Free tool · 2026

Ducted Air Conditioning Cost Calculator

Ducted work is far cheaper when the void and routes are already open. This prices both cases honestly, because the difference is the whole decision.

Open the calculator Read the ducted cost guide

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Nothing visible but ventsRetrofit premium shownPriced by outlets100% free · no sign-up

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Price your ducted system in 30 seconds

4 steps. Coverage, outlets, retrofit or renovation, and region.

Method

How this calculator works

The timing question matters more than anything else on this page. The same ducted system costs 20–40% more retrofitted into a finished house than fitted during a renovation, because the work is no longer running duct through open voids — it is lifting floors, dropping ceilings and making good afterwards.

Outlets are priced beyond a standard five because each grille adds ducting, a diffuser and balancing time. A system with twelve outlets is not the same job as one with four. If you want whole-house cover without the builder's work, the whole-house air conditioning guide compares ducted against a large multi-split.

On F-Gas: anything touching the refrigerant circuit legally requires an F-Gas certified engineer. Every engineer Air Con Surrey matches you with is vetted and F-Gas certified — but it is still worth asking to see the certificate before work starts.

2026 costs

Ducted and whole-house cost (2026)

Supplied and fitted. The calculator scales by coverage, outlet count, timing and region.

System	Typical 2026 cost	Notes
Ducted / concealed system	£7,000–£15,000+	Whole floor or whole house, 3–7 days on site
VRF / VRV, whole house	£8,000–£20,000	Independent room-by-room control, 5–10 days
Retrofit into a finished house	+20–40%	Lifting floors and making good afterwards
Each outlet beyond five	+£400–£500	Ducting, diffuser and balancing
Electrical — dedicated circuit	+£150–£500	Often needed on larger systems

Figures match our ducted air conditioning cost guide.

FAQs

Ducted AC calculator FAQs

Can ducted air conditioning be retrofitted?+

Yes, but it is the expensive route — 20–40% more than the same system fitted during a renovation, because ducts have to be run through a finished house and the damage made good.

How much loft space does it need?+

Typically 300–400mm of clear void plus access for servicing. Where the loft is a room or the void is shallow, a multi-split is usually the better and cheaper answer.

Is ducted quieter than a split?+

At the room, yes — both fan and compressor are away from the living space and only air movement at the grille is audible. The plant itself is no quieter, it is just further away.

Does it need its own electrical supply?+

Larger ducted and VRF systems usually need a dedicated circuit and sometimes a consumer-unit way. Budget £150–£500 on top.

How much does ducted air conditioning cost in 2026?+

A concealed ducted system for a whole floor or whole house typically costs £7,000–£15,000 or more supplied and fitted, and a VRF whole-house system £8,000–£20,000. Retrofitting into a finished house adds 20–40%; each outlet beyond a standard five adds £400–£500.

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