Before the next heat wave
Don’t get caught
in that heat again
Work out which aircon fits your home now — so you’re ready before summer hits hard.
Not an installer — we help you decide before you leap
Three common paths
Which type fits?
Portable, single-split, or multi-split. Pick one to carry it into the calculator.
If you only need occasional cooling, a portable unit you buy and set up yourself can be enough. If you want quieter, stronger cooling in the same rooms every summer, a wall system fitted by an installer is usually the better long-term path.
Photos show examples of the equipment type. lookBefore does not make or sell these units.
Before you enquire
How lookBefore works
Learn the options, use the calculator, then enquire as the last step.
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Learn the options
Portable, one-room wall system, or multi-room, with rough install and running-cost guides.
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Use the calculator
A short guide band from your rooms. Not a quote, and not an enquiry yet.
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Enquire last
Only after the guide, if you want quotes from local installers. With your consent, we may share the enquiry with up to three of them.
What a typical fit involves
An installer agrees where the indoor unit and outdoor unit will go, then mounts them, runs pipes through a small wall opening, connects the electrics, tests the system, and shows you the controls. A straightforward one-room job is often done in a day; multi-room can take longer. Expect some drilling noise and dust. Scaffolding is sometimes needed for awkward outdoor positions.
A longer look at install day
A visit, sometimes with photos, comes first. You agree the positions and what the electrics need. On install day the installer mounts the units, drills for the pipes, connects them, leak-tests, and switches the system on, then walks you through the controls and the paperwork. Expect drilling noise and dust, access for the outdoor unit, a possible short power cut, and scaffolding sometimes.
Rough install cost
A typical one-room wall system in the UK is often about £1,500 to £3,000 supplied and fitted, usually done in a day. Cooling two to four rooms with one outdoor unit is often roughly £2,800 to £7,000 and can take one to three days. London and the South East are often higher. These are guide ranges from published UK cost articles, not a quote for your home.
Fitted systems that use refrigerant must be installed by a registered company. Ask for REFCOM (or equivalent). lookBefore is not an installer and is not REFCOM-registered.
F-Gas
F-Gas is the UK name for fluorinated greenhouse gases used as refrigerant in many air conditioning systems. Install and service work that handles those gases must be done by qualified people working for a registered company.
REFCOM
REFCOM is one of the UK schemes that registers companies for that F-Gas work. Asking an installer for their company registration (REFCOM or an equivalent scheme such as Quidos) is a simple way to check they are set up to do the job legally. lookBefore is not an installer and is not REFCOM-certified.
Step 1 of 4
What are you considering?
We’ll tailor the size help and a rough £ band. You can change this later.
Step 4 of 4
Get quotes from installers
Type, timeline, and postcode — then how we can reach you.
Straight answers
FAQ
Two short sets of answers.
About Aircon
Portable vs split — what’s the difference?
A portable plugs in and moves. A single-split is one fixed indoor unit plus an outdoor unit. A multi-split is several indoor units, usually on one outdoor unit. The type chooser above is the short version.
What does F-Gas mean?
F-Gas is the UK name for fluorinated greenhouse gases used as refrigerant in many air conditioning systems. Install and service work that handles those gases must be done by qualified people working for a registered company.
Do I need MCS for cooling aircon?
MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) is mainly about renewable heat systems such as heat pumps, and related schemes or grants. It is not the usual registration for a cooling air conditioning install. For fitted aircon, the registration that usually matters is F-Gas company registration (for example REFCOM or Quidos), not MCS.
Is the calculator a quote?
No. It shows ranges: a rough cooling band and the install-cost bands in the methodology. It is not a fixed price, not a guaranteed quote, and not a survey.
Can I get a grant? Is aircon covered by MCS or the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
No. We do not claim MCS or Boiler Upgrade Scheme support for air conditioning. Using this calculator is not an application for a grant.
I rent. Can I have a split system?
A portable is usually the option you can buy yourself. A single-split or multi-split is fixed to the building, so you need the owner’s agreement. The calculator keeps a tenant on the portable path.
Why isn’t there one exact kW, or a savings figure?
A single figure would pretend we had surveyed the room. A savings percentage would be a number we made up. The band is wide on purpose. Your bill depends on your tariff, the weather, and how often the unit actually runs.
About lookBefore
Are you an air conditioning installer?
No. lookBefore helps you decide which path to look at. We do not fit systems and we do not sell the equipment.
Are lookBefore or this website F-Gas or REFCOM certified?
No. We are not certified to handle refrigerant and we do not claim REFCOM approval. REFCOM is one of the UK schemes that registers companies for that F-Gas work. Asking an installer for their company registration (REFCOM or an equivalent scheme such as Quidos) is a simple way to check they are set up to do the job legally. lookBefore is not an installer and is not REFCOM-certified.
Will you send my details to lots of companies?
Only if you tick consent. That agreement is that we may share your enquiry with up to three local installers so they can contact you about a quote. It is not exclusive to one firm, and it is not an approved network. You can ask us to stop by emailing privacy@lookbefore.co.uk. Sending the form records that consent. It does not book a visit.
What happens to my details?
Questions or opt-out: privacy@lookbefore.co.uk. We keep enquiry data for up to 24 months unless you ask us to delete it sooner. We only keep an enquiry if you agree. With that consent, we may share it with up to three local installers so they can contact you about a quote.
Privacy
We collect the details you enter (such as postcode, ownership, rooms or system interest, timeline, and contact details) so we can give you a guide result and, if you consent, pass your enquiry to up to three local installers. We use this information for that purpose and to improve the tool. We keep enquiry records for up to 24 months from last contact, then delete or anonymise; we honour earlier deletion requests. To ask what we hold, or to opt out of further contact from us, email privacy@lookbefore.co.uk. Installers who receive your details are responsible for how they use them under their own privacy notices.
lookBefore is operated by Friskk Ltd (company number 09478908). The registered office is in the footer of this page.