Choose your installer in four steps
In short
Choose a Brisbane installer who assesses your rooms and access, identifies the licences covering each part of the work, and quotes a complete installed system. Outdoor-unit placement deserves an early discussion: Brisbane City Council sets air-conditioner noise limits relative to background noise at a neighbour’s property, with a lower limit overnight. For an apartment or townhouse in a body corporate scheme, confirm approval requirements before accepting a location. Compare model numbers, electrical work, drainage and access allowances across quotes so you can see what each total buys.
Step 1
Show the rooms and the installation access
Give each installer your suburb, the rooms you want to cool or heat, and whether this is a new installation or a replacement. Include room dimensions, ceiling height, windows and when you use each room. Ask how these details support the proposed system capacity rather than choosing a unit from room size alone.
Show the pipe route and outdoor access. For example, a raised house in Ashgrove might need photos of the under-house space and wall height; a West End apartment brief might need balcony dimensions and lift-booking details. These are examples to check against your property, not requirements for every home in those suburbs.
Details that help an installer assess the job
| Property detail | Include in the brief |
|---|---|
| Rooms and layout | Dimensions, windows, ceiling height and whether you want separate room control. |
| Existing system | Model numbers, indoor and outdoor photos, faults and whether removal is needed. |
| Proposed outdoor position | Nearby bedroom windows, boundaries, mounting surface and room for servicing. |
| Installation route | Wall height, under-house or roof access, pipe route and drainage options. |
| Permission and access | Owner permission, body corporate conditions, parking and building-manager arrangements. |
Step 2
Check who is authorised to do each part
Ask for the contracting business name and the Queensland licence or legislative authorisation covering the proposed work. QBCC has mechanical services licensing requirements, including air-conditioning and refrigeration. Check the applicable class, current status and conditions; ask QBCC about your scope if the company relies on an exemption or another authorisation you do not understand.
For regulated refrigerant work, ask for the technician’s Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) Refrigerant Handling Licence and check its type. ARC’s restricted split-system installation and decommissioning licence covers specified systems, including single-head split systems under 18 kW. Do not assume it covers ducted systems or refrigerant repairs.
Identify the electrical contractor separately, including who will connect the system and handle any new circuit or switchboard changes. Check the relevant Queensland electrical licences through the Electrical Safety Office. Refrigerant credentials alone do not establish permission for electrical installation work.
Step 3
Settle noise, drainage and approval before booking
Brisbane City Council lists daily air-conditioning noise limits of 5 dBA above background noise from 7 am to 10 pm, and 3 dBA from 10 pm to 7 am, measured at a neighbour’s property. dBA is a measure of sound level. Ask the installer how the proposed location, operating noise and vibration control will address these limits, especially near bedroom windows. A manufacturer’s noise rating alone does not establish compliance at your neighbour’s property.
Agree on the mounting, pipe route, wall penetrations and where condensation will drain. Ask how the unit will remain accessible for servicing. If an enclosure or screen is proposed, have the installer confirm that it allows the airflow and clearance required by the manufacturer.
In a body corporate scheme, installing air conditioning can be an improvement requiring approval. Check your scheme’s by-laws, regulation module and whether external walls, balconies or pipe routes involve common property. Obtain any required approval and give its location and appearance conditions to the installer before work starts.
Step 4
Compare the installed scope and agree on handover
Request the exact indoor and outdoor model numbers and a written installed price. Have the installer confirm whether a site visit is needed to fix that price. If quotes recommend different capacities or system types, ask for the reason before comparing totals.
Record how additional work will be priced and approved, the payment terms and the proposed installation date. At handover, ask for operating instructions, warranty details, applicable electrical testing and compliance documents, and a contact for installation faults. Test cooling, controls and drainage with the installer before they leave.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 7 October 2026
- QBCC: when you need a licence
Mechanical services licensing, contracting arrangements and other legislative authorisations. Confirm the requirements for your job scope.
- Australian Refrigeration Council: licence types
Different refrigerant licence scopes, including restrictions on split-system installation and decommissioning.
- Brisbane City Council: noise restrictions and complaints
Air-conditioning noise limits above background noise, time periods and measurement at a neighbour’s property.
- Queensland Government: improving common property and lots
Air-conditioning improvements and approval arrangements that depend on the body corporate scheme and proposed work.
