What air conditioning actually costs in the UK
Real installed prices, VAT included — computed by the same engine that prices every quote we give, not averaged from a directory. Updated automatically whenever our prices change.
Installed prices by home
| Configuration | Fixed price, installed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| One bedroom | £1,895 | Wall-mounted unit, typical first-floor bedroom |
| One living room | £1,795 | Larger unit for a bigger, busier room |
| Two rooms (bedroom + living room) | £3,185 | Multi-split: two indoor units, one outdoor |
| Whole 3-bed terrace | £5,675 | Every main room, one outdoor unit |
| Whole 3-bed semi | £7,615 | Semi-detached routing is often simpler |
| Whole 4-bed home | £5,675 | Larger multi-split system |
Every price includes the units, installation by F-Gas certified engineers, electrical work, commissioning, VAT, and a 5-year parts & labour warranty. Your exact price depends on your rooms — it takes two minutes to get:
Get my exact fixed priceWhat it costs to run
The pleasant surprise: modern inverter systems sip electricity. At current prices (~28p/kWh):
20–40p
Bedroom overnight (8h, cooling)
40–80p
Living room, hot afternoon (4h)
£3–£6
Whole July heatwave week, one room
~⅓ of the cost
Heating a room in winter (vs plug-in heater)
Estimates for a typical modern single-split system; your usage and tariff vary.
What moves the price
- Number of rooms. Each indoor unit adds cost; the outdoor unit is shared, so per-room cost falls as you add rooms.
- Pipe runs. Longer routes between indoor and outdoor units mean more labour and materials. Terraces with rear access are usually simplest.
- Room and glazing size. Bigger or sunnier rooms need more capacity — a larger unit, not a different install.
- Electrics. A modern consumer unit with a spare way keeps things simple; older fuse boxes may need work first (we tell you before, never on the day).
- Wall type and floor. Loft rooms and solid-wall Victorians route differently to 1930s cavity-wall semis — our surveys are designed around exactly these differences.
Cost questions, answered straight
How much does air conditioning cost to install in the UK?
A single-room installation starts around £1,795 fully installed including VAT. A whole three-bed home is typically £5,675–£7,615 depending on rooms and layout. These are our real fixed prices, not directory estimates.
What's included in a fixed installation price?
Everything: the indoor and outdoor units, pipework and electrical connection, installation by F-Gas certified engineers, commissioning and certification, waste removal, VAT, and a 5-year parts and labour warranty. No on-the-day extras.
How much does air conditioning cost to run?
Modern inverter systems are extremely efficient: cooling a bedroom overnight typically costs 20–40p at current electricity prices. In winter the same unit heats at roughly a third of the cost of a plug-in electric heater.
Why do quotes elsewhere vary so much?
Most installers price each job bespoke after a sales visit, so quotes carry a 'fear premium' for the unknown. We pre-design installations for common London house types, which is why we can publish a fixed price online in two minutes.
Is air conditioning worth it in the UK?
London summers now regularly exceed 30°C, and modern systems heat efficiently in winter too — one unit, comfortable all year. Most of our customers use the heating mode as much as the cooling.
More questions? The full FAQ covers planning permission, noise, landlords and more — or email [email protected].