Your complete water and ground source heat pump partner
We design, build, license and maintain water and renewable energy solutions. Use us for everything — or just the part you need.
Our three specialist divisions
UK-wideExpert water licensing, permits and regulatory consultancy
For Licensing & Consulting click here →
South of EnglandWater boreholes, GSHP systems and deep bore soakaways
For Boreholes & Ground Source click here →
South of EnglandDedicated servicing and maintenance for the lifetime of your system
For Servicing & Maintenance click here →Ground Source Heat Pumps — designed, drilled and installed in-house
Over 500 GSHP systems installed across the South of England. MCS certified. We handle every step — including the BUS grant application — because we drill, design, install and service with our own in-house teams.
Homeowner? Read our plain-English heat pump guide →
500+
GSHP systems installed
£9,000
BUS grant (oil & LPG homes)
75%
CO₂ reduction vs gas boiler
4:1
Heat out per unit electricity in
4,000+
Boreholes Drilled
1,500+
Projects Completed
20+
Years in Business
100+
Years Combined Experience
Three specialist divisions, one team
Each division operates with its own specialist team and expertise, but together they deliver a complete, integrated service.
UK-wide
Independent expert advice on water licensing, permits, compliance and consultancy. We work with the EA — whether you’re using Nicholls for drilling or another contractor.
- ✓EA abstraction & discharge licensing
- ✓Licence compliance & inspections
- ✓Water consultancy & hydrology
- ✓Water solutions & testing
South of England
Water boreholes, deep bore soakaways and ground source heat pump systems — designed, drilled, installed and maintained by our in-house team.
- ✓Water boreholes (domestic & commercial)
- ✓Deep bore soakaways
- ✓Closed-loop, open-loop & river source GSHP
- ✓MCS certified — eligible for BUS grant
South of England
Dedicated in-house service department providing monitoring, maintenance and support for the lifetime of your system — whether we installed it or not.
- ✓Borehole servicing & pump testing
- ✓GSHP system maintenance
- ✓Pump replacement (planned & emergency)
- ✓Water treatment & quality monitoring
Design · Install · Maintain
Turnkey solutions from a single provider, or individual services to complement your existing team.
Design
Our qualified, in-house design team assess your needs, design your project and undertake all technical calculations and drawings.
Install
Our teams of experienced, professional, qualified engineers provide a high standard of installation using purpose-built equipment.
Maintain
Our dedicated, in-house service department provides monitoring, maintenance and support for the lifetime of your system.
Our Services and Solutions
Comprehensive water and renewable heating solutions for residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial clients.
Licensing & Consulting
Expert regulatory and advisory services — available UK-wide.
- ✓EA abstraction licences
- ✓Discharge & impoundment permits
- ✓Consultancy & compliance
- ✓Water solutions & testing
Water Boreholes
Your own private water supply — save money, reduce carbon and add property value.
- ✓Domestic & commercial supply
- ✓Irrigation & agriculture
- ✓Industrial & cooling
- ✓Design, drill & maintain
Ground Source Heat Pump Systems
Efficient, low-carbon heating from the ground beneath your property.
- ✓Closed-loop systems
- ✓Open-loop systems
- ✓River & water source
- ✓MCS certified · BUS eligible
Deep Bore Soakaways
Advanced drainage where traditional soakaways won't work.
- ✓Storm water management
- ✓Low-porosity geology
- ✓Constrained sites
- ✓Discharge permits
Servicing & Maintenance
Dedicated in-house team protecting your system for the long term.
- ✓Borehole servicing
- ✓GSHP maintenance
- ✓Pump replacement
- ✓Water treatment
Sectors We Serve
From private homes to data centres, we have the expertise to deliver water and energy solutions tailored to your sector.
Residential
Water boreholes, GSHP systems and deep bore soakaways for homes and private properties.
South of England
Commercial
Water and heating solutions for businesses, developments, hospitals and commercial sites.
South of England
Agricultural
Irrigation boreholes, livestock water supply and farm drainage solutions.
South of England
✦Data Centre Cooling
Sustainable water-based cooling solutions — GSHP, river abstraction and Borehole WaaS.
UK-wide (licensing & consulting) / South of England (physical works)
Our Projects Across the UK
Explore our completed water borehole, ground source heat pump and soakaway projects.
4,000+ boreholes drilled across the UK
Our interactive project map loads when it's ready. In the meantime, here's where we've been working — across West Sussex (227 projects), Surrey (196), Hampshire (111), East Sussex (87), Kent (70) and across the wider South of England, including Wiltshire and Dorset.
Water boreholes · Ground source heat pumps · Deep bore soakaways · Over 1,500 completed projects since 2003.
Sustainable cooling for UK data centres
Three proven approaches to data centre cooling: borehole Water-as-a-Service, ground source heat pumps and river/canal abstraction. Reduce water costs, improve WUE and secure long-term supply.
20-40%
Below mains water rates with WaaS
0.0
WUE with GSHP & river cooling
20yr
WaaS contract model
EA
Licencing expertise built in
Recent projects
A selection of work across sectors and solution types.
Solar Powered Water Borehole on the South Downs — West Sussex
Nicholls designed, supplied and installed a 176 metre water borehole system for a livestock farm situated in an isolated position on the top of the South Downs. Due to the lack of electrical supply...
Waterwell Borehole for a Private School in Surrey — Surrey
Due to the required daily water usage, an Abstraction Licence was required from the Environment Agency. Our Nicholls Licensing and Consulting team undertook all aspects for the client.
435kW River Source Heat Pump for 86 Apartments, Norwich — Norwich
Nicholls were approached to design, supply and install a GSHP system with boreholes for the client in Norwich. During the design phase, after completing a test borehole, it became clear that approx...
Accredited & certified
Sustainability is part of our culture
Our premises are carbon neutral — powered by solar, wind and ground source heat. Since 2008, the GSHP systems we've installed have saved an estimated 12,099 tonnes of carbon.
Read about our sustainability commitment →12,099t
Carbon saved since 2008
75%
Emission reduction per GSHP
Ready to discuss your project?
Whether you need a complete turnkey solution or just one element, our team is here to help. Call us or send an enquiry — we aim to respond within 1 working day.