Nothing beats having an air conditioner on a sweltering summer day in the UK. As the summers become increasingly hot and humid, air conditioning is an absolute must have for homeowners. The comfort that air conditioning provides are undeniable. However, the cost of installing air conditioning can vary significantly depending on several factors. From the size of your home to the type of unit you choose, there are several factors that influence the final price tag.
Factors that impact air conditioning installation costs
Depending on where you live or what type of system you want, your installation costs may vary. Here are a few things you want to discuss with your installer when getting quotes to ensure there aren’t any last minute surprises:
- Location of the installation: Depending on where you live, your installation costs will vary. Generally cheaper if you are in a major city or town and are easy to get to as opposed to a more rural location. A further distance from the installer means longer travel time and additional costs.
- The size of your property: A larger homes means a lot more rooms and people to keep cool during hot days. This usually means more air conditioning units are required leading to a longer installation time.
- Type of air conditioning unit: A split system can be relatively quick and easy to install through the side wall of a house. If you want a ducted system to service multiple rooms, this means days of crawling through the roof battling with wiring and insulation.
- Brand of air conditioner: Like anything, the better and more reliable brands tend to cost you more but can be worth the money in the long run.
Choosing the right aircon for the right room
You need to calculate the size of the air conditioning unit and the size of the area. The rule of thumb is that 1 tonne of air conditioning unit is suitable for cooling around 400 square feet. This is important because if the size of the unit is not proportional to the size of the room it will not work as effectively.
This air conditioning unit also requires regular annual servicing so that it can work efficiently and effectively. This is an additional cost that is incurred apart from the cost of the unit and installation charges. By having these services you will be able to recognise any existing problems and get it fixed before it can become a major problem.
Annual services are of course an additional cost to consider, but they help you to save your money in the long run. The annual servicing will benefit you in many ways, if your air condition unit is in a good state it should last a longer period of time. Things like this are factors which one need to keep in mind while buying an air conditioning unit for themselves.
An important aspect that to consider hand is that UK mostly has a climate that it won’t put a significant strain on your air con, which means there may not be as high maintenance costs involved.
Different Types of Air Conditioning Units
There are a few different types of air conditioning units that you can look to have installed in the UK. Here are a few examples:
- Central
- Geothermal
- Hybrid
- Portable
- Window
- Ductless / Mini-split
We’ve written a complete guide on air conditioning units, you can find our buying guide here.
General cost of different air conditioning units
Here we have a rough pricing based off our our experience with a recent air conditioner installation. Note your prices may vary depending upon your situation.
- Portable air conditioning unit- £300- £600
- Fixed air conditioning unit- £800 to £1000
- Installation charges- £130 to £200 per day
Tips to Saving Money on Air Conditioners
If you are anything like me, you want to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck. Here we have a few tips to keep your installation and ongoing costs low:
- Picking an energy-efficient unit: It’s no secret, air conditioners can be quite expensive to run. Look into the specifications of the units you are interested in to see how much power they use to operate.
- Cool the house down early: If you’ve looked at the weather forecast and know that there is a hot day on the horizon, get the house cool before it heats up. Trying to cool down a house that’s already been baking in the sun takes a lot more power then keeping a cool one cold.
- Regular maintenance: Keep your air conditioner in working order to avoid costly repairs. Much of the cleaning and servicing you can do yourself so no need to pay for a tradesman. Keep the manual on hand to see how the servicing is done.
- Get multiple quotes: Like any job, make sure you get multiple quote from different tradesmen to ensure you aren’t getting ripped off. But be warned, cheapest isn’t always best. Go with your gut and pick the quote that’s right for you.
- Get the materials yourself: When getting quotes, see if you can purchase the air con unit yourself. Whilst the tradesman can generally buy then for cheaper, they charge you the full amount with a little extra on top.
- Consider a DIY install: If you’re good with your tools then there is no reason not to consider installing the unit yourself. Before doing this, check the warranty on the unit to be sure you dont void it.