Compare equipment and labour without double counting
Ask for both indoor and outdoor model codes, the agreed number of rooms and whether controls, brackets, vibration isolation, pipework and commissioning are included. Some quotations bundle equipment and labour; others list them separately. Do not add a supply-only retailer price to a package that already contains the same equipment.
Record quantities and exclusions before comparing totals. A lower price that omits drainage or electrical work may be a less complete offer rather than better value. Where the equipment/labour split is not supplied, mark it as unitemised and ask the installer to clarify; do not reverse-engineer a made-up split from the headline total.
What changes the installation budget?
The survey should establish the cooled boundary, design load, indoor positions and outdoor location. Longer routes, upper-floor access, difficult wall construction and a restricted condensate path can change the scope. Ask whether electrical capacity has been checked and whether a separate contractor is needed. A property type or postcode on its own cannot establish any of those costs.
Also agree who handles parking, lifting, access equipment, decoration and disposal. If work is provisional, request a clear allowance and the circumstances under which it can change. Keep the survey drawing with the quotation, including the route through any shared or leased part of the building. Never approve structural or refrigerant work from a generic online estimate.
VAT, grants and the final customer price
Ask the supplier to state the VAT rate and basis on the written quote. HMRC Notice 708/6 covers qualifying installed energy-saving materials; a supply-only purchase and an eligible installed heat-pump supply are not automatically treated alike. Mixed building work can require separate consideration. Do not assume that a cooling-only product or commercial project qualifies because another household received relief.
Keep the pre-grant total, any separately verified grant and your customer contribution on distinct lines. The cost examples here do not deduct a grant or decide tax eligibility. Use the existing Grant Tracker and grant-to-quote checker for the current scheme record rather than relying on a headline pasted into an old quotation. Confirm the position before purchase with the installer and official guidance.
Calculate electricity from input power, not cooling output
A product described as 2.5 kW cooling does not necessarily use 2.5 kW of electricity. Use verified electrical input and a realistic operating schedule in the running-cost calculator. As an arithmetic illustration only, 0.8 kW electrical input for six hours at 25p/kWh costs £1.20. Over 60 such days it uses 288 kWh and costs £72. The tariff and schedule are chosen assumptions, not today’s UK average or measured performance.
For several rooms, ask for electrical-use scenarios when one room runs and when occupied rooms run together. Keep summer cooling and winter heating separate. If the design also replaces heating, retain the cost of any hot-water system that remains necessary. An apparent saving can disappear if the comparison quietly removes a service that the new system does not provide.
Look at five- and ten-year ownership, not only day one
Use the same horizon for each option: purchase plus installation plus annual electricity and maintenance multiplied by years. Enter quoted maintenance separately, including access costs and any servicing required for warranty. Repair, replacement, finance and future tariff changes are uncertain; record them rather than hiding them inside a precise-looking total.
For a deliberately hypothetical £2,500 initial cost, £72 annual electricity and a user-entered £100 annual maintenance allowance, the simple undiscounted total is £3,360 over five years and £4,220 over ten. These are not market-price claims or lifetime guarantees. Change the figures in the ownership calculator to use your own quote and tariff; do not treat the worked example as a recommended budget.
Check handover, maintenance and who takes responsibility
Before agreeing the job, ask who answers faults, what parts and labour are covered, when registration must be completed and which servicing conditions apply. Record the company name responsible for the installation rather than assuming the manufacturer handles all callbacks. Ask for user instructions and the relevant commissioning and electrical records at handover.
For work covered by F-gas requirements, check the appropriate company certification and individual qualifications. A marketing badge, positive review or low quote is not a substitute. After installation, keep model and serial numbers, the agreed scope, invoices and warranty documents together. Only carry out user maintenance allowed by the manual; do not open refrigerant circuits.
Installation questions
Is an equipment price the same as an installed price?
No. A supply-only price may exclude labour, pipework, brackets, electrical work, drainage, access, commissioning, VAT and making good. Compare itemised customer totals for the same scope.
Is multi-split always cheaper than separate single splits?
No. Outdoor-unit count alone cannot establish cost. Compare compatible equipment, actual routes, simultaneous room loads, electrical work and maintenance access in surveyed quotations.
Does every air conditioner qualify for zero-rate VAT or a grant?
No. Treatment depends on the system, property, supply and current rules. Ask the installer to explain the applicable VAT basis and verify any grant separately before subtracting it from the project total.
Can CoolCompare guarantee an installer or a quoted price?
No. A quote request records your project and contact consent. Local matching depends on real verified coverage, and the installer must agree the scope, price and availability with you.
