A good air conditioning installation quote lists the unit by its exact model number, then breaks the job into the work around it: mounting, the pipe run, electrical, drainage, making good and taking away the old system. If a quote is one line and one number, you can’t compare it with anything. Ask for it broken down before you sign.
Two quotes for “a 7kW split in the lounge” can be a long way apart, usually because they’ve priced different jobs. One has allowed for a long pipe run around the side of the house. The other assumed the outdoor unit goes straight through the wall behind the head, and you find that out on the day, when the “extras” start.
So here’s how I’d read a quote if it landed on my kitchen table, line by line.
Reading the quote line by line
The unit itself
Look for the brand, the full model numbers for the indoor and outdoor units, and the rated cooling and heating capacity in kW. “Daikin 7kW” isn’t enough, because one brand can sell several ranges at that size with different features and efficiency.
The capacity should come from someone who has asked about the room. Look for the Tick, the consumer site run by the Australian Refrigeration Council, says choosing a split system size needs specialist advice, and that buying one too big means wasted money (Look for the Tick FAQs). If two installers have quoted different sizes for the same room, ask each one how they got there. Our guide to sizing a home air conditioner covers what they should be measuring.
Mounting and brackets
The indoor head hangs on a wall plate, which is rarely an issue. The outdoor unit is where the money moves: a pad or feet on the ground, a bracket on a wall, or extra labour and sometimes access gear on a roof or second storey. A quote should say which one has been allowed for. Where the unit goes also changes how well it runs, which we cover in the outdoor unit placement guide.
The pipe run
This is the line most likely to blow out. Plenty of advertised “standard installs” assume the outdoor unit sits close behind the indoor head, with a short pipe run straight through one wall. Once the pipes have to travel further, go up through a roof space, or run around corners in covers, extra pipe and labour get added, often at a rate per metre.
A good quote states how many metres of pipe are included and what each extra metre costs. It should also say whether the pipes run inside the wall, in the roof space or in external duct covers. Covers look tidier and protect the insulation from the sun, and they’re another line item.
Electrical work
A hard-wired split needs its own supply from the switchboard and an isolating switch near the outdoor unit, and that work has to be done by a licensed electrician. Check whether the quote includes the circuit, the isolator and the cable run, or whether it says something like “electrical by others”, which means you’re organising and paying for it separately. If your switchboard is old or full, an upgrade can end up as a separate cost. The electrical side of an aircon install explains why, and you should be handed an electrical compliance certificate at the end.
Drainage
The indoor unit makes water when it cools, and it has to go somewhere sensible. If gravity does the job, it’s usually a short drain line to a garden bed or a downpipe. If the head is on an internal wall with nowhere to fall, you may need a condensate pump, which is extra hardware and another thing that can fail later. The quote should say which.
Making good
Drilling through brick, patching plaster, sealing the wall penetration and touching up paint can be included, partly included or not mentioned. “Not mentioned” usually means not included.
Removing the old unit
If there’s an old system coming out, its refrigerant has to be recovered, not let go into the air. The ARC says recovering refrigerant from decommissioned equipment requires at least a Restricted Refrigerant Recoverer licence (ARC, Refrigerant Recovery). A quote should spell out that the old unit is decommissioned, the gas recovered and the unit taken away, not just “remove old unit”.
Putting two quotes side by side
Once each quote is broken down, line them up:
| Line | What to check on each quote |
|---|---|
| Unit | Same brand range and model number, same kW |
| Outdoor mounting | Ground, wall bracket or roof, and who supplies the pad or bracket |
| Pipe run | Metres included, cost per extra metre, covers or concealed |
| Electrical | Included or “by others”, isolator, switchboard allowance |
| Drainage | Gravity drain or condensate pump |
| Making good | Patching, sealing and painting in or out |
| Old unit | Refrigerant recovered and unit removed |
Get the gaps answered in writing. More often than not, the cheaper headline number shrinks once you add back what it left out.
What doesn’t show up as a line item
Some of the most important work never appears on a quote: the pressure test, pulling the system into a vacuum before the gas is released, and commissioning checks at the end. Ask whether they’re done and by whom.
The person handling the refrigerant needs the right licence for the job. According to the ARC, the restricted split system licence covers installing and decommissioning a single-head split under 18kW (ARC, Licence Types). Multi-head work sits outside that, under the full refrigeration and air conditioning licence. You can check a technician’s licence on Look for the Tick, and the rest of what to ask before booking is in our list of questions to ask an aircon installer.
The cheapest quote can be the right one. You just want to know it’s cheap because it’s efficient, not because half the job is missing from the page.
