commercialhvacuk

Commercial HVAC cost estimator

Pick a system type and building for an indicative installed-cost range and the sensible first move. Indicative only, not a quote.

The estimate updates as you choose. A firm figure follows once we survey the building and model the loads.

Indicative estimate

Indicative installed cost
£20,000–£250,000
Sensible first move
Load survey
Efficiency metric
SEER / SCOP

VRF suits offices, retail and hotels up to roughly 150–200 kW of cooling; heat-recovery VRF moves heat between zones for free.

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These are indicative ranges from typical published UK figures. Your actual cost depends on the load, zones, plant-room and access, refrigerant choice and any electrical upgrade. Figures are never guaranteed. This tool does not store any data you enter, and it is not a quote.

Estimator FAQs

How accurate is this estimator?

It gives an indicative range from typical published UK figures, based on the system type and building. Your actual cost depends on the cooling and heating load, the number of zones and units, plant-room and access constraints, refrigerant choice and any electrical supply upgrade. For a firm figure, send us your building and current plant and we will model it from a survey and your real half-hourly data.

Why does the building type change the estimate so much?

Because the load drives the plant. A city-centre office runs a very different cooling and ventilation profile to a distribution warehouse or a 24/7 data suite, so the same nominal system can differ widely in capacity, controls and cost. We size on peak heat gain and loss, not floor area alone.

Does this include running cost?

No — this is an indicative installed cost only. Running cost depends on the efficiency of the system (SEER/SCOP), how it is controlled at part-load, and your tariff. We model running cost, and any electrification case, from your real consumption data rather than guessing.

Is this a quote?

No. It is an indicative estimate to help you budget. A firm quote follows once we know the building, the current plant and the loads. Every figure here is a typical published range, never a guarantee, and all work is carried out by F-gas certified engineers.

How to read this estimate — at a glance

This tool gives a scoping figure, not a quotation. It is useful for deciding whether a project is worth pursuing and for setting a budget expectation; it is not a substitute for a heat load calculation, because it cannot see your glazing, your occupancy or your equipment draw.

What this estimate can and cannot tell you
QuestionThis estimateNeeds a survey
Rough budget rangeYes
Which system type suits the buildingIndicativeYes
Actual cooling duty in kWNoYes — heat load calculation
Whether your electrical supply is adequateNoYes — this is the usual programme risk
Installed price you can hold us toNoYes — itemised written quote

Indicative ranges for context: a single split is roughly £1,800–£4,000 installed, a VRF office floor commonly £20,000–£250,000, and a complete chilled-water system from around £150,000. The cost guides explain what moves those figures.

When you are ready for a real number, the survey is no-obligation — you get the load figures and an itemised written quote whether or not you proceed.

Commercial energy & building services across the UK

Electrifying your heating? Our sister site covers heat pumps for commercial buildings.

Ready to install? Talk to specialist business heat-pump installers.

Checking the numbers? See what funding applies to a heat-pump project.

Not sure where the load is going? Start with a commercial energy audit.

Want to offset the electricity draw? Add solar to power the electrified plant.

Need to fund the upgrade? Explore financing the works.

Get a free quote
Get a free quote