Aircon installer pricing in London

Per-hour F-Gas certified labour: £55-£110 for outer boroughs; £75-£140 for mid-tier; £100-£200 for premium central. Per-install: single-split £1,800-£3,500; multi-split (2-3 indoor) £4,500-£12,000; VRF (4-8 indoor) £18,000-£60,000+; reverse-cycle heat-pump (BUS-eligible) £8,500-£18,000 before grant. VAT 20% shown separately.

Yes, all refrigerant handling (split AC, multi-split, VRF, heat pump) requires F-Gas certification (Category I to IV depending on system size). Print F-Gas Company Certificate number on every quote. Commercial and managing-agent work won't accept uncertified refrigerant handling. Quote new equipment with low-GWP refrigerant (R32, R290 propane, R454B).

Yes, but niche premium specialist (limited demand vs US/SA volume markets). 2022 heatwave (40°C+ historic record) and 2025 heatwaves driving growing demand. Quote at specialist premium prices, not volume. Most installs are split or multi-split in premium central flats (W1, SW1, SW3, SW7, W8, W11) and prime new-build apartments.

Yes, modern reverse-cycle AC (Daikin Altherma, Mitsubishi Ecodan, Fujitsu Waterstage, LG Therma V) qualifies as an air-source heat pump under BUS (£7,500 grant). Quote reverse-cycle install (£8,500-£18,000) with BUS grant netted off; combines heating, cooling, hot water from one electric system. MCS-certified installer required for BUS.

Most central London Conservation Areas restrict external condenser placement (visible from street, listed-building elevations). Quote Conservation Area Consent expediter (£800-£3,500), 8-16 week timeline, and alternative condenser placement (rooftop with engineer's letter, lightwell, internal-mounted with ducted intake) on every central-London quote. Westminster, K&C, Camden, Islington enforce stricter control.

Wall-split installations run roughly £205-500 per kW installed. A 5kW unit fully installed is £1,240-3,200; a 12kW multi-head system is £3,440-9,000. Ducted systems run £480-1,200 per kW because of the ducting work.

Heat-load rule of thumb: 0.15kW per square metre in moderate climates, 0.20kW in hot climates. A 25sqm bedroom needs 4-5kW; a 50sqm open-plan needs 7-9kW. Over-sized units short-cycle and waste energy; under-sized never cool the room. Insist on a heat-load calc for any install over £2,060.

For installs over £1,380, get 2-3 quotes. Compare brand, capacity, warranty, refrigerant type, and install detail. The cheapest quote often uses budget brands with 3-year warranties vs branded units with 5-7 year warranties for 10-20% more.

Wall splits are individual units, cheaper, easier to install, each room independent. Ducted is one outdoor unit with hidden roof-space ducting to all rooms, more expensive but cleaner aesthetic and centralised control. Wall splits cost half what ducted does for the same total kW.

A standard 5kW wall-split install is 4-6 hours for a 2-person team. Multi-head and ducted systems take 2-3 days. Larger commercial or ceiling-cassette installs take 4-5 days.