Split system or ducted: choose around the rooms you use

Draw a simple plan and mark the rooms occupied in the morning, afternoon and overnight. A household using a home office all day has different needs from one that mainly gathers in a single living area after work. Note doors that normally stay open and spaces where temperature must be controlled independently.

Write down what is wrong with the current arrangement. “The west-facing study becomes uncomfortable at 3 pm” is more useful than “we need a bigger system”. Photos of windows, shading and the proposed equipment locations make the first discussion more specific.

An individual split serves a room or connected area. A multi-head arrangement shares one outdoor unit between several indoor units. A ducted system distributes air through ceiling or floor outlets. Reverse-cycle equipment can provide both heating and cooling.

A room’s area is useful, but it is not the whole sizing assessment. Large windows, afternoon sun, ceiling height, insulation and the adjoining spaces change what the system has to handle. Ask the installer to explain the assumptions, especially if two quotes recommend very different sizes.

Do not automatically repeat the old unit’s capacity. If the old installation never worked well, replacing it with the same size and position may reproduce the problem. A room that has become an office or a changed floor plan deserves a fresh look.

Ask where the outdoor equipment will sit, how pipework and cables will reach it and where condensate will drain. Consider noise near bedrooms, access for maintenance and the appearance of covered pipework. For a ducted system, ask how zones preserve the airflow the equipment requires.

A useful quote names the equipment and includes the electrical supply, isolation, mounting and commissioning. If old equipment is being removed, clarify what happens to old brackets, holes and paint marks. Identify any separate plastering, roofing or cabinetry work.

Compare the same rooms, control requirements and installation scope. A cheaper equipment package may not be cheaper once supply work and access are included. Ask what manufacturer warranty applies and what maintenance is expected.

Before the installer leaves, ask to be shown the controls, timers and filters, and what servicing the manufacturer recommends. A system that is easy to run and looked after properly is more likely to give you the comfort you paid for.