Why Bexley homes get hot
Most of the borough was built in one great burst between the wars, as the railways pulled London out through Bexleyheath, Welling and Sidcup. That housing stock has a particular summer problem. Interwar semis were built for coal fires and draughts, not heatwaves: big bay windows that trap afternoon sun, loft insulation added later to keep heat in, and — the classic — a dormer or loft-conversion bedroom that sits directly under the tiles and stays stuffy long after the garden has cooled down.
Erith is a different mix: older terraces near the town centre and newer riverside flats, where large areas of glazing can make a south-facing living room genuinely uncomfortable by mid-afternoon.
This housing stock suits split-system air conditioning well. A single-room split handles the worst room — usually that loft bedroom — while a multi-split can cover several rooms from one outdoor unit. Because a modern split is a reversible air-to-air heat pump, it heats in winter too, often more cheaply than the alternatives for a single room. We won't quote prices here, because they genuinely depend on your house and the installer's survey; our UK cost guide explains what drives the price and what a fair quote looks like. One thing worth knowing before you budget: air-to-air units are not covered by the government's Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which applies to air-to-water systems only.
Two checks before anyone quotes you
- Electrics. Interwar houses often still have older consumer units that need looking at before an installer will connect a unit. Our guide on whether your electrics can handle air conditioning covers what an electrician will check and why it matters.
- Permissions. The outdoor unit usually goes on a rear or side wall, and most Bexley gardens have room for it. Parts of the borough — the older village centres especially — sit in conservation areas, so check with the council before fixing anything to an external wall rather than assuming. If you're in a flat, or anywhere leasehold, you'll almost certainly need the freeholder's consent first.
Where Coolhouse is up to in Bexley
Straight answer: we don't yet have vetted installers in Bexley. We're currently live in Hertfordshire and building our network outward, and we'd rather tell you that plainly than promise a quote we can't deliver. If you leave your details, we'll tell you honestly where we're up to and match you as soon as local installers come on board. In the meantime, the cost guide above will help you budget properly, whoever you end up using.