wall type varies street by street. A thick solid wall usually takes longer to core through than a modern cavity wall. So the same system can need more labour in one home than in the next.

Siting the outdoor unit comes first on a terraced street. There is rarely a side passage, so the unit often sits on a rear wall instead. Pipe runs then follow whichever route keeps drilling to a minimum.

Planning and the F-Gas rules

Permitted development rules under Part 14, Class G cover many air source heat pumps on homes. However, they do not cover a unit used solely for cooling. They also never apply to a listed building. Inside a conservation area, a unit may not sit on a wall or roof that fronts a highway.

Therefore, a home near the historic centre may need planning permission or listed building consent. Checking with Exeter City Council first is the safer step. Our guide on planning permission for air conditioning sets out the rules in more detail.

UK law also says only an F-Gas certified engineer may handle the refrigerant. It is fair to ask any installer to show that certificate before work starts.

Cost: what to expect

A single split system typically costs between £1,500 and £3,000 fitted. Wall type and access move that figure most. For instance, a first-floor room may need scaffolding that a ground-floor room does not.

The range above is a guide, not a quote for a specific address. Only a survey of the real property turns it into a firm price. For more on how a survey works, see air conditioning installation. For a fuller breakdown, see our 2026 installation cost guide.

Coverage across Exeter and beyond

Exeter is about 79 miles by road from Bristol, around 100 minutes’ drive. Cover reaches the whole city and its edges. Air conditioning installation in Pinhoe and our St Thomas installation page each have more detail on those districts. Our Taunton installation page and Plymouth air conditioning installation cover the neighbouring cities as well.

Getting matched in Exeter

Send one enquiry and we match your address with one pre-qualified installer who works here. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing.

Whatever the wall type or the street, get in touch with a postcode and the job details. Or read more about air conditioning installation generally first.