Planning a New Year air con install: what to do first

Between the last week of December and the first week of January, air conditioning shifts from a nice idea to a real plan for a lot of UK households. If you are one of them, the first step is not booking an install. It is answering three questions.

Question 1: which rooms actually matter

Not “which rooms would benefit”. Which rooms would you use, tonight, if the air con was already in.

Most households use two rooms in the evening: living room and main bedroom. A minority also use a home office. Very few use guest bedrooms, dining rooms, or hallways.

Every extra room adds £1,200 to £2,500 to the install cost. Choosing two rooms carefully beats choosing six loosely. You can always add rooms later.

Question 2: what does the outdoor space allow

The outdoor unit needs a home. It is a box about 90cm wide, 35cm deep, 60cm tall. It needs:

• Air flow at the front and one side. Not tucked in a corner.
• Roughly 3 metres of pipe run to the indoor head, ideally less.
• A wall or a ground stand that will hold about 40kg.
• No noise complaints from the neighbour. Modern outdoor units run at about 50 decibels - roughly a fridge - but close to a neighbour’s bedroom window it can be a problem.

Walk outside and stand where you think the unit could go. Is there a spot near the room you want cooled? If yes, the install is straightforward. If no, an installer will find a solution but it may cost more.

Question 3: are you the decision-maker

Two situations where you are not:

• Rented properties. You need written landlord permission before an installer will start.
• Flats or leasehold properties. Check the lease for external unit clauses. Some blocks require freeholder or management company sign-off, which can take weeks.

If either of these applies, start that conversation now. The paperwork is usually the longest part of the whole process.

Then, and only then, request quotes

Once you know:

• The two or three rooms you want cooled,
• Where the outdoor unit could go,
• That you have the authority to install,

the enquiry to us takes about a minute. We match you with up to three vetted installers who cover your postcode.

Each installer arranges a survey - free, no obligation - and gives you a fixed price in writing. You compare three fixed prices, pick one, book the install for late January or February. Done.

What to avoid in January

Two mistakes we see often in the first fortnight of the year:

• Buying a portable unit “as a stopgap” because someone said the fitted install would take three weeks. Portables cost £400, waste electricity, and do not solve the problem. Wait the three weeks.
• Signing the first quote without a survey. If an installer will not visit before quoting, they will not stand behind the price when they hit an issue on install day. Insist on a survey.

Ready

Once you have answered the three questions above, fill in the quote form. Three fixed prices back within 24 hours.

Not sure of the answers yet? Check the prices page for a rough bracket while you think about it.