What a ducted heat pump cost depends on
We design and fit ducted heat pumps for whole Christchurch homes, and quote once we've seen the house. Here's what drives the price, from roof space to room count.
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Why ducted heat pump prices vary so much
Every part of the system is sized to the house. There’s a central indoor unit and a duct to each room. There’s a return air path, the controls, an outdoor unit and the power to run it. A wall heat pump is one unit for one room. A ducted heat pump is a small building project.
That’s why we don’t put out ducted prices or ranges. A single level new build in Rolleston and a two storey 1970s house in Cashmere are very different jobs, even with the same system. Come and get a free site visit. You’ll get a quote for your house.
Ducted heat pump cost for Christchurch homes
Where you live and the house you live in change the job, and so the price.
- New builds. In Prebbleton and Wigram, plan the system before the linings go on. The ducting can go through the roof space with no ceiling patching, which keeps the job simpler.
- Character homes. In Fendalton, the rooms are big, the ceilings are high and there’s a lot of glass. Ducting suits a house where you’d rather have nothing on the walls, but the volume of every room pushes the size up.
- Hill homes on several levels. In Clifton, houses are built over several levels and outdoor unit spots are hard to reach. One system has to reach each level, and the access goes into the price.
- Older single storey homes. In Parklands, the lounge sits at one end and the bedrooms down a hallway. Ducting gives even heat in every room if the roof space allows, so we check the roof space first.
- Lifestyle blocks. Around Lincoln, bigger houses with long halls can go ducted where there’s good ceiling space. A sleepout or office may suit a separate small unit, priced on its own.
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How system capacity affects ducted heat pump cost
The more heat the system needs to make, the more it costs. Bigger units cost more. The indoor and outdoor units are sized to heat every room on the system on a Christchurch winter design day. A bigger house, more glass, a high stud or poor insulation all push the size up.
Ducted units come in a spread of sizes, from units for apartments and smaller homes up to units for large family homes. Many sizes come in single phase and three phase versions. We pick the size from the heat your rooms need, not the bedroom count.
Single phase or three phase power
A house has either single phase or three phase power. Some of the bigger ducted units come in three phase versions. If the right unit needs a supply the house doesn’t have, the electrical work changes a lot. We check the supply and the switchboard when we quote. A licensed electrical worker always does the connection.
Number of rooms and outlets
Every room you add costs more. Each needs a vent in the ceiling, or the floor, and a duct back to the unit. Big rooms and open plan areas may need two vents. More vents means more duct, more fittings and more labour. The return air grille is where air goes back to the unit. It has to sit somewhere central, with a clear path back from each room.
Roof space, ceiling depth and duct runs
Roof space and ceiling depth decide how easily the indoor unit and ducts fit. A low pitch roof, tight trusses, a skillion roof or a ceiling packed with downlights and services all leave less room to work, and that makes the job harder.
Slim ducted units are built for jobs where ceiling space is limited. A slimmer unit can turn a hard job into a simple one. But they only come in certain sizes.
Long duct runs lose some air and heat. So we keep them short and well insulated. A central spot for the unit helps.
Underfloor ducted installs
Some houses have no usable roof space but a good crawl space. The unit and ducts can go under the floor, with vents in the floor. Access, clearance and damp under the house decide whether that works.
Zoning and the cost of a ducted heat pump
Zoning adds a controller, dampers and wiring to the price. It can cut running costs after. A zone controller with motorised dampers lets you heat the living areas by day and the bedrooms at night. You’re not heating the whole house at once. See heat pump zoning.
Ducted heat pump cost in a new build or retrofit
A new build is simpler than a retrofit. Ducts go in before the ceilings are lined and the insulation’s laid. The outdoor unit, power supply and return air spot can be planned with the builder.
In an existing home, we work round what’s there. We lift and relay the ceiling insulation. We cut vents into finished ceilings. We find a route through the framing, and make good after. Two storey homes are harder again. One system has to reach upstairs and down. That can mean bulkheads or a second unit.
The cost of replacing an old ducted heat pump
It depends on what can be reused:
- The old ducts. Their condition and insulation decide whether they can stay.
- Duct size. The ducts have to be sized for the new unit’s airflow, or they need replacing.
- Where the old units sit. If the spots still suit, the new indoor and outdoor units can go there.
- The old refrigerant pipes. The new unit may need a different pipe size, and we need to know which refrigerant the old system used.
- The power supply and isolating switch. A bigger unit can need electrical work before it goes in.
Old refrigerant has to be recovered, not let out. If your old system runs on R22, we check whether the existing pipes can be reused with the new unit or need replacing.
Ducted outdoor unit position
Ducted outdoor units are often bigger than single room ones. They need clear airflow and a solid base or brackets. They need room to service them. And they need a spot that keeps noise at the boundary within limits. Those limits are in the heat pump boundary rules.
Adding fresh air and ventilation
Some ducted systems can be paired with a heat recovery ventilation unit. It’s a separate system with its own cost. If you’re doing both, you can plan them together.
What a ducted heat pump price should include
A ducted quote should spell out each of these, so you can compare one quote with another:
- the brand, model and heating output of the indoor and outdoor units
- how many vents, where they go, and where the return air grille goes
- where the indoor unit sits and how it’s held up
- the duct type and insulation
- the zone controller and dampers, if included
- the electrical work, including the supply and isolating switch
- taking out any old system and recovering the refrigerant
- how the system was sized
Get a free quote for a ducted heat pump
We fit ducted systems from Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, Fujitsu, Toshiba and Rinnai. We look at the roof space, the rooms, the insulation and how you use the house. Then you get a free quote. If a couple of wall units would do a better job in your house, we’ll tell you. Call 03 242 1023 to set up a visit, or ask for a quote online.
Ducted heat pump cost questions
How much does a ducted heat pump cost in New Zealand?
There's no fair single figure. It depends on the unit's size, the number of vents and the duct runs. It also depends on the roof or floor space, zoning, the power supply, and whether it's a new build or a retrofit. We quote once we've looked at the house.
Is ducted cheaper to install in a new build?
The work is usually simpler. Ducts can go in before the ceilings are lined and the insulation goes down. The unit's spot can be planned with the builder. In an existing house, we work round finished ceilings, insulation and framing.
Does a ducted system cost more to run than wall units?
It depends how you use it. Ducted heating the whole house uses more than one wall unit heating the lounge. Zoning lets you heat only the rooms you're using. That closes the gap.
Can an old ducted system be replaced without new ducting?
Sometimes. If the old ducts are in good nick, well insulated and sized for the new unit, some can stay. We check them before we quote.
More on ducted systems and zoning
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