How much does air conditioning cost in London in 2026?
A single wall unit in a bedroom starts at £1,850 fitted with us, and most London installers charge somewhere between £1,800 and £3,000 for one room. This guide shows our published prices, what the wider market charges, what pushes a price up, and what you'll pay in VAT, electricity and servicing.
- one bedroom, fitted, inc. VAT
- £1,850
- two rooms, one outdoor unit
- £3,650
- annual service, inc. VAT
- £119
The short answer
For a home in London or the Home Counties, expect to pay roughly £1,800 to £3,000 to have one room fitted with a wall-mounted split system, £3,500 to £8,500 for two to four rooms on a multi-split, and more for ducted systems hidden in the ceiling. Those are market ranges from published 2026 London price guides, checked in October 2026.
Our own prices start at £1,850 for a bedroom and £3,650 for two rooms, including VAT. The final figure depends on the size of the unit, the range you choose, how far the pipes have to run and how easy the outdoor unit is to reach. You get a fixed written price after a survey, before you commit to anything.
Our home prices
Starting prices for a standard install in a home. These are the prices you pay, including VAT.
- from£1,850inc. VAT
A bedroom or study
2.5 kW wall unit, 5 m pipe, fitted in a day
- from£2,050inc. VAT
A living room
3.5 kW wall unit
- from£2,450inc. VAT
Open plan or a loft
5 kW wall unit
- from£3,650inc. VAT
Two rooms, one outdoor unit
Multi-split
- from£5,100inc. VAT
Three rooms
Multi-split
- from£6,500inc. VAT
Four rooms
Multi-split
- from£2,350inc. VAT
Floor-standing unit
2.5 kW console
- from£4,950inc. VAT
Ducted, per zone
Hidden in the ceiling, survey needed
Range upgrades and business prices
A quieter, more efficient or better-looking unit adds to the base price. Business installs are quoted plus VAT at 20%, which VAT-registered businesses can usually reclaim.
- from£250inc. VAT
Premium range upgrade
Quieter, more efficient unit
- from£550inc. VAT
Design range upgrade
Daikin Emura, Mitsubishi Electric Zen, LG Artcool
- from£1,795+ VAT
Commercial wall unit
Fitted in business hours
- from£2,750+ VAT
Ceiling cassette
In a suitable suspended ceiling
Cost by room and property type
Typical starting points from our price list. Your survey confirms the right size for each room, which can change the system and the price.
| Room or property | Usual system | Our price from |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom or home office | 2.5 kW wall unit | £1,850 |
| Living room or large bedroom | 3.5 kW wall unit | £2,050 |
| Open-plan kitchen-diner | 5 kW wall unit | £2,450 |
| Loft room with sloping ceilings | 5 kW wall unit or 2.5 kW floor console | £2,350 to £2,450 |
| Studio flat | One 3.5 kW wall unit | £2,050 |
| One-bed flat, bedroom and living room | Two-room multi-split | £3,650 |
| Two-bed flat or three bedrooms in a house | Three-room multi-split | £5,100 |
| Three bedrooms plus the living room | Four-room multi-split | £6,500 |
| Renovation where only grilles should show | Ducted, per zone | £4,950 |
| Small office or meeting room | Commercial wall unit | £1,795 + VAT |
Home prices include VAT. A survey is needed for ducted systems and for any multi-split.
What the London market charges
Ranges from installer price guides published in 2026 for London and the South East, checked in October 2026. Some include VAT and some leave it out, so treat them as a rough guide.
| System | Typical London range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wall unit, one room | £1,800 to £3,000 | Quotes seen from about £1,200 to over £4,500 |
| Multi-split, two rooms | £3,000 to £5,500 | One outdoor unit |
| Multi-split, three rooms | £4,400 to £7,500 | One outdoor unit |
| Multi-split, four rooms | £6,000 to £9,500 | May need a new circuit |
| Ducted, per zone | £4,000 to £6,000 | Builder's work often extra |
| Ducted, whole house | £7,000 to £15,000 or more | Usually 3 to 5 days or more on site |
| Ceiling cassette, per unit | £2,000 to £4,600 | Business premises, usually + VAT |
Cheap headline prices often include only 3 m of pipe and exclude the outdoor bracket or electrics. Compare what's included, not just the total.
What our standard install includes
Our starting prices cover a complete, working system, not just the boxes.
- Indoor and outdoor unit from Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, LG or Panasonic
- Up to 5 m of insulated refrigerant pipe in white trunking
- Outdoor wall bracket or ground stand
- Gravity condensate drain to a suitable outside point
- Connection to a suitable existing fused spur
- Nitrogen pressure test and vacuum before the refrigerant is released
- Commissioning in cooling and heating, and an F-Gas record
- Manufacturer warranty registration, done for you
- Handover, with dust sheets down and the mess cleared away
Extras that can add to the price
Not every home needs these. They're typical London market ranges from published installer price lists, checked in October 2026. Any extra appears as its own line on your written quote.
| Extra | When it's needed | Typical market range |
|---|---|---|
| Longer pipe run | The outdoor unit is more than 5 m from the indoor unit | £30 to £120 per metre |
| New electrical circuit | No suitable spur, or a 5 kW or larger multi-split system | £150 to £500 |
| Condensate pump | Water can't drain away by gravity | £80 to £300 |
| Access tower or scaffold | The outdoor unit or pipe route is high up | £150 to £900 |
| Removing an old system | Old unit out, refrigerant recovered legally | £150 to £350 |
| Making good and decorating | Hidden pipe routes through finished walls | £100 to £300 |
In central London, parking and congestion charges are added at cost. A leasehold flat may also need a freeholder's licence, which the freeholder charges for.
What it costs to run and service
At the Ofgem price cap for October to December 2026 (26.32p per kWh, GB average for Direct Debit), a 2.5 kW unit costs about 7p to 17p an hour to cool, depending on the model and how hard it's working. Heating with the same unit costs about 17p to 21p an hour at full output. Our running costs guide shows the full workings.
Manufacturers ask for a yearly service to keep the warranty valid, and LG asks for two a year. Our annual service is £119 including VAT, and £59 for each extra indoor unit on the same visit. Published London prices run from about £70 to £150 per unit. If something goes wrong later, our repair diagnostic visit is £125, taken off the repair bill if you go ahead.
Servicing and plans
Home servicing and repair prices include VAT.
- from£119inc. VAT
An annual service
Keeps the manufacturer warranty valid
- from£59inc. VAT
Each extra indoor unit
Same visit
- from£119inc. VAT
Essential plan
Annual service, records, priority booking
- from£169inc. VAT
Plus plan
Essential, no diagnostic fee, 10% off repair labour
- from£219inc. VAT
Twice-yearly plan
Two services a year, plus Plus benefits
- from£125inc. VAT
Repair diagnostic visit
First hour on site, deducted if you go ahead
What changes the price
Size comes first. A bigger room, a south-facing wall of glass or a top-floor flat needs more capacity, and a 5 kW unit costs more than a 2.5 kW one. Next is the range: a value model cools just as well, while premium and design ranges are quieter, more efficient or better looking.
Then the building. A back-to-back install, with the outdoor unit straight through the wall from the indoor unit, is the cheapest. Long pipe runs, high walls, flat roofs, no nearby electrics or a pipe route through finished rooms all add cost. So does fitting several rooms, although a multi-split usually costs less than the same number of separate systems.
How to get a fixed price
Send the basics
Tell us the rooms, rough sizes and your postcode in the quote form. Photos of the walls inside and out help a lot.
Survey
We measure each room, plan the pipe route and outdoor position, and check your electrics, planning and any freeholder consent.
Written quote
You get one fixed price with the exact model, everything included and any extras listed line by line.
Book the date
A deposit books the install. Most single rooms are fitted in a day, and multi-splits take one to three days.
Air conditioning cost questions
How much does it cost to install air conditioning in one room?
With us, from £1,850 for a 2.5 kW wall unit in a bedroom or study, £2,050 for a 3.5 kW living room unit and £2,450 for a 5 kW unit, all inc. VAT. Across London, published prices for one room mostly fall between £1,800 and £3,000.
How much does each extra room add on a multi-split?
On our price list, two rooms start at £3,650, three at £5,100 and four at £6,500, so each extra room adds roughly £1,400 to £1,600. That's less than fitting separate systems, and you only have one outdoor unit on the wall.
Is a portable air conditioner cheaper?
Cheaper to buy, yes. But portables are louder, vent hot air through a hose in the window, and use more electricity for the cooling you get. A fixed split system costs more upfront, runs more quietly and can heat the room in winter too.
Why do London quotes vary so much?
Because they include different things. Some cover only 3 m of pipe, leave out the outdoor bracket or electrics, or quote a value unit and add extras later. Ask every installer for the model number, the pipe length included, what happens to the condensate water and whether VAT is included.
Do I have to pay VAT on air conditioning?
Our home prices already include VAT, so the price we quote is the price you pay. Business installs are quoted plus VAT, which VAT-registered businesses can usually reclaim.
Is there a grant to help with the cost?
There's a £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for air-to-air heat pumps in law, but as of October 2026 nobody can claim it, because no installer is yet MCS certified for air-to-air. We can't offer it, and nor can anyone else at the moment.
How long does installation take?
Most single rooms are done in a day, usually 4 to 8 hours. A multi-split for two to four rooms takes one to three days, and ducted systems take longer, often alongside building work.
How much does servicing cost?
Our annual service is £119 including VAT, plus £59 for each extra indoor unit on the same visit. Maintenance plans start at £119 a year. Published London prices for a single unit run from about £70 to £150.