Key factors that affect the cost of commercial air conditioning

As you might expect, our engineers get a lot of questions about commercial air conditioning, but the issue of cost is by far one of the most common. In fact, since you’re reading this, it’s likely that at some point you’ve asked yourself: how much does commercial air conditioning cost?

Well, it can depend on a number of factors, but for a decent system, you’re often looking at something in the four-figure range. Beyond that, really, it’s difficult to narrow it down to an exact figure, because the price is heavily dependent on a number of different factors. Some of them come down to the discretion of individual suppliers like ourselves, whereas others are factors that centre on you and your individual circumstances. Here are some of the most pivotal!

The type of air conditioning you choose

When searching between different suppliers, you’ll note that you have various choices as to the types of air conditioning available. For example, freestanding or overhead units are often amongst the cheaper options, but often they’re more suited to residential properties than offices. To properly condition an office or retail space or school or other similar sorts of premises, you’ll probably need a larger system of ducted air conditioning, which will require more tubing and piping but ultimately be more effective. (In a previous post right here on the blog, we’ve already gone into the various types of ducted air conditioning available.) The more expensive options will generally require additional materials like tubing, mounting materials, fittings and fasteners etc.

The style and size of your premises

This is a fairly intuitive concept – a small business premises will only require a relatively simple system to set up, whereas those in larger buildings, or those spread across multiple floors, will need a bit more work and attention, and therefore are more likely to need investment. The commercial air conditioning will probably need adaptations to walls or ceilings, for example. Now, if your premises are part of a new build, you might find that you’re able to save a bit, as you can work the design and plans around the system. However, if you’re in a listed building, this can complicate matters quite a bit, as extra care must be taken not to damage the building’s fabric.

The labour involved

This is linked very closely to the other two factors, but the quote you’ll be provided – whether by us or another supplier – will also take into account the necessary labour that fitting the system will involve. We don’t set the price of this work arbitrarily here at Askews – instead, it’s calculated on the standard of service necessary to provide an excellent effort. As we’ve covered in the past, the installation and maintenance of air conditioning is a highly skilled job, and the cost of the labour reflects this.

Maintenance

This is an aspect that many people think they can save a bit of money on, but trust us, it’s necessary! Without an ongoing maintenance plan, your air conditioning unit is prone to sucking up all sorts of dust and debris and other stuff, which can start to affect its smooth operation, and efficiency, which means that it actually all too easily becomes more expensive not to maintain it than it does just to give it a checkup now and again. We recommend bi-annually, and most customers find that’s all they need to keep their system working in absolutely top condition. Without doing this, it negates all the money you spent on it in the first place.

Here at Askews, the experience of our heating, ventilation and cooling engineers means that we’re able to offer the full package, including a detailed maintenance plan that will keep your air conditioning system in tip-top condition. You can click here for a free quote, or just give us a call on 01282 863 825 if you’ve got any questions. We’re here to help!

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