Saltline Air & Refrigeration What air conditioning actually costs, and why quotes differ.
The same home gets quoted thousands apart. That’s rarely dishonesty, it’s three installers pricing three different systems and three different specs. Here’s roughly where the numbers sit, what moves them, and how we make ours something you can actually compare.
Estimate your install range in three taps.
An indicative supply-and-install band, not a quote, and never a substitute for the load calc on site.
Ballpark your air-con install
A guide range in under a minute, for a sized supply-and-install. Every job is quoted on-site after a load calc, not over the phone.
Supply and install, corridor, 2026.
| Cheap quote (oversized box, no load calc, standard coil) | $2,000 – $3,200 |
| Single split (sized, named, coastal coil, ~2.5–7kW) | $2,600 – $4,500 |
| Multi-head split (2–5 heads on one outdoor unit) | $6,500 – $14,000 |
| Whole-home ducted (zoned, controller, roof install) | $11,000 – $26,000+ |
| Commercial refrigeration (coolroom / freezer / display, by spec) | from $9,000 |
Just after the quick numbers? See what air conditioning costs on the Gold Coast and Tweed.
Six things that decide where your quote lands.
Most of them you never see in the finished install. All of them decide what you pay, and how long it lasts.
Capacity (the load calc)
The biggest single lever. The kW comes from a room-by-room calc, not the floor area. Oversizing short-cycles and wastes power; undersizing never keeps up. We size it once, properly.
System type
A single split, a multi-head, and a zoned ducted system are three different jobs. Ducted adds roof access, ductwork runs and a controller; multi-head adds heads and refrigerant line.
Coastal coil spec
A blue-fin or treated condenser costs more than the standard coil and lasts years longer in the salt zone. On a beachside install it is the difference between a decade and three summers.
Electrical + power
A dedicated circuit is standard. A ducted or large multi-head may need three-phase power or a switchboard upgrade, which we cost up front rather than as a surprise.
Access + pipework
Line length between indoor and outdoor units, roof or wall-cavity runs, second-storey access and tricky outdoor placement all add labour and material.
Refrigeration spec
For coolrooms and freezers: volume, the temperature band (chiller vs freezer), insulation, the condenser unit and whether it is a breakdown replacement or a new fit-out.
Every quote splits into the same seven lines.
So the figure you’re comparing is tied to a system and a spec you can read, not a single number with nothing behind it.
- 1 Heat-load calculation. Room by room: floor area, glazing, orientation, ceiling height and insulation. The kW comes from the calc, not a guess.
- 2 Equipment named. Exact make, model, series and capacity on the quote. “A good Japanese one” is not a model number.
- 3 Placement plan. Where the indoor and outdoor units go: airflow, noise, service access and how far from the salt.
- 4 Coastal coil spec. Salt-zone installs get a blue-fin or anti-corrosion-treated condenser. The standard coil is what rusts out in three years.
- 5 Electrical + dedicated circuit. Single-phase or three-phase, the isolator, the circuit and the switchboard check. We hold the electrical licence, so it is our line, not yours.
- 6 Pipework, drainage + penetrations. Refrigerant line length and lagging, the condensate run, and every wall penetration sealed against weather and vermin.
- 7 Commissioning + compliance. Gas charge weighed and logged, system commissioned to spec, ARC paperwork issued and the manufacturer warranty registered.
What you get from us
- ✓Room-by-room load calc
- ✓Make, model + capacity named
- ✓Coil spec’d for the salt zone
- ✓Electrical done in-house, licensed
- ✓Gas charge weighed + logged
- ✓ARC paperwork + warranty registered
Cowboy tells
- ✕“She’ll be right, get the 7kW”
- ✕“A good unit, mate.” No model named
- ✕Standard coil 200m from the surf
- ✕“The sparky’s your problem”
- ✕Charged by the gauge, not the scales
- ✕Cash job, no compliance certificate
We’ll tell you the smaller one if that’s the honest answer.
Single split system
One indoor head to one outdoor unit. The right fit for a bedroom, study, granny flat or single open living space.
Wrong when: you want the whole house from one system.
Multi-head split
Two to five indoor heads on a single outdoor unit. Independent room control without running ductwork through the roof.
Wrong when: a big open plan that suits one ducted zone.
Whole-home ducted
A single ducted system zoned room by room, controlled from one touchpad. The quiet, hidden, whole-house option.
Wrong when: no roof or underfloor space, tight budget.
What people ask before they book.
How much does air conditioning cost to install in Australia?
Why are air conditioning quotes so far apart for the same home?
Do you give fixed quotes or estimates?
Is the cheapest quote ever the right one?
Get a fixed, itemised quote, no surprise number.
Tell us what you need. We’ll book a walkthrough and send a quote with the work itemised, not just a number.