What is the price of a heat pump for an 80 m² house?

The craze for heat pumps can be explained both by a desire to reduce energy bills, especially in a context of soaring prices, but also by an ecological awareness. Although the heat pump shines in both respects, it is nevertheless a real consequence that must be planned in accordance with the rules of the art.

In this article, we will answer the following question: what is the price of a heat pump for an 80 m² house ?

According to INSEE (the French statistics institute), the average household lives in a 91 m² home. In detail, owners have an average of 109 m², while renters have less than 70 m². We have therefore chosen the 80 m² dwellings as a starting point to guide you towards a more precise estimation of the cost of this eco-responsible heating solution. 

You don't have time to read everything? Here is a first answer: For a house of 80 m², a heat pump would cost you between 5,000 and 19,000 euros. Why such a wide range? The answer lies in the different options available to you: air-to-air heat pump, air-to-water heat pump, water-to-water heat pump, geothermal heat pump, but also in the configuration of your home, the climate of your region, the integration of domestic hot water or not, etc. 

In the rest of this guide, we'll explore the details of the investment cost to help you make an informed choice. 

Heat pump: average prices for an 80 m² house 

There is a heat pump for every budget and every configuration. Whether you choose an air-to-air, air-to-water, water-to-water or geothermal heat pump, here are the price ranges for an 80 m² house.

Price of an air-to-air heat pump for an 80 m² house

The price of an air-to-air heat pump for 80 m². The average cost of a heat pump is €3,650, but keep in mind that the cost can vary from €1,450 to €8,800, including installation. To put this into perspective, a heat pump for 30 m² would cost between €1,450 and €3,200, while an air-to-air heat pump for a 120 m² house would range from €5,600 to €8,800.

Price of an air-to-water heat pump for an 80 m² house

If you prefer an air-to-water heat pump, you should know that the average cost for an 80 m² house is between 6,500 and 9,000 €, excluding installation costs. For the installation of this heat pump, count on an additional 1 500 to 3 000 €.

Price of a water-to-water heat pump for an 80 m² house

The more expensive water-to-water heat pump option would cost you an average of €11,100, with a price range of €9,000 to €16,000, including installation. In detail, a water-to-water heat pump with domestic hot water (DHW) production would cost between €10,500 and €16,000, while a heating-only model would cost between €9,000 and €13,500, including installation.

Price of a geothermal heat pump for an 80 m² house

The price of a geothermal heat pump is between 20,000 and 40,000 €. This price depends on many factors such as the power of the equipment, its brand, the labor, but especially the type of collection. Thus, depending on whether you opt for horizontal or vertical collectors, you will need to plan for :

• Between 14 000 € and 22 000 € for horizontal collectors;
• Between 16 000 € and 25 000 € for vertical collectors.

Why are geothermal heat pumps so expensive? Because they are very efficient, with a COP of 5 to 6. This is because the temperature of the ground is relatively constant compared to the outside air from which aerothermal heat pumps draw their heat. They are also more durable and almost silent.

What are the factors that influence the price of PAC?

To get beyond the averages and understand why the price of a heat pump can vary so much for an 80-square-meter house, we need to take a closer look at the key factors that influence the cost.

The power of the heat pump

The main factor that influences the price of a heat pump is its power. A power that depends mainly on the surface to be heated, because it is important to know that a properly sized heat pump guarantees energy savings, high efficiency and optimal comfort. A poorly sized heat pump will either be unable to reach and maintain the desired temperature (undersized heat pump), or will be too noisy, consume too much electricity and be expensive to purchase and maintain (oversized). 

For a house of 80 m², how to determine the necessary power for your heat pump? We make the turn of the question. 

The volume to be heated

It all starts with the calculation of the volume to be heated. You must multiply the ceiling height by the total surface area of your home.

The construction coefficient

The building coefficient depends on the level of insulation in your home. The better your house is insulated, the lower the coefficient. For example, a house respecting the RT 2012 standards has a coefficient of 0.7, while a poorly insulated house will have a coefficient of 1.3. 

The basic outdoor temperature

The basic outdoor temperature varies according to your geographical zone and indicates the effort your heat pump must make to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. In France, for example, there are three zones, namely:

• H1 (North and East): - 9 °C ;
• H2 (West): - 6 °C ;
• H3 (the South and Corsica): - 3 °C.

The calculation to be made

Now let's combine all these elements to determine the power of the heat pump needed for an 80 m² house: 

Volume to be heated x construction coefficient x (desired indoor temperature - basic outdoor temperature)

For example, for a house of 80 m² with a ceiling height of 3 meters, respecting the RT 2012 standards and located in the H1 zone, the calculation would be as follows

(80 x 3) x 0.7 x (21 - (-9)) = 5040 watts

This means that you would need a heat pump with a capacity of 5.04 KW to maintain an indoor temperature of 21 °C.

Installation costs

It can be expensive, but having a heat pump installed by a qualified professional is an expense you won't regret. Installation costs vary considerably depending on the type of heat pump you choose, and can be as much as double! 

On average, the price of installing a heat pump varies from €2,000 to €7,000, but the bill climbs with complex installations, particularly geothermal heat pumps (over €10,000), which require a study of the soil, drilling, earthworks and the installation and connection of the equipment.

To give you a better idea, here are the estimated installation costs for different types of heat pumps:

• Air to air heat pump : from 500 to 3 000 € ;
• Air to water heat pump : from 1 000 to 3 000 € ;
• Water-to-water heat pump : from 1 500 to 4 000 € ;
• Geothermal heat pump : from 5 000 to 10 000 €.

Financial aid, self-consumption bonuses, resale and the eco PTZ reduce the initial investment, which brings us to the next point.

Installing a heat pump: focus on available financial aid

Under certain conditions, you may be eligible for financial aid that can greatly reduce the cost of installing your heat pump. To tell you more about it, we have chosen the example of France, where it is possible to benefit from several subsidies as long as you choose an RGE (Reconnu Garant de l'Environnement) professional.

• MaPrimeRénov': This aid replaces the tax credit for energy transition and the aid of the Anah. It is attributed according to several criteria, including the household income and the type of work done. In concrete terms, you can receive up to €10,000 for your installation;
• MaPrimeRenov' Serenity This aid, which will be introduced in 2022, is designed to encourage the most modest households to undertake major energy renovation work. At stake: 35 % of the amount of work for households with modest incomes (yellow profile), and up to 50 % of the amount of work for very modest incomes (blue profile);
• The Coup de Pouce Heating bonus This bonus is designed to encourage low-income households to replace their old heating equipment with less energy-intensive solutions. Its amount depends on the nature of the work;
• Help from energy suppliers Energy saving certificates: as part of the Energy Saving Certificates (EEC) scheme, some energy suppliers offer grants to finance the installation of a heat pump. The amount depends on several factors: income, surface area of the home, type of heat pump, nature of the work, etc. ;
• Local government assistance Depending on where you live, you may be eligible for local assistance to install a heat pump;
• The zero interest eco-loan (eco PTZ): this interest-free loan can be used to finance certain energy renovation work, including the installation of a heat pump. Like any loan, it is repayable;
• The reduced VAT rate of 5.5 % VAT: certain energy renovation work, including the installation of a heat pump, can benefit from a reduced VAT rate of 5.5 %.

Heat pump for an 80 m² house: what you need to know 

Installation costs, the power required from the heat pump, the type of heat pump chosen... the costs associated with the installation of a heat pump for an 80 m² house can dissuade many people. The good news is that there are several financial aids available to support your project, which will greatly lighten the bill. 

For a house of 80 m² :

• Air to air heat pump The average cost is approximately €3,650, with a price range of €1,450 to €8,800, including installation;
• Air to water heat pump The average cost is between €6,500 and €9,000, excluding installation costs, which can vary from €1,500 to €3,000;
• Water-to-water heat pump The average cost is approximately €11,100, with a price range of €9,000 to €16,000, including installation;
• Geothermal heat pump The cost varies between 20 000 and 40 000 €, including installation.

In the end, installing a heat pump is a profitable investment over the long term. And don't forget that you are also doing something for the planet.