Typical job sizes
Most Guildford enquiries fall into one of four shapes. The equipment differs, and so does the time on site.
| Job | Often chosen for | What gets fitted |
|---|---|---|
| One room | A main bedroom or an attic study | A wall unit inside, a matching unit outside |
| Two rooms | Main bedroom plus a child’s room or office | Two wall units on one shared or two separate outdoor units |
| Three or four rooms | A whole top floor | A multi-split serving each room from one outdoor unit |
| Whole house | Renovations and larger detached homes | Multi-split or concealed ducted, planned floor by floor |
No price list, on purpose
A headline figure per room would hide most of what matters, from the walls to the pipe run. The online estimate asks about those, and the survey fixes the number in writing.
What changes the price
Two three-room jobs can be priced quite differently. The gap nearly always comes from the house rather than the units.
- Distance to the outdoor unit. Every extra metre adds copper pipe, cable and time. A unit on the back wall right behind the bedroom is the simplest case.
- Height. A bracket two floors up needs access equipment. A ground-level pad does not.
- Room capacity. Rooms with a lot of glass or a south-west aspect need a bigger unit than the floor area suggests.
- Power supply. Older fuse boards sometimes need a new circuit or an upgrade before a system can go in.
- Concealment. Hiding pipes in a cupboard, void or loft is neater but takes longer than surface trunking.
Guildford specifics
A few things come up more in Guildford than in most towns, and each can add time to a survey or an installation.
- Conservation areas and listed buildings. Guildford has many conservation areas, including the town centre and Onslow Village, where the outdoor unit’s position matters to the council.
- Steep plots. Gardens that drop away from the house can make a ground-level outdoor unit harder to place.
- Flats near the town centre. Leaseholders usually need the freeholder’s or managing agent’s written consent before any external work.
Running costs
An inverter unit slows down once the room reaches temperature, so it rarely runs flat out. A simple way to estimate cost is power draw × hours × your unit rate.
Scroll sideways to see the full table
| Scenario | Average draw | Hours | Rate | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attic bedroom, evening and night | 0.6 kW | 7 | 26p/kWh | about £1.09 |
| Study, working hours | 0.7 kW | 9 | 26p/kWh | about £1.64 |
Swap in your own rate
These are illustrations, not quotes. Your electricity bill shows your rate per kWh, and smart or time-of-use tariffs can make overnight cooling cheaper still.
Questions
Is the survey a sales visit?
It is a technical visit. The installer measures up, checks the wiring and pipe routes, and answers questions. You get the written quote afterwards and can take as long as you like to decide.
Can I start with one room and add more later?
Yes. If you might add rooms, say so at the survey. A larger outdoor unit fitted now can save a second one on the wall later.
Does it need servicing?
Filters should be rinsed every few weeks in summer, which takes a couple of minutes. A yearly service keeps the system efficient and is often a condition of the manufacturer’s extended warranty.
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