Ducted reverse cycle is whole-home comfort done properly, one system that cools in January and heats in July, invisible except for the vents, costing $6,500–$18,000 installed for most Australian homes. It earns that money in homes with 4+ rooms in daily use. For smaller homes, two or three well-placed splits deliver the same comfort for roughly half the price, and no honest installer will tell you otherwise.
What "reverse cycle" actually means
A refrigerated air conditioner moves heat from one side of a wall to the other. Reverse cycle means the circuit runs both directions: in summer it pumps heat out of your house, in winter it pumps heat in, even cold outside air holds heat a refrigerant can harvest. That's why reverse cycle heating delivers three or more units of warmth per unit of electricity, while a resistive heater manages exactly one. In a ducted system, that engine feeds every room through insulated ducts and ceiling vents, with zones deciding which parts of the house get conditioned at any moment.
What it costs installed
| Home | Typical system | Installed price |
|---|---|---|
| 2–3 bed, single storey | 10–12kW, day/night zones | $6,500–$11,000 |
| 4 bed, single storey | 12–16kW, day/night zones | $8,000–$13,000 |
| 4 bed, two storey | 14–18kW, up/down + day/night | $9,500–$15,000 |
| Large / 5+ bed | 16kW+, room-by-room zoning | $13,000–$18,000 |
National ranges, fully installed with GST. Your city moves these numbers, Sydney single-storey installs start lower, Darwin and the regions run higher. The ducted price guide has city-by-city ranges, or get your size and local range in 30 seconds with the ducted calculator.
Zoning is where the value lives
An unzoned ducted system conditions every room every time it runs, which is why zoning is not an upgrade, it's the difference between a smart system and an expensive one. Day/night zoning (living areas by day, bedrooms by night) is the value sweet spot and what most quotes should include by default. Individual room zoning with smart control is genuinely better and genuinely costs more, worth it in big homes, marketing in small ones. When you compare quotes, compare the zone count and damper design, not just the kilowatts, it's the single most common reason two quotes on the same house differ by thousands.
Reverse cycle vs the alternatives
- vs ducted gas heating: reverse cycle heats for less per unit of warmth and cools as well, which gas never will. Replacing ducted gas with reverse cycle ducted is now the standard changeover in Melbourne, Canberra and Geelong, sometimes reusing the existing ducts.
- vs multiple split systems: for 1–3 rooms, splits win on price and running cost, clearly. From 4+ daily-use rooms ducted becomes competitive per room and wins on aesthetics, resale and whole-home coverage. Our split vs ducted calculator runs both totals for your home.
- vs evaporative cooling: refrigerated ducted costs more to install and run, but actually works on humid days and doubles as heating. In Perth and Mildura, the evap-to-reverse-cycle conversion is the signature job.
What installation involves
A proper ducted quote starts with a site visit and a heat-load calculation, ducted is never priced accurately over the phone. Installation runs 1–2 days for a straightforward single-storey home, 2–3 for two-storey or complex zoning: ducts and vents first, then the fan-coil unit in the roof, the outdoor unit, controls and commissioning. Roof cavity access is the biggest labour variable and the most common reason identical floor plans quote differently street to street.
Think your home is ducted territory? Get your size and local price range first, then let licensed locals quote the real thing.
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