Answer first
The usual sequence is survey, room heat-loss and emitter design, permissions and network checks, equipment ordering, old-system removal, outdoor and indoor installation, electrical and hydraulic connection, filling and testing, commissioning, certification and household handover.
Every home has a different scope. Ask for the day-by-day plan, loss-of-heating period, access requirements, making good and named responsibility for each trade before the start date.
Catapult evidence documents the practical variety of home surveys and installations
View sourceGovernment guidance says an MCS commissioning certificate should follow completion
View sourceCommissioning covers controls, flow and hot water—not only the outdoor unit
View sourcePlan the installation around your home—not a template
Tell FLO about the property, current heating and the point you need resolved. A £0 home survey can turn the general answer into a room-by-room design and written quote.
Design and approvals come first
The team records heat loss, emitters, pipework, cylinder space, outdoor location, sound, drainage, electrical supply and access. Manufacturer data then supports equipment selection.
Permitted development, listed status, conservation constraints, owner consent and distribution-network requirements are resolved where relevant. Funding applicants wait for their written offer before work starts.
Prepare the outdoor and indoor equipment
The outdoor unit receives a stable, level mounting with required airflow, vibration control, drainage and service access. Insulated pipes and cables follow a protected route into the property.
Inside, the team installs or adapts the cylinder, pumps, valves, controls, filters and hydraulic components. Radiators and necessary pipework changes are completed to the design schedule.
Connect, clean and commission
The system is flushed or cleaned as appropriate, filled, vented and protected. Electrical tests, flow rates, pressures, sensors, safety devices and control functions are checked.
Commissioning sets weather compensation, hot-water schedule and zones, then verifies operation in available conditions. Outstanding cold-weather verification should be explicit.
Handover is part of installation
The homeowner should receive controls training, design and commissioning records, warranties, MCS certificate route, servicing requirements and emergency contacts.
Photograph key settings and keep them with the documents. A usable handover reduces unnecessary boosts and helps future engineers understand the intended system.
What to read next
Related answers and services
Questions people also ask
Will I be without heating?+
Usually for part of the changeover; the installer should state the expected period and contingency before work begins.
Who removes the old boiler or oil tank?+
The written scope should name who makes safe, removes and disposes of each item.
Is commissioning completed in one visit?+
Core commissioning is completed at installation, but some performance checks may need representative cold weather and follow-up support.
Evidence used for this answer
Figures are explained in context and links go to the independent source. Prices, tariffs, scheme rules and standards can change, so check the source again before making a financial or technical decision.
- Energy Systems Catapult: home surveys and installation reportEvidence from 742 installations, including radiators, cylinders, survey constraints and typical installation duration.
- MCS heat-pump design standardTechnical requirements for heat loss, equipment selection, domestic hot water and system design.
- MCS domestic heat-pump guideConsumer guidance covering design, installation, controls, handover and maintenance.
- Energy Networks Association: connecting heat pumpsThe national low-carbon-technology notification and network assessment process for domestic installations.
- Scottish Government: householder permitted development rightsOfficial Scottish limits and conditions for domestic air-source heat pumps, including siting, designated places and MCS 020.