Independent UK guides on what AC actually costs, which type fits your home, and free quotes from F-Gas certified installers. No pushy sales, no upfront fees.
Quick estimate for an average UK room. Sun exposure, ceiling height and occupancy change this.
Get my exact size →Undersized units run flat out and never cool the room. Oversized ones short-cycle and waste money. Our calculator sizes it properly in 30 seconds.
Cost guideReal installed prices for portable, single-split, multi-split and ducted systems — plus running costs per hour at current electricity rates.
Buying guidePortables cost £300 up front; splits cost £2,000+ but a third as much to run and double as heaters in winter. Which one actually suits you?
Room sizes, property type, and what you want to cool. Two minutes, no phone number games.
Split-system installation legally requires an F-Gas certified engineer in the UK. We only pass your details to certified local firms.
Installers contact you directly with fixed quotes. No obligation, and your details are never sold beyond the firms quoting.
Usually not for houses — a single outdoor unit typically falls under permitted development, though size and placement rules apply. Flats, listed buildings and conservation areas are different, and leaseholders normally need freeholder consent. Your installer will confirm during the survey.
No. Split systems contain F-Gas refrigerants and UK law requires an F-Gas certified engineer to install them. DIY installation is unsafe, illegal to gas up yourself, and voids the manufacturer warranty. Portable units need no installation at all.
A modern inverter split system typically costs around 10–50p per hour depending on size and your tariff. Portables are less efficient — usually 25–35p per hour for an 8,000 BTU unit. Full breakdown in our cost guide.
Most modern split systems are reversible air-to-air heat pumps, so yes — and heating a single room this way is often cheaper than plug-in electric heaters. It's one of the strongest arguments for a fixed system over a portable.