Rules last checked on 5 November 2026
How much does air conditioning cost?
Budget roughly £2,300 to £2,900 for one wall-mounted system, once labour and electrics are added. Those are national figures drawn from Checkatrade's May 2026 guide, not our prices. Below you will find how the total breaks down, why quotes differ, what a unit costs to run, and what to look for when comparing two.
Ask for a quote
Your name, number and postcode. We ring you back.
What does one wall unit cost to fit?
Checkatrade's figures assume a single split on a masonry wall, with labour at £1,150 per unit whichever size you choose:
| Size | Equipment alone | Fitted |
|---|---|---|
| About 3.5kW (12,000 BTU) | £750 | £1,900 |
| About 5.3kW (18,000 BTU) | £940 | £2,090 |
| About 7kW (24,000 BTU) | £1,090 | £2,240 |
Add £400 to £700 for electrics, meaning a fused spur indoors and a weatherproof switch outside. Ducted units begin around £990 each, with labour nearer £1,750 and ductwork on top. Nobody publishes a standard price for multi-splits, as rooms and routes differ too much.
Why do quotes for the same room differ?
- Route. Units back to back take far less time than lines crossing a loft or running down a house.
- Height. Reaching a high outdoor position may take a tower, and the top floors of Harlow's taller blocks are a clear example.
- Consumer unit. A spare way keeps things simple, whereas a full or elderly board does not.
- Wall. Coring through hard or very thick masonry is slower than through a modern cavity wall.
- Equipment. You pay more for capacity and for better efficiency.
- Permissions. Planning fees, listed building consent and freeholder charges all add up. Harlow Council does not refund the costs of its tenant and leaseholder applications, whatever the answer.
What does it cost to run?
Here is a worked example. Under the cap for the last quarter of 2026, electricity averages 26.32p per kWh. Energy Saving Trust webinar slides put cooling efficiency (SEER) near 7, so let us be cautious and use 6. Delivering 3.5kW of cooling then draws about 0.58kW, or about 15p for each hour.
Real life is messier, since that figure is a seasonal average from a test, and a unit on the hottest afternoon draws more. Checkatrade's wider range is 20p to 60p an hour, varying with system, age and insulation. Even at the top of that range, a few hours a day during a hot spell tends to surprise people by how little it costs.
What does servicing add?
Allow about £70 to £120 per unit for each one-off visit, on Checkatrade's numbers. Most systems want one yearly, and a warranty may require it. Air conditioning servicing has the detail.
How should you compare two quotes?
Line them up on the same points, and ask for anything missing:
- Make, model, output, SEER and SCOP
- Sound figures, indoors and out
- Metres of pipe included, and the rate for extra
- Electrical work, with its certificate
- Commissioning, warranty and who answers the phone afterwards
- The firm's F-gas certificate number
A price far below the others has usually left something out. For that last point, see how to check an F-gas certificate.
Questions people ask
Is a portable unit cheaper?
Far cheaper to buy, with a 12,000 BTU model from about £300 to £420 on Checkatrade's figures, but weaker and louder in the room. See portable or fixed.
Why is there no price list on this site?
Because the route, the wall and the electrics move the figure too much for a list to mean anything. Ring 01279 744503 and we can usually give you an idea.
Does it add value to a house?
Nobody has a reliable number for that. Buyers may like it after recent summers, but treat any gain as a bonus.
Sources
Useful to have ready
A few details about the building let us say more on the first call.
- Your postcode
- House, flat or business premises
- Which rooms, and roughly how big
- Which way the windows face
- Who owns the outside walls, if you rent or lease
Want this done rather than read about? Air conditioning in Harlow shows what we fit, service and repair, and where we go.
If you want this done
Air conditioning installation
The whole job, stage by stage, from first visit to handover.
Domestic air conditioning
For the bedroom that stays hot after dark, and rooms like it.
Air conditioning servicing
A yearly clean and check, whoever fitted the system.
Other guides
Does air conditioning need planning permission?
The national conditions, the noise limit and Harlow's protected streets.
Can you have air conditioning in a flat?
Leases, freeholders, council homes and the planning limit on a block.
Can air conditioning heat your home?
Reversing the system, running costs against gas and electric, and where it falls short.
What size air conditioner do you need?
Floor area, kW and BTU, and what shifts the answer.
How to check an installer's F-gas certificate
Two certificates worth asking for, plus leak checks and refrigerant bans.
Portable or fixed air conditioning?
Price, noise, cooling power and which suits your room.
Ask us to ring you
Leave a number and we will call to talk about the job. Or ring 01279 744503.