Why is air-conditioning so expensive?

[DFrancz]

Hi,

We are planning to set up two air conditioning units at our new shop and after researching everything we have been quoted is way over what we have expected. For two medium size rooms, we were quoted over £3000. Is this is an average price?

Also, nobody seems to be willing to install a unit that we would buy from someone else for insurance and warranty reasons. I feel like it is to bump up the cost for their units or is it really worth investing more money for the security of the warranty.

Any help or suggestions on what would be best for us would be highly appreciated.

 

[menetworkjadaltd]

Found this... It may help

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

Hi,

We are planning to set up two air conditioning units at our new shop and after researching everything we have been quoted is way over what we have expected. For two medium size rooms, we were quoted over £3000. Is this is an average price?

Also, nobody seems to be willing to install a unit that we would buy from someone else for insurance and warranty reasons. I feel like it is to bump up the cost for their units or is it really worth investing more money for the security of the warranty.

Any help or suggestions on what would be best for us would be highly appreciated.

You're completely wrong on both accounts... It's got nothing to with bumping up their prices nor securing a warranty on the product.

It has everything to do with the following reasons.

1. It may well be a brand new unit, however as soon as the engineer touched it... it becomes their responsibility... so if you've bought a faulty product... and have say let's say for arguments sake @fisicx comes to your offices to install it... and it's faulty... who replaces it?.

2. More importantly its not fit for purpose who replaces it after someone has installed it for you?... even if they tell you it's not fit for purpose... you insist they put it in... then you realise it's not right.. All the fittings and ducting would be suitable for that unit... would you want to pay again for all the correct fittings if they fit the correct unit?

Think about it in a logical sense... you don't ask a joiner to install a new gas fire do you?

Treat the quotations from the installers as a guarantee if they cock up they'll deal with it... less worry for you less hassle... you'll have more of a leg to stand on with their invoice and quotation than you providing something for someone to install...

 

[pentel]

£3000 looks seems like a bargain to me.....

 

[Awinner2]

£3.000 for 2 rooms in a retail shop seems fine (without knowing all the parameters in the design calculations). Assuming these are split systems with heat pumps, you could save on your heating costs during cold spells. In addition your installers have to cost in compliance with all the masses of Government regulations covering their working practices. Suppliers of boxes do not have to worry about much of this.

 

[DontAsk]

Think about it in a logical sense... you don't ask a joiner to install a new gas fire do you?

That argument falls very quickly.

I wouldn't hesitate asking a joiner to fit a door that I bought myself.

I have, on multiple occasions, had a gas fitter fit a gas oven that I purchased.

 

[lyka]

I would recommend paying the price(inc. VAT?) and having peace of mind- price seems about right if it includes installation warranty for labor and repair (1 year min.)

Is it wall mounted? How many BTUs?

 

[Pish_Pash]

Isn't air conditioning basically an inside out fridge?

So how is it fridges sell for just £100.

 

[STDFR33]

Isn't air conditioning basically an inside out fridge?

So how is it fridges sell for just £100.

Air conditioning can also heat a room.

It's like having a microwave fridge, and you've got to pay a premium for that.

 

[lyka]

Isn't air conditioning basically an inside out fridge?

So how is it fridges sell for just £100.

Fridge?
I don't see the relation.

A.C uses as much as 10x the electricity of a fridge. They operate using a powerful external kompressor.

As stated above , they heat a room as well.

Fridges operate in a complet different way.

Don't forget the labor and installation put into the internal units and their relevant external parts)

 

[AllUpHere]

Air conditioning can also heat a room.

So does a fridge.

 

[Pish_Pash]

Fridge?
I don't see the relation.

A.C uses as much as 10x the electricity of a fridge.

then they should use fridge technology to get the running costs down!

Fridge?They operate using a powerful external kompressor.

the last time I went to get some ice cubes, I didn't see any compressor in there...so a fridge uses an external compressor too.

Air conditioning, smishoning....

here's another one I can't figure, I've owned a fridge for most of my adult life (flash eh?)...never once have I had to get a fridge 'recharged' ...so how is it I've had three cars & they've all needed to have the air conditioning recharged with gas? Ok, ok.... yeah a car vibrates, but seriously, we sent men to the moon in the 1960s ...can we not keep a bit of gas in a closed circuit?

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

We are planning to set up two air conditioning units at our new shop and after researching everything we have been quoted is way over what we have expected. For two medium size rooms, we were quoted over £3000. Is this is an average price?

There is no average price. What is the BTU rating? Where do the internal and external units have to be installed? How much piping and wiring is required? How thick are your walls?

£3000 could be horrendously expensive or an absolute bargain.

 

[chatoyant]

I agree there is no average price. Cost will depends on unit type, manufacturer, BTU need and material use for installation. An inverter air conditioner is more expensive than non-inverter.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

That argument falls very quickly.

I wouldn't hesitate asking a joiner to fit a door that I bought myself.

I have, on multiple occasions, had a gas fitter fit a gas oven that I purchased.

Yes, but they're installing things that they're trained to do... as of which my comment stated

you don't ask a joiner to install a new gas fire do you?

Did you ask the joiner to fit your gas oven? Nope, and you'd probably get a big fat no if you did.

And yes, there are people out there that will happily install your products for you, you may get it on the cheap, you may not... however... with the likes of electricals you have to by law have them signed off by either the installer or an electrician... pretty much the same as a gas engineer to be fair, however if it's in your own home it's not an issue, you don't need a gas check or electrical certificate... although it is good practice ... however in a rented property whether it's commercial or domestic by law the gas has to be checked annually and you have to have PAT testing on other plug in products etc. etc.

If a new install of anything to do with the electrics is not signed off you can't use it.

I don't believe that there is a single electrician out there willing to put their name to a bad install.

 

[DontAsk]

Fridge?
I don't see the relation.

A.C uses as much as 10x the electricity of a fridge. They operate using a powerful external kompressor.

As stated above , they heat a room as well.

Fridges operate in a complet different way.

Don't forget the labor and installation put into the internal units and their relevant external parts)

They are both heat pumps and operate in exactly the same way. A fridge takes heat from within the fridge and radiates it into the room. An air con unit takes heat from inside the building and radiates it outside.

Heat pumps are actually (or can be) very efficient.

I don't know where you get the 10x figure from, but AC will naturally use more as it's dealing with a much larger volume of air, and people will insist on opening doors and letting the cool out.

 

[DontAsk]

Yes, but they're installing things that they're trained to do... as of which my comment stated

You didn't say anything about training. Nor did the OP say they were not trained A/C engineers who quoted.

I don't believe that there is a single electrician out there willing to put their name to a bad install.

There is no reason why a good A/C engineer could not do a good job of installing a unit purchased by the customer.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

A Good AC engineer would not install something that someone else purchased... as I said here...

1. It may well be a brand new unit, however as soon as the engineer touched it... it becomes their responsibility... so if you've bought a faulty product... and have say let's say for arguments sake @fisicx comes to your offices to install it... and it's faulty... who replaces it?.

2. More importantly its not fit for purpose who replaces it after someone has installed it for you?... even if they tell you it's not fit for purpose... you insist they put it in... then you realise it's not right.. All the fittings and ducting would be suitable for that unit... would you want to pay again for all the correct fittings if they fit the correct unit?

 

[P19Johnson]

I think when it comes to something like air conditioning it is worth paying a price which guarantees you a high quality service, if anything goes wrong as others have said above it could cause unwanted issues.

I had air conditioning installed in my offices and its one of the best investments I have made for my business. In summer 2017 the office was like a sauna and this year the air con has meant its been so much more comfortable. It's definitely worth it !!

 

[The Byre]

Crikey! There's enough misinformation in this thread to last a lifetime!

Car ACs - getting splashed with salt water in Winter, not being used for a whole year, shaken about every day - and people expect AC in a car that retails at rock-bottom prices!

£3,000 - a fair price. If you don't want to pay that, fit it yourself! Rocket science, it am not!

Joiner and door - The last joiner we used always stipulated exactly what materials he wanted to use. If I had rocked up with a cheap hollow door from B&Q, he would have told me to go back and get a proper fire door.

 

[johndon68]

Until today, this thread was over a year old and given his post count, it appears that the OP never came back anyway...