Ceiling cassette air conditioning
Four-way and compact cassettes that sit flush in a suspended ceiling. Free survey for mainland installations, and a fixed written quote.
- Free site survey and fixed written quote
- Unit sizes, refrigerant and price set out in writing
- Work planned around your opening hours
What is a ceiling cassette?
A ceiling cassette is an air conditioning indoor unit that sits inside a suspended ceiling with only a square grille visible. It draws air up through the centre and blows it out in up to four directions, which spreads cooling and heating evenly across open spaces such as offices, shops and restaurants.
Our guide range in the UK is £2,150–£4,950 per cassette before VAT; a typical job (shop or restaurant with 2–3 cassettes) is £4,950–£13,500 plus VAT.
Cassettes are the workhorse of commercial air conditioning. They fit a standard 600 × 600 mm ceiling grid (compact models) or a larger 840 mm panel, keep the walls clear, and throw air evenly in four directions so nobody sits in a blast of cold air.
They need a ceiling void deep enough for the unit and a route for the condensate. Because cassettes sit above head height, almost all of them use a built-in condensate pump to lift water to a drain — something we check and design for at survey.
Where it suits
- Open-plan offices
- Shops and showrooms
- Restaurants and cafés
- Classrooms and training rooms
- Gyms and studios
- Waiting rooms and receptions
What is included
- Survey of the ceiling void depth and grid
- Compact 600 mm or full-size cassette selection
- Pipework, condensate pump and drain connection
- Fresh-air spigot connection where ventilation ductwork is available
- Wired controller or central control
- Commissioning and F-gas records
How the work is carried out
Check the void
We confirm void depth, grid size and any obstructions such as beams, sprinkler pipes or ductwork.
Set positions
Cassettes are placed against the lighting and grid layout so air reaches the whole space.
Hang and connect
Units are hung on drop rods, connected to pipework and the condensate line.
Test and commission
The condensate pump is water-tested, the system pressure tested and charged, and air directions set.
Ceiling cassettes prices
National guide prices for 2026. Local pages show prices adjusted for each region.
| Item | Guide price (ex VAT) | Inc VAT | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact 600 mm cassette (up to about 5 kW) | £2,150–£3,950 | £2,580–£4,740 | per unit |
| Full-size four-way cassette (7–14 kW) | £2,950–£4,950 | £3,540–£5,940 | per unit |
| Ceiling tile and grid alterations | £95–£395 | £114–£474 | per unit |
| Fresh-air spigot connection | £195–£595 | £234–£714 | per unit |
Ex VAT, supply and install on a single or multi-split system.
Cassettes on VRF systems are priced as part of the VRF design.
Typical job: shop or restaurant with 2–3 cassettes — £4,950–£13,500 plus VAT.
Things to plan for
Void depth
Compact cassettes typically need around 250–300 mm of clear void; larger units need more. We measure before quoting.
Condensate
Most cassettes include a pump. The discharge still needs a route to a drain, which we design at survey.
Ceiling grid
Compact cassettes drop into a 600 mm grid; full-size units need the grid adapting around a larger panel.
Cleaning access
Filters need cleaning regularly, so cassettes should be reachable with a step ladder.
Questions about ceiling cassettes
Do I need a suspended ceiling for a cassette?
Yes, or a ceiling void with access. In solid ceilings a wall-mounted or ducted unit is usually the better option.
How noisy are ceiling cassettes?
At normal fan speeds modern cassettes are quiet enough for offices and restaurants. We select fan speeds and unit sizes so they are not working flat out.
What size cassette do I need?
It depends on the heat load. As a guide, a compact cassette suits a room of up to about 40–50 m² of office space; larger spaces use bigger units or several cassettes.
Can a cassette bring in fresh air?
Many cassettes have a knock-out for a fresh-air duct, so ventilation air can be connected. The ventilation system still needs designing separately.
How often should cassettes be cleaned?
Filters should be cleaned every few months in busy premises, with a full service and coil clean at least once a year.
Premises we fit this for
Ceiling cassettes near you
Choose your county or region for local guide prices and the towns we cover.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- County Durham
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- London
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire
Scotland
What happens next
Tell us what you need
Use the form, the quote tool, live chat or call us. A postcode and the type of premises is enough to start.
Survey or visit
For mainland installations we survey free of charge. Service and repair visits, and travel to remote locations, are priced before we book.
Written quote
You get the specification, the price and the programme in writing, including any landlord or planning points.
Work and handover
We install, service or repair around your hours, then hand over the commissioning and F-gas records.
Tell us about your premises
Send a few details and we will arrange a survey or call you back with a guide price.