How to Quote Ducted Air Conditioning in Australia
Ducted jobs punish optimism — an undersized system or a tight roof space can swallow a day of labour you never quoted. Here's how to price ducted air conditioning so the whole install is covered.
Ducted air conditioning is the biggest job in domestic HVAC and the easiest to underquote. The unit is only the headline; the real cost hides in the roof space, the ductwork, the zoning and the electrical. Undersize the system or underestimate the crawl space and you lose a day of labour you never charged for. This guide walks through pricing a ducted install from the site inspection to the contingency.
Start with a real site assessment
Ducted quotes go wrong at the assessment, not the calculator. Never quote off plans alone — get in the roof, measure the rooms, and read the building. A heat-load calculation, not a rule of thumb, sets the capacity.
- Measure every zone — floor area and ceiling height, room by room.
- Read the construction — brick veneer versus double brick, insulation levels, and window glazing all change the load.
- Check the roof space — a low-pitch tile roof with a tight crawl space adds real labour over an easy metal deck.
- Confirm the capacity — a typical 3-bedroom brick-veneer home often needs 12–14kW, but verify with a heat-load calc.
- Check the electrics — a board that can't feed the unit adds $800–$1,500 before you start.
Choosing the system and the zones
Match the system to the home and the budget, and lean toward inverter technology for efficiency and quieter running. A standard 14kW unit runs about $6,000–$7,500 from Reece or Tradelink; a premium inverter model like a Daikin adds 15–25%, landing around $7,500–$9,000. Zoning is where comfort and running costs are won:
- Most homes suit 3–5 zones — living, master, kids' rooms, and so on.
- A 4-zone setup adds roughly $800–$1,500 in dampers and controllers.
- Zoning stops the customer cooling empty rooms — a genuine selling point.
- Don't over-zone; too many zones can hurt airflow and efficiency.
Building the cost breakdown
Itemise every component — the ductwork and grilles alone add up on a four-bedroom home, where you might run 100–150 metres of duct and fit 8–12 grilles. The table below breaks a typical install into line items; pull current trade pricing from suppliers like ActronAir or Temperzone before you quote, because copper and units move monthly.
| Component | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Ducted unit (14kW) | $6,000–$9,000 supply |
| Insulated ducting (R1.5) | $6–$8 / linear metre |
| Ceiling grilles and diffusers | $30–$200 each |
| Zoning (4 zones) | $800–$1,500 |
| Electrical (dedicated circuit) | $500–$1,500 |
| Labour (2 techs, straightforward) | $1,920–$3,840 |
On top of the table, allow for permits where the install is new or structural — often $200–$500 in council fees — and build in a 5–10% contingency for surprises. On a $12,000 job, a 7% buffer is $840 that protects you against the asbestos or rotten timber you didn't know was up there.
Estimating install labour
A straightforward single-storey install with easy roof access is about 1.5–2 full days for a team of two — setting the outdoor unit, positioning the indoor fan coil, running duct, fitting grilles, wiring (licensed electrician) and commissioning. At $120–$160/hour for the team, that's roughly $1,920–$3,840 in labour on an easy job. Site conditions push it up fast:
- Multi-storey or tight roof access — every duct run takes longer.
- Crane hire — lifting an outdoor unit to a second-storey roof adds $400–$800.
- Electrical — usually subcontracted at $500–$1,000 depending on scope.
- Waste disposal — old duct and packaging can add $100–$300, or more with a skip.
Common mistakes in ducted quotes
- Underestimating the roof space. Tight, hot, low-pitch roofs are the number-one labour blowout. Assume the worst until you've been up there and seen otherwise.
- Quoting from old prices. Units and copper move monthly — copper alone can swing 5–10% in a quarter. Pull current trade pricing before every quote.
- Forgetting the refrigerant top-up. Longer runs and bigger systems need extra gas. A top-up is $50–$150 you don't want to absorb.
- Leaving out waste and skip hire. Stripping old ducting generates real waste. A skip on a big job is $200–$400 that belongs on the quote as its own line.
- Not confirming power. A switchboard that needs upgrading turns into an unexpected electrical bill. Confirm capacity and quote the dedicated circuit up front.
Pro tips for a ducted quote that holds
- Always inspect the roof space in person — never quote from plans or photos alone.
- Spec R1.5 or R2.0 insulated ducting to meet energy standards and stop heat loss.
- Itemise electrical even when it's subcontracted, and name the dedicated circuit.
- Break zoning costs out so the customer can see what comfort control is buying.
- List waste removal and disposal as their own line, not a hidden buffer.
- Build in a 5–10% contingency for what the roof is hiding.
ServiceYak keeps your unit prices, per-metre duct rate, zoning and labour in a reusable kit, so you can turn a roof-space inspection into an itemised ducted quote and send a sharp PDF from the driveway.
Frequently asked questions
How much does ducted air conditioning cost in Australia?
A typical domestic ducted install lands around $10,000–$16,000 all up, depending on the unit, the number of zones and the roof access. The unit is $6,000–$9,000 of that; ductwork, zoning, electrical and labour make up the rest.
How long does a ducted install take?
A straightforward single-storey home with easy roof access takes about 1.5–2 days for a team of two. Multi-storey homes, difficult roof access or a crane lift for the outdoor unit can add a day or more.
How many zones does a ducted system need?
Most homes suit 3–5 zones — living, master and kids' rooms, for example. A 4-zone setup adds roughly $800–$1,500 in components but stops the customer cooling empty rooms. Avoid over-zoning, which can hurt airflow.