Commercial air conditioning installation
Design, supply and installation of cooling and heating systems for business premises. 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 commercial air conditioning installation?
Commercial air conditioning installation is the design, supply, fitting and commissioning of a cooling (and usually heating) system for a business premises. A typical job covers a site survey and heat load calculation, choosing the right system type, running refrigerant pipework and condensate drainage, an electrical supply, commissioning, and the F-gas records the law requires.
Budget roughly £1,950–£4,750 per indoor unit (zone) ex VAT in the UK. For a typical job — small shop or office, 2–4 indoor units — expect £4,950–£16,500 plus VAT.
Most businesses looking at air conditioning have a simple problem: the space is too hot in summer, too cold in winter, or both. The fix is rarely "one big unit". It is a system sized to the real heat load of the room — people, computers, lighting, glazing and sun — with indoor units placed where they will not blow on anyone, and an outdoor unit somewhere the neighbours and the landlord will accept.
We survey the premises, recommend the system type that suits the space and budget (wall-mounted splits, ceiling cassettes, ducted units or VRF), then give you a fixed written quote. Installation is planned around your trading hours, with noisy work and ceiling access scheduled for quiet periods or out of hours where needed.
Where it suits
- Offices and co-working spaces
- Shops and showrooms
- Restaurants, cafés and bars
- Gyms, studios and salons
- Surgeries, clinics and care settings
- Schools, nurseries and community buildings
What is included
- Site survey and heat load calculation
- System and unit selection with a clear written specification
- Refrigerant pipework, insulation and condensate drainage (with pumps where needed)
- Electrical supply and isolators by a qualified electrician
- Pressure testing, evacuation and charging
- Commissioning, controls set-up and a handover walk-through
- F-gas records, labelling and commissioning certificates
How the work is carried out
Survey
We measure the space, check the ceiling void, wall construction, glazing and occupancy, and agree where indoor and outdoor units can go.
Design and quote
You get a written specification with unit sizes, positions, pipe routes and a fixed price — plus any planning, landlord or noise points to resolve first.
First fix
Pipework, cabling and condensate runs go in, usually above ceilings or in neat trunking, before the units are hung.
Install and test
Indoor and outdoor units are fitted, the system is pressure tested with nitrogen, evacuated and charged with refrigerant.
Commission and hand over
We set up controls, check air flows and temperatures, show your team how to use it and hand over the F-gas and commissioning paperwork.
AC installation prices
National guide prices for 2026. Local pages show prices adjusted for each region.
| Item | Guide price (ex VAT) | Inc VAT | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single wall-mounted split (2.5–7 kW) | £1,450–£2,950 | £1,740–£3,540 | per system |
| Ceiling cassette | £2,150–£4,950 | £2,580–£5,940 | per unit |
| Multi-split, 2–4 indoor units | £3,450–£9,950 | £4,140–£11,940 | per system |
| Ducted indoor unit with grilles | £3,450–£7,950 | £4,140–£9,540 | per unit |
| Electrical supply and isolator | £245–£795 | £294–£954 | per system |
Ex VAT, supply and install, standard access and up to about 5 m of pipework per unit.
Long pipe runs, scaffolding, cranes, out-of-hours working and builder's work (ceiling repairs, core drilling through thick walls) are quoted separately.
Typical job: small shop or office, 2–4 indoor units — £4,950–£16,500 plus VAT.
Things to plan for
Landlord consent
Most commercial leases need the landlord's written consent before external units or wall penetrations go in. We can provide drawings and unit data sheets for the request.
Planning and noise
Outdoor units on commercial buildings often need planning permission — particularly on a front elevation, in a conservation area or on a listed building — and councils may ask for a noise assessment.
Condensate
Every cooling unit produces water. We route it to a drain by gravity where possible and fit a quiet condensate pump where not.
Power
Larger systems need a dedicated supply from the distribution board. We check capacity at survey so there are no surprises on install day.
Questions about AC installation
How long does a commercial air conditioning installation take?
A single split system is usually fitted in a day. A small office or shop with three or four units typically takes two to four days, and a VRF system for a whole floor can take several weeks. We confirm the programme in the quote.
Can you install while we stay open?
Usually, yes. We plan noisy or messy work (ceiling access, core drilling) for quiet periods, early starts or out of hours, and keep work areas screened and clean.
Will the system heat as well as cool?
Almost all modern commercial air conditioning is a heat pump that can heat as well as cool. Many businesses use it as their main heating in spring and autumn.
Do I need planning permission?
It depends on where the outdoor unit goes and the building. Units on a rear flat roof are often straightforward; front elevations, conservation areas and listed buildings usually need consent. We flag this at survey.
Which refrigerant will you use?
In Great Britain, new single split systems holding less than 3 kg of refrigerant cannot use a refrigerant with a global warming potential of 750 or more, so most are now R32. Larger systems may use R32, R454B or R410A depending on the equipment. We state the refrigerant and charge in the quote.
What warranty do I get?
Manufacturer warranties vary by brand and model and usually depend on the system being serviced at the intervals the manufacturer sets. We give you the warranty terms for the equipment we quote.
Is the survey free?
Yes. The site survey and written quote for a new installation are free and there is no obligation to go ahead.
Premises we fit this for
AC installation 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.