Find an air-con installer you can trust

When to call an air-con installer

Aussie summers don’t muck around, and neither do the cold snaps down south. Call an installer when you want to put cooling (and usually heating too) into a room that hasn’t got it. That might be a single split system in the bedroom, a few heads spread through the house, or a full ducted setup that does the lot from one quiet outdoor unit.

It’s also a call worth making when your old system is on its last legs. If it’s noisy, leaking, blowing warm, or short-cycling on and off, a service might sort it, or it might be time for a more efficient replacement that pays you back on the power bill. And if you’re renovating or extending, get an installer in early so the pipe runs and the indoor units land in the right spots before the walls close up.

What to check before you hire

Air-con is unusual because it can need more than one licence, and a proper installer has every one of them covered.

• The refrigerant. Anyone handling the gas needs an ARCtick licence, issued through the Australian Refrigeration Council. It’s a national licence, and working with refrigerant without one is illegal. It matters, because a sloppy job can leak gas and leave the system cooling poorly.
• The state licence. In some states, installing air-con is licensed work on its own: an air-conditioning and refrigeration licence from Building Commission NSW, a QBCC mechanical services licence in Queensland, a Building and Plumbing Commission licence in Victoria, or a Consumer and Business Services licence that covers the work in South Australia.
• The wiring. A new power circuit needs a licensed electrician. Some installers hold a restricted licence that only covers disconnecting and reconnecting the unit, so ask who’s doing the electrical side.

Our licence checks page has the right lookup for every state, and you can learn more about how tradie licences work in our guide. Beyond the licences, look for public liability insurance, an ABN and a clear written quote. Ask about the warranty too, both the manufacturer warranty on the unit and a workmanship warranty on the install itself.

One thing that quietly makes or breaks a system is sizing. A unit that’s too small runs flat out on the hottest days and never quite gets there. One that’s too big short-cycles, which wastes power and wears it out early. A good installer measures the room, factors in ceiling height, windows, insulation and aspect, and picks the right capacity. It’s the difference between a system that just works and one that nags at you every summer.

What it costs

Price tracks the type and size of the job. As a guide:

• Split system, supplied and installed: around $1,500–$3,000 for a standard 2.5 to 3.5 kW unit
• Install only, for a unit you’ve bought: around $600–$1,500
• Multi-head system, several indoor units on one outdoor unit: around $4,500–$11,000
• Ducted reverse-cycle system: around $8,000–$18,000 for most houses
• Service and clean a split system: around $120–$300

Long pipe runs, a second storey, awkward access and a new power circuit will all nudge the number up. Running cost is worth thinking about up front, not just the install price. Modern inverter units are much cheaper to run, and a higher star rating plus correct sizing keeps the bill sensible all summer.

These are a guide, not a quote. Our air con installation cost guide has more detail and how each city compares, then get a free quote for your exact home, since that’s the only way to get a real number.

How needatradie matches you

We’re not a directory, and we won’t flog your details to five businesses who then ring you all week. You tell us what you need, and we match you with one local air-con installer whose licences, ARCtick, insurance, ABN and reviews we’ve already checked.

One good installer. Not five sales calls. Want to read up first? Browse our guides for the lay of the land.

When you’re ready, get a free quote and we’ll line you up with a vetted local who’ll size it right and do it properly.