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Back-to-back installs
Back-to-back split system installation in North Brisbane
It’s the simplest install there is, so why does getting a straight price take a week of ring-arounds? Skip it. One vetted local installer gives you a clear, fixed-scope quote upfront.
- Licence and insurance already checked
- One trusted installer, no ring-around
- Clear, fixed-scope written quotes
Tell us the job. We’ll send the right aircon tech.
30 seconds. Free, no obligation, no chasing.
What a back-to-back installation is
A back-to-back install is about as simple as aircon gets, which makes the usual stuffing around even more annoying. You ring for a price and hear ‘it depends’, or get a quote that looks great until the extras for pipe, brackets and the circuit show up on the invoice.
Sorted. We send one vetted installer who’ll tell you upfront whether your job counts as back-to-back, and put the price and what’s included in writing.
A back-to-back installation is where the indoor unit is mounted on an external wall and the outdoor unit sits directly behind it on the other side of that wall, usually at ground level. The pipework, drain and cable pass straight through one hole in the wall, so the pipe run is short and the job is quick.
This is the type of install most advertised supply-and-install prices are based on. It’s common in single-storey brick and brick veneer homes, which make up a lot of the housing stock in suburbs like Aspley, Stafford Heights, Everton Park and Bracken Ridge.
If your preferred indoor location is on an internal wall, upstairs, or the outdoor unit has to go around a corner or on a roof bracket, it is no longer a standard back-to-back. That doesn’t make it a problem; it just means the quote will include extra pipe, brackets or labour.
Before you settle on a location, check that the indoor unit will throw air into the room rather than straight at a bed or couch, and that the outdoor unit won’t sit right under a neighbour’s window. A back-to-back install only saves money if the location also works for everyday comfort.
The difference
A back-to-back install the usual way vs. with us
The usual way
- Ring around for a price, hear ‘it depends’
- Extras for pipe and brackets show up later
- Wait on call-backs for a simple job
- Unsure who’s licensed for the gas and power
With Air Conditioning North Brisbane
- One form, one installer calls you
- Fixed scope, with extras spelled out upfront
- An installer who’s agreed to call you back fast
- ARCtick and electrical licences checked
When your install will usually count as back-to-back
These are the typical conditions installers use. Each installer sets their own definition, so check the quote.
- Indoor unit on an external wall
- Outdoor unit directly behind it at ground level, on feet, a pad or a slab
- Single storey, or ground floor of a two-storey home
- Pipe run of about 3 metres or less
- Brick, brick veneer, weatherboard or fibre cement wall
- Switchboard has space for a new circuit within a reasonable cable run
- Clear access to the wall and outdoor unit location
Costs
Back-to-back installation costs
Indicative supply-and-install ranges for standard back-to-back installs, plus common extras if your install isn’t quite standard.
| Job | Indicative cost | What affects it |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5–3.5 kW back-to-back install | $1,200–$2,800 | Most bedroom installs |
| 5.0–7.1 kW back-to-back install | $1,800–$4,500 | Living areas |
| Extra pipe beyond about 3 m | Around $60 per metre | Varies by installer and unit size |
| Wall or roof bracket for outdoor unit | $65–$150 | When ground mounting isn’t possible |
| Switchboard upgrade if required | Quoted per job | Depends on the existing board |
Indicative only, GST inclusive, based on published Brisbane pricing guides and supplier add-on pricing at the time of writing. These are not our prices. Get a written quote.
Common questions
Back-to-back installation FAQs
Why are back-to-back installs cheaper?
The pipe run is short, only one wall penetration is needed and there’s no need for brackets, ladders or long cable runs. That means less material and less labour. Many installers can complete one in a few hours, so it’s often possible to do two or three units in a day.
Can I get a back-to-back install on a two-storey home?
Usually only for ground-floor rooms. An upstairs bedroom typically needs either a longer pipe run down to a ground-level outdoor unit or a wall bracket for the outdoor unit, both of which cost extra. Some installers may be able to price it from photos, but most will want a site visit.
What if the outdoor unit can’t go right behind the indoor unit?
It can go further away, but you’ll pay for the extra pipe and possibly a pipe cover. Each extra metre adds material and labour. Many installers allow about 3 metres in a standard install and price extra pipe per metre after that. Ask the installer to show this on the quote.
Can I get a quote from photos?
For a genuine back-to-back install, often yes. Send photos of the inside wall where you’d like the unit, the outside of that wall where the condenser would sit, and your switchboard with the cover open. That gives the installer enough to price most standard jobs accurately.
Is a back-to-back install any lower quality?
No. It’s the same unit and the same installation standards, just a simpler layout. A short pipe run is actually ideal for performance. The key is that the installer is ARCtick licensed for the refrigerant work and the electrical connection is done by a licensed electrical worker.
How many units can be installed in one day?
For straightforward back-to-back installs, an experienced installer can often complete two or three units in a day, sometimes more with two technicians. It depends on access, the switchboard work needed and how far apart the rooms are. Installing several on the same visit is usually cheaper per unit than booking them separately.
Skip the ring-around
Simple job, simple process
Send your suburb and a few photos of where the unit will go. We’ll send the right installer, and they’ll call you to quote.
Tell us the job. We’ll send the right aircon tech.
30 seconds. Free, no obligation, no chasing.