Choose your installer in four steps
In short
Choose an Adelaide installer who assesses your heating and cooling needs, explains the proposed system and identifies the people authorised to install and connect it. Check South Australian licence conditions and the technician’s ARC refrigerant licence against the actual work, particularly when comparing a wall-mounted split system with roof-mounted or ducted equipment. Agree on an outdoor location that considers neighbours, obtain any required property approvals and compare written quotes for the same complete installation.
Step 1
Describe the rooms and the existing system
Give each company your Adelaide suburb, property type and the rooms you want to heat or cool. Include how you use them, such as cooling a bedroom overnight or heating a living area in the morning. Ask for a site assessment before accepting a capacity recommendation or a firm price where access is uncertain.
Say whether the job is a new installation, replacement or change of system type. Replacing a roof-mounted evaporative cooler with refrigerated cooling needs a clear account of what happens to the old equipment, water connection, ducts and roof opening. Ask the installer which existing parts can be retained and why.
Details for an installation brief
| Property detail | What to provide |
|---|---|
| Rooms | Dimensions, ceiling height, window direction, shading and the times each room is used. |
| Existing cooling or heating | Model numbers, photos, faults and whether removal or a different system type is required. |
| Installation route | Photos of possible indoor and outdoor positions, roof access, switchboard and pipe or drain routes. |
| Nearby homes | Neighbouring windows and courtyards near the proposed outdoor unit, including across a narrow side passage. |
| Property restrictions | Owner permission, strata or community title arrangements, heritage concerns and access requirements. |
Step 2
Match the licences to installation, refrigerant and electrical work
Ask for the contracting business name, South Australian licence details and the registered supervisor responsible for the installation. Check the current CBS public register and the conditions covering your work. CBS distinguishes air-conditioning installation from installation limited to wall or ground mounted split systems; the limited scope excludes roof-mounted systems and in-roof ducting. Ask CBS to clarify any mismatch before booking.
For regulated refrigerant work, obtain the technician’s Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) Refrigerant Handling Licence details and check its current scope. ARC’s restricted split-system installation licence covers specified installation and decommissioning work; it does not establish permission for every repair or system. Have old-unit refrigerant recovery included when replacing equipment.
Identify who will connect the unit and perform any new circuit or switchboard work. Check the electrical contractor’s licence and the worker’s registration through CBS. Air-conditioning installation registration does not itself authorise the physical electrical or plumbing work, so a quote should explain who is responsible for each part.
Step 3
Settle outdoor-unit placement before approving the quote
Ask the installer to show the pipe route, drainage outlet, mounting and service access. For a narrow side passage, have them consider the neighbouring bedroom or courtyard as well as your own rooms. Ask how the chosen position and mounting will control noise and vibration while meeting the manufacturer’s airflow clearances.
South Australian guidance treats unreasonable interference from domestic machinery noise as a local nuisance, with complaints handled by the local council. Discuss an uncertain location with the council responsible for your address before installation. A manufacturer’s noise figure alone does not settle the effect at a neighbouring property.
For a strata or community title property, ask the manager or corporation what consent is needed for external walls, roof space, pipework and the outdoor unit. For a heritage property or a visible external change, confirm approval requirements with the local council. Give any written conditions to the installer before accepting the final layout.
Step 4
Compare the full installation and handover
Have each quote name the exact model, capacity and work included. If the proposed systems differ, ask what changes for the rooms you use, zone controls and future servicing. Supply-only prices and installation totals are different figures, so resolve missing work before comparing offers.
Agree how unforeseen work will be priced and approved. Before the installer leaves, ask for a demonstration of the controls, testing results, care instructions, warranty paperwork and applicable compliance documents. Record who to contact about an installation fault and who handles manufacturer warranty claims.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 7 October 2026
- CBS: building work supervisor standard registration conditions
Air-conditioning installation scopes, limits on roof-mounted and ducted work, and separate electrical or plumbing authorisation. Check current licence conditions with CBS.
- ARC: refrigerant handling licence types
Full and restricted refrigerant licence entitlements, including split-system installation and decommissioning.
- SA Government: electrical licences and worker registration
Contractor licensing, worker registration and links to the CBS public register.
- Legal Services Commission of SA: noise
Domestic machinery noise, local nuisance assessment and local council complaints. Confirm requirements for your proposed location with the relevant council.
