It starts with an assessment, not a price
A ducted system is designed around the home, so any quote worth relying on starts with a proper look at the property: floor area and layout, ceiling space, roof type, orientation, insulation, window sizes and how each room is used. This is what determines the system capacity, the number of zones and where vents and controls go.
Design decisions you'll be asked about
Zoning is the big one — which areas can be conditioned independently. Common patterns are living areas versus bedrooms, or upstairs versus downstairs. You'll also decide on vent styles, controller locations, and whether you want smart or app-based control.
The indoor unit typically sits in the roof space, and the outdoor unit position is chosen for airflow, access, drainage and noise considerations.
Installation day
A typical single-storey installation takes one to two days depending on the size of the home and the complexity of the duct runs. The team runs ducting through the roof space, cuts in ceiling vents, mounts the indoor and outdoor units, runs refrigerant pipework and electrical connections, and commissions the system.
Expect some foot traffic through the home and access to the roof space. A professional team leaves the home clean, but it's normal to move furniture away from vent locations beforehand.
Handover
At handover you should be shown how to use the controller, how zoning works, and what basic maintenance you can do yourself — filter cleaning in particular. Keep your documentation somewhere safe; it matters for warranty and future servicing.
Replacing an existing system
Replacement is not always like-for-like. Ductwork may be reusable or may need replacing, capacity requirements can change after renovations or extensions, and newer zoning and control options may be worth adding. An assessment of the existing system comes first.