How the numbers on this site are made
Every figure carries a source link and the date we last checked it. Where we could not verify something, we say so instead of estimating.
Figures checked
In short
Rules and discounts come from the government or regulator that runs them. Prices come from named industry guides, labelled as theirs and dated. Nothing on this site is an estimate we invented, and figures that expire get re-checked before they stay up.
Where the figures come from
- Discounts and incentives: the program's own page or announcement. Victorian Energy Upgrades, NSW Climate and Energy Action, the Queensland Government and Energex.
- Licensing rules: the Australian Refrigeration Council, which issues refrigerant handling licences.
- Climate zones: the Australian Building Codes Board's climate map and YourHome.
- Efficiency: Energy Rating, the joint government program behind the energy labels.
- Prices: CHOICE, Canstar Blue and ServiceSeeking, each named beside the figure with the year the data comes from.
How old are the prices?
Not all the same age, and we would rather tell you than hide it. The most detailed breakdown of unit and installation prices we could verify is CHOICE's guide, last updated in April 2023. Alongside it we show ServiceSeeking's 2026 job data, which gives recent averages but no split by system size. Each price on the site names its year, and page titles only carry a year where the data behind them is that recent.
What we left out, and why
The calculator asks for your electricity rate instead of using a default. We could not verify a single national tariff that would be fair to every reader, and an invented default would have made every dollar figure wrong for most people.
You will also not find city-by-city installation prices here yet, or prices by kilowatt. We looked for published Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns figures and a sourced price for each capacity, and did not find any we would stand behind.
When a source changes under us
Government pages move. Queensland's own Climate Smart Energy Savers page now redirects to a general energy savings hub, so we cite the minister's announcement of the closing date instead. When a page we relied on disappears, we find the next official record of the same fact or take the figure down.
How the figures stay current
Every figure has an expiry date, and every source link is tested before an update goes live. Anything past its date, or any link that no longer lands on the page we cited, gets re-verified at the source before it stays on the site. Rebate amounts move with certificate prices, so this matters more than anything else we do.
What this site is not
We are not a government agency, and we are not affiliated with Victorian Energy Upgrades, NSW Climate and Energy Action, the Australian Refrigeration Council, Energex, Ergon Energy or any manufacturer. Nothing here is financial or technical advice, and eligibility for any program is decided by the program.
How the site is paid for
Quote requests are not open yet. When they open, we will pass each request to licensed installers who cover the postcode, and they may pay us a fee for that introduction. The fee does not change what you pay, and it never changes the prices or discounts we publish.
Air conditioning businesses can also pay for a managed website plan, which includes a listing next to our guides. Listings are labelled as listings, and paying for one never changes a figure or buys a mention inside a guide.
This site may show advertising. Ads never change our figures, and no advertiser sees what you enter in the calculator.
Corrections
Operator details are published here before this site launches. A correction address will be listed with them.