The cost of fitting air conditioning is the first thing everyone asks about, and the honest answer is that it depends on the unit, the room and the property. That said, the ranges are fairly predictable once you know what you're buying. Below are realistic guide prices for 2026, based on the jobs we quote every week across Swindon, Salisbury, Chippenham, Devizes and Trowbridge — followed by exactly what pushes a price up or down. (These are guide ranges, not quotes — a free survey gives you the fixed figure.)
| System | Typical installed price* | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single wall-mounted split (one room) | £1,600 – £2,200 | The most common domestic install — bedroom, lounge or office |
| Premium brand / larger room | £2,000 – £2,800 | Top-end Mitsubishi Electric or Daikin unit, or a bigger-capacity system |
| Multi-split — 2 rooms | £2,800 – £3,800 | Two indoor units off one outdoor condenser |
| Multi-split — 3 rooms | £4,000 – £5,500 | Three indoor units, one condenser; usually a 1–2 day install |
| Ceiling cassette | From £2,500 | Recessed into the ceiling — open-plan spaces, kitchens, offices |
*Indicative supplied-and-fitted ranges for a straightforward installation. Long pipework runs, awkward access or electrical upgrades can add to these figures.
A premium unit from Mitsubishi Electric or Daikin costs more than a value brand, but typically runs quieter, lasts longer and carries a longer warranty. Capacity matters too — a large south-facing living room in Salisbury needs a bigger (and pricier) unit than a small box bedroom. Our guide to what size air conditioning unit you need explains how sizing works.
The refrigerant pipes between the indoor unit and the outdoor condenser are priced per metre. An indoor unit on an outside wall with the condenser directly behind it is the cheapest layout; runs through lofts or across the house add materials and labour.
Ground-level positions are simple. Wall brackets, flat roofs or tight side returns take longer, and anything above first-floor height may need scaffolding or a tower, which adds real money to the job.
Most systems need a dedicated fused supply from the consumer unit. If your board has a spare way, it's straightforward; older boards occasionally need upgrading, which is worth knowing before anyone quotes you a suspiciously low figure.
High-level condensers, conservation rooflines or awkward town-centre terraces in places like Chippenham or Devizes sometimes need access equipment. A good surveyor spots this before the quote, not on install day.
Two traps catch people out. The first is sizing: an undersized unit runs flat out on hot days and never quite gets there, while an oversized one short-cycles, dehumidifies poorly and costs more to buy and run. Both come from skipping the survey. The second is the "supply-only plus handyman fit" route — a cheap unit off the internet fitted by someone without the right credentials. Refrigerant work must legally be carried out by F-Gas certified engineers, and DIY-spec units installed without proper commissioning usually void their manufacturer's warranty. If the system then leaks or fails, the saving disappears fast.
Installation is the one-off cost; running costs are pleasantly small. Cooling a bedroom overnight typically costs pence per hour, and in heating mode a split system is one of the cheapest ways to heat a room in the UK. We've put worked examples in our air conditioning running costs guide.
Ballparks are useful, but a fixed price is better. Tell us your town, which rooms you'd like cooled or heated and roughly where the outdoor unit could go — send us a message and we'll come back the same working day, usually with a free survey slot anywhere in Wiltshire.
For most homes, yes — because a modern split system heats as well as cools. You get comfortable summers plus some of the cheapest heating available in winter, so the unit earns its keep all year round rather than for a few hot weeks.
A neat, professionally installed and certified system is increasingly seen as a selling point, particularly in bedrooms, loft conversions and home offices. It rarely adds a fixed sum to a valuation, but it helps a house stand out and can speed up a sale — provided you have the commissioning and F-Gas paperwork to show buyers.
You can get a realistic ballpark from a description and a few photos of the room and the outside wall. A fixed quote needs a survey, because pipework runs, condenser position and electrics all affect the final price — and a proper heat-load calculation confirms the right unit size.
Drop us a message with your town and which rooms you'd like cooled or heated — someone from our local team will come back to you as soon as possible with a fixed quote.
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