Choose your installer in four steps
In short
Choose an installer who can explain the system your rooms need, show current licences covering the work and give a written quote for the complete installation. Check refrigerant handling and electrical work separately, and confirm the Queensland trade licence or authorisation that applies to your scope. For a Gold Coast apartment, settle outdoor-unit placement, body corporate approvals and building access before booking. Compare the same model and installation details across quotes rather than choosing on the unit price alone.
Step 1
Give each installer the same property details
State your suburb, whether you need a new system or a replacement, and which rooms you want to cool or heat. Ask each company to confirm it services your address and whether a site visit is needed before the price can be fixed.
Make access specific. For example, a Broadbeach apartment brief could include the floor level, balcony photos and lift-booking requirements; a Coomera house brief could show the side access and proposed outdoor-unit position. These are details to check at your property, not assumptions about every home in those suburbs.
What to include in your installation brief
| Detail | What to send or ask |
|---|---|
| Rooms and use | Room dimensions, ceiling height, window orientation and whether doors stay open between rooms. |
| Existing equipment | Photos and model numbers, with any faults and whether removal is needed. |
| Outdoor location | Photos showing nearby windows, boundaries, balconies and the route for pipes and drainage. |
| Access | Floor level, stairs or lifts, parking, roof access and building-manager requirements. |
| Authority to proceed | Owner or landlord permission, body corporate requirements and any approvals still outstanding. |
Step 2
Check the licences for each part of the job
Ask for the contracting business name and licence numbers, plus the name and Refrigerant Handling Licence of the technician doing regulated refrigerant work. Check current status through the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) and confirm the licence type covers your system and the proposed work. A restricted installation licence does not cover every repair or system.
Queensland mechanical services licensing covers air-conditioning and refrigeration work. Ask which QBCC licence or other legislative authorisation covers your installation, then check the relevant scope and current status. If the answer is unclear, give QBCC the job details before accepting it.
Ask who will do the electrical connection and any new circuit or switchboard work. Check the relevant Queensland electrical worker and contractor licences through the Electrical Safety Office. A refrigerant licence alone does not establish permission to perform electrical work.
Step 3
Agree on the system, placement and approvals
Ask the installer to explain the recommended capacity and indoor-unit position using your room layout, sun exposure and intended use. For a property near the beach, ask whether the outdoor unit, mounting and maintenance requirements suit the actual exposure at your address. Have any manufacturer requirements recorded rather than relying on a general claim that a model suits coastal homes.
Confirm where condensation will drain and how noise and vibration will affect neighbouring rooms or homes. Queensland Government guidance directs residential environmental nuisance enquiries to local councils. Ask the installer to address applicable requirements with the City of Gold Coast before settling a difficult outdoor location.
For a body corporate property, check the scheme’s by-laws and whether the work affects common property, including external walls, pipe routes and the outdoor-unit position. Queensland guidance treats installing air conditioning as a possible improvement; approval arrangements depend on the scheme and work. Obtain the required approval and give its conditions to the installer.
Step 4
Compare the complete installed quote
Ask for the exact model, supply price and installation scope. The quote should identify pipe and cable allowances, mounting, drainage, electrical work, access equipment, testing, clean-up and old-unit removal. If an installer proposes a different model, ask them to explain the difference before comparing totals.
Resolve exclusions before accepting. Confirm how extra pipework, electrical changes or difficult access will be priced and agreed. Ask what installation warranty, manufacturer paperwork and applicable electrical compliance documents you will receive, and who handles a problem after installation.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 6 October 2026
- QBCC: when you need a licence
Queensland licensing requirements, relevant licence classes and authorisations. Confirm the application to the actual work with QBCC.
- Australian Refrigeration Council: licence check
Check current refrigerant licence status and type separately from Queensland electrical and trade licensing.
- Australian Refrigeration Council: licence types
Refrigerant work permitted under full and restricted licence types.
- Queensland Electrical Safety Office: electrical licences
Official electrical licence search and information on worker and contractor licences.
- Queensland Government: improving common property and lots
Air-conditioning improvements and scheme-specific approval arrangements. Does not establish approval for a particular property.
- Queensland Government: reporting environmental nuisance
Local council responsibility for residential nuisance and possible air-conditioner noise restrictions. Confirm Gold Coast requirements for your installation.
- QBCC: seeking and comparing quotes
Compare consistent scope, materials, timing and additional fees.
