It’s the most common question BRIX Electrical & Air gets asked before an air conditioning installation. Split system or ducted? The honest answer is: it depends on your home, your budget, and how you actually live in the space. There’s no universal right answer, but there is a right answer for your situation.
Here’s how Brodie’s team thinks through it when a client asks.
What is a split system air conditioner?
A split system consists of two units: an indoor head unit mounted on the wall and an outdoor compressor. They’re connected by refrigerant lines and a power cable. Each split system conditions one room or zone.
A multi-head split system uses a single outdoor compressor connected to multiple indoor units — so you can have three or four rooms on separate controls from one outdoor unit. This is a middle ground between a basic split system and full ducted installation.
What is ducted air conditioning?
Ducted air conditioning uses a central unit — usually in the roof space — connected to a network of ducts with vents in each room or zone. A single system can condition the entire home, and zone control lets you turn individual rooms on and off independently.
Ducted is largely invisible — the only things you see inside the home are the vents and a wall controller. The central unit and all the ductwork are hidden in the roof space.
Split system — when it makes sense
- Budget: split systems have a lower upfront cost, especially for one to three rooms
- Rental properties: easy to install in existing properties, no structural work required
- Specific rooms: if you only need cooling in a bedroom and living area, split systems are efficient
- Older homes: ducted installation in existing homes with limited roof space can be complex or impractical
- Flexibility: individual units can be added over time as budget allows
Ducted — when it makes sense
- Whole-home comfort: if you want every room in the house at a controlled temperature, ducted is the cleaner solution
- New builds: incorporating ductwork at build stage is far cheaper than retrofitting
- Larger homes: a multi-head split system covering six or more rooms gets expensive — ducted can be more cost-effective at scale
- Aesthetics: ducted systems are invisible inside the home — no wall-mounted units in every room
- Resale value: ducted air conditioning is a property feature that buyers recognise and value
What does each cost to install in Brisbane or Ipswich?
Split systems: a single quality split system installed in one room typically runs from $1,500 to $3,000 depending on size and brand. Multi-head systems increase accordingly.
Ducted systems: residential ducted installation typically starts from $8,000 to $12,000 for a smaller home and increases significantly for larger properties. New builds are cheaper; retrofitting existing homes with limited roof access is more expensive.
These are indicative figures — every property is different. BRIX Electrical & Air provides free, detailed quotes. Call 07 3060 9100.
Running costs — which is cheaper to operate?
A well-sized split system running in one room uses less power than a ducted system conditioning the whole house. But if you’re running multiple split systems in multiple rooms simultaneously, the total power draw can exceed a zoned ducted system. Zone control on a ducted system means you only condition the rooms you’re actually in.
The honest answer: a well-designed, properly zoned ducted system is not necessarily more expensive to run than multiple split systems — it depends on your usage patterns.
What does BRIX Electrical & Air recommend?
Brodie’s team assesses each property individually. For most older Ipswich homes where retrofitting ductwork would be complex, a multi-head split system covering the main living areas and bedrooms is often the most practical solution. For new builds or large homes going through renovation, ducted makes more sense. There’s no commission on recommending one over the other — just the right answer for the job.