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What decides how much air conditioning costs at home?

This page does not print a price for home air conditioning, because the cost depends on the type of system, how many rooms it serves, the pipe run and the electrical work. Installers handling F gas refrigerants must hold the right qualifications, so compare written quotes from qualified installers for the same specification [S2].

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By the QuoteZila editorial team. Editorial policy.

Why doesn't this page print a price?

Air conditioning covers very different jobs. A portable unit you plug in, a single wall-mounted split system for one bedroom, and a multi-room system with several indoor units are not comparable. We could not find two dated public UK sources for a home installation price, so this page does not print one. What it does cover is what changes the quote, and what to check before you accept it.

What changes the cost of air conditioning?

The main things an installer will ask about:

  • System type. Portable, single split, multi split or ducted. A system that also heats is a different product from one that only cools, and that difference matters for planning, too.
  • Number of rooms. Each indoor unit is its own piece of equipment, with its own pipe run and drain.
  • Room size and use. A loft bedroom under the roof or a south-facing conservatory needs a different capacity from a north-facing study.
  • Where the outdoor unit goes. On a bracket, on the ground, or on a flat roof. Access and the distance to the indoor unit both matter.
  • The pipe and cable run. A short run through one wall is simpler than a long run through floors, lofts or several rooms.
  • Condensate drainage. Water from the indoor unit has to go somewhere, by gravity or by a small pump.
  • Electrics. Many fitted systems need a dedicated supply from the consumer unit. That is electrical work in its own right.
  • Making good. Filling, trunking and decorating around the holes and pipe covers.

Do you need planning permission for air conditioning?

Sometimes. The Planning Portal says permitted development rights for air conditioning only apply if the system provides a heating function, including units that both heat and cool, and that a cooling-only system needs a planning application [S1]. It also says homes in protected areas such as conservation areas need permission, and listed buildings need consent [S1].

So the type of system can decide whether you need to apply. Ask each installer whether the unit they are quoting heats as well as cools, and check with your council before work starts if your house is in a conservation area or is listed.

What qualifications should an installer have?

Most fitted systems contain fluorinated gases, known as F gas. GOV.UK says that for refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump systems you must have qualifications to install, service and maintain them, and that it is against the law to work with F gas without the correct qualifications [S2]. Ask each installer which F gas qualification they hold, and whether their business holds company certification.

The electrical side is separate. The Planning Portal says an installer registered with a competent person scheme can self-certify compliance with the building regulations [S3]. Ask whether the electrics are in the quote, and who is doing them. This page gives no DIY steps for wiring or refrigerant work.

Electrical Safety First: find a registered electrician; NICEIC; NAPIT. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.

How do you compare air conditioning quotes?

Ask each installer to put these in writing:

  • the make, model and capacity of each indoor and outdoor unit
  • whether the system heats as well as cools
  • where each unit and the pipe run will go
  • the electrical work included, and who will certify it
  • condensate drainage and making good
  • what servicing they recommend, and whether that is in the price
  • whether VAT is included

Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least three traders, and keeping any deposit you cannot avoid to no more than 25% [S4]. Quotes are only comparable when they describe the same equipment in the same places.

Jobs you might post

These are examples, not taken from real job posts. "Fit a wall-mounted air conditioning unit in a loft bedroom. We would like one that can heat as well as cool." Or: "Quote for air conditioning in two bedrooms and a home office in a house near Crewe." Or: "Our existing air conditioning unit has stopped cooling. Please service it and tell us what is wrong."

Get quotes from local installers

Post the job with the rooms, photos of the walls and your postcode. Up to five matched local businesses can reply [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1]. QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, and anyone in the UK can post or register.

Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.

Posting a job is not open yet

See the heating engineers page, the electricians page or the electrician cost guide.

Questions about air conditioning costs

How much does air conditioning cost to install?

This page does not print a figure, because we do not have two dated public sources for a home installation price. The total depends on the system type, the number of indoor units, the length of the pipe run, the wall the outdoor unit goes on and the electrical work. Ask installers to quote the same specification so the totals can be compared.

Do I need planning permission for air conditioning?

Sometimes. The Planning Portal says permitted development rights for air conditioning only apply where the system also provides heating, so a cooling-only system needs a planning application. It also says homes in conservation areas need permission and listed buildings need consent. Ask your council if you are unsure.

Does an air conditioning installer need to be qualified?

Yes, for work on systems containing F gas. GOV.UK says you must have qualifications to install, service and maintain these systems, and that it is against the law to work with F gas without the correct qualifications. Ask each installer which qualification they hold.

Should I choose a portable air conditioner or a fitted one?

A portable unit needs no installer, so there is no fitting cost, but it serves one room and vents through a hose to a window. This page does not compare running costs, because that depends on the unit, how long it runs and your tariff. A fitted split system is a different job with different trades.

Does QuoteZila check the installers who quote?

No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.

This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.

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Sources

  1. QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and jobs-for-tradesmen copy.
  2. QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila terms and matching notes.
  3. S1: Do I need planning permission to add air conditioning to my home?, Planning Portal (Interactive House). Accessed 2026-10-25. https://interactive.planningportal.co.uk/faqs/do-i-need-planning-permission-to-add-air-conditioning-to-my-home
  4. S2: Qualifications to work with F gas, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/qualifications-required-to-work-on-equipment-containing-f-gas
  5. S3: Building Regulations: general information, electrics, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/electrics/building-regulations-general-information/
  6. S4: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/