What Happens During an Air Conditioning Survey?
An air conditioning survey is a technical visit to measure your rooms, check electrics and plan where indoor and outdoor units can go. It is how a contractor produces a written quote you can actually rely on. Nothing is drilled, and you are not obliged to go ahead.
By British Air Conditioners
Why an air conditioning survey is required before any quote
A useful quote needs measurements, not a guess from a floor plan. Room volume, sun, insulation, how many people use the space, and how far the outdoor unit will sit from the indoor unit all change the kit and the labour. Without standing in the property, a contractor cannot see solid walls, a cramped alley, or a consumer unit that has no spare way in.
That is why we do not treat an online form as a final price. When you request a quote, we match you with a vetted contractor who then visits. The figure you approve afterwards is for the scope they have seen. A real number still comes from that on-site survey.
Skipping the survey is how people end up with an undersized bedroom unit, an outdoor condenser with no airflow, or a pipe route that only works if someone takes a chimney breast apart. The visit is there to prevent that, not to fill your afternoon with a sales script.
If you already know you want a system in a home rather than a shop, air conditioning for homeowners sets out the domestic options the survey will be choosing between.
What the contractor measures and checks
They will measure the rooms you want served and note ceiling height, glazing, and heat sources such as kitchens or home-office kit. They are sizing the indoor unit to the space, not picking the largest model in the van. They will also look at the wall you want the indoor unit on, because a chimney breast, a steel lintel or a party wall can block the obvious fixing point.
Outside, they will look for a place with airflow, access for future servicing, and a route for condensate. Ground, wall bracket or a flat roof are all possible in principle. Which of those is suitable for your building is a survey question, not a rule you can settle from a photo. MyJobQuote's 2026 installation guide lists outdoor unit position, wall type, pipe run length and drainage as the items that most often change labour and materials.
They should check the electrical supply: whether a fused spur is needed, whether the consumer unit has capacity, and whether the run to the outdoor isolator is straightforward. If they cannot see the consumer unit, say so early, because hidden electrical work is a common source of extra cost after a quote is signed.
Refrigerant pipework will be planned on this visit. Connecting indoor and outdoor units, and handling refrigerant, is legally restricted to F-Gas certified engineers. The survey is also when they confirm that the person who will do that work holds the right qualification.
Questions you will be asked
Expect practical questions. Which rooms must be comfortable, and at what time of day? Do you want heating from the same system in winter, or cooling only? Are you in a house, a flat, or a workplace that has to stay open? Do you already know about leasehold rules, a conservation area, or a neighbour who sits close to the likely outdoor position?
They may ask whether you can accept visible trunking on an outside wall, or whether pipes must be chased or taken through a cupboard. That is not fussiness. Internal versus external routing changes both the look and the labour. Be honest if you care about period plaster or a newly painted hallway.
They will also ask about parking, loft access, and whether anyone will be at home. If you work shifts, say so. A survey that happens while the rooms are in use is more accurate than one done in an empty house you do not actually live in during the day.
Questions you should ask them
Ask who will do the F-Gas work, and ask to see that they are F-Gas certified. Company-level registration is separate from an individual's qualification. GOV.UK's guidance on company certification, last updated 21 August 2019 and still the live page in 2026, says a business that installs or maintains stationary air conditioning containing F gas for other people must be certified by an approved body. REFCOM is one of those bodies. Ask whether the contracting company is REFCOM-registered, and how you can check that listing.
Ask what the quote will include: equipment, labour, electrics, brackets, trunking, condensate, commissioning and warranty registration. Ask what happens if they find a hidden obstruction after they start. Ask whether the outdoor position they prefer needs you to confirm anything with your local planning authority. Do not accept a definitive yes or no on planning for your specific property from a sales conversation.
Ask how long they expect to be on site for the install itself, and whether that is one visit or more. Treat any duration as typical and subject to survey, not as a guarantee. If the answers are vague, that is useful information before you sign.
How long a survey takes and what it costs
Duration depends on how many rooms you want served and how awkward the building is. A single bedroom in a modern house is a short visit. A period terrace, a flat with a shared courtyard, or a small shop with customers walking through will take longer. The contractor should tell you a window when they book, rather than arriving unannounced.
We will not tell you the survey is free. Whether a contractor charges for the visit, and whether any fee is offset against the installed price if you proceed, is their commercial decision and it varies between firms. Ask what the survey costs when the visit is booked, and get that answer before anyone travels to your property.
There is no honest public source for a single UK "survey fee" that we can cite, and we will not invent one. The number that matters is the installed price after the visit. MyJobQuote's 2026 guide puts a wall-mounted unit, kit and fitting, at £550 to £2,100, and says a typical homeowner spend is around £1,200. That is an installed cost range, not a survey charge, and your figure still comes from the survey of your property.
If you are in Greater Manchester, we can match you with contractors who already work on air conditioning in Manchester homes and small commercial spaces. Bring any lease, freeholder letter or previous quotes to the visit so they are not starting from scratch.
Once the visit is done, the air conditioning installation process shows what happens between the survey and a working system.
FAQ
Does the survey cost anything?
That depends on the contractor. Some charge for the visit, some absorb it into the installed price, and some offset the fee if you go ahead. We do not set that policy, so ask when the survey is booked and get the answer in writing before anyone travels to your property.
How long does it take?
It depends on the property. A single room is usually a short visit. Several rooms, solid walls, or a flat with limited outdoor space take longer. The contractor should give you a time window when they book. There is no published UK average, so treat any duration they offer as typical for your job, not a guarantee.
Do I have to be home?
Someone who can access the rooms, the consumer unit and the outdoor space should be there. The contractor needs to confirm positions with you before they write a quote. A neighbour with a key can work if they know your preferences. In a flat, bring someone who can speak to the freeholder.
Will they try to sell me on the day?
A survey is a technical visit to measure and plan, then a written quote follows. You should not be asked to sign on the doorstep. If someone pressures you for a same-day decision, stop and compare the quote later. You approve the price in writing before any install date is booked.
What if my property is awkward?
That is exactly what the survey is for. Solid walls, long pipe runs, tight alleys and shared courtyards show up on a visit in a way they do not on a photo. The contractor may propose a different outdoor position or a condensate pump. Awkward does not mean impossible. It means the quote should reflect the extra labour.