I got air conditioning fitted in my UK home - it's cheaper than you think

Air conditioning is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, particularly due to rising temperatures and longer, more intense summers. While still less common than in some other countries, I couldn't take the sweaty nights any longer. There's nothing worse than trying to enjoy the English summer in homes which are built to keep the heat in, and I was really starting to dread the heatwaves.

BOXT, a multi-award-winning platform, makes it quicker and easier than ever to upgrade your home, and offers air conditioning installation at a fair price. I've always feared having work done in the house, especially with pets, but I've never been more relaxed or pleased with a result in my life. Here's how you can get air conditioning installed in your home for a reasonable price within days.

Getting a price

Getting a price for air conditioning was super simple to get on the BOXT website and happened within minutes, after completing a few basic questions. From answering what type of property you have, to where you would like the unit or units installed, to how large the room is, you'll create yourself a detailed plan of what package you need. The website is really easy to follow and understand. I was slightly scared I had answered a few questions wrong, but the BOXT team later checked in to go through everything anyway.

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You'll also answer whether the internal unit will be on an internal or external wall, as well as answer where you would like the external unit to be placed. I opted for the rear of my home so it wasn't on show, and I opted for two units inside my home, one in two of the main bedrooms.

Once you answer the questions, you're taken to the recommended package, which shows you the unit's cooling and heating power, the indoor dimensions, and the warranty. You can then either proceed with booking the installation, or if you need a little time to think about the investment, you can save your quote to revisit it at a later date. If you also have any questions at all, the team are on hand to help with any queries. In fact, they had the best customer service I've ever experienced.

BOXT also doesn't just sell air conditioning units for you to get fitted yourself. Every installation comes complete with everything needed to get your system running smoothly. That includes the delivery of the items, the installation, the electricians, and the scaffolding if needed.

Air conditioning is an investment, so if you're worried about the cost, BOXT also offer financing options tailored to your needs. Customers can currently use code AC250 to save £250 on their orders.

Installation

After going ahead with the recommended package, I chose a suitable date for the installation which was a couple of weeks from enquiring.

Prior to this date, a BOXT engineer was in touch to explain the process and answer any questions I had. I thought it would be tricky to go through this process without having someone view the house, but sending over photos prior to installation and having a conversation with the engineer made the experience smooth and enjoyable.

The units were delivered on the morning of the installation date, and the air conditioning fitters were on time and started to promptly unpack their van before getting to work straightaway. They were very accommodating when it came to our pets and even protected our carpet throughout the home. Within 20 minutes, they were drilling the first hole for the unit, and I couldn't believe the knowledge and skill Florin and Diego had. A couple of hours later, the scaffolding arrived for the external unit, and again, it was super efficient and easy. I thought to myself, 'this is going too smoothly, something has to go wrong', but it didn't.

Florin and Diego worked tirelessly upstairs and in the loft to get the air conditioning units installed for us and were mindful when placing the wires in the loft, working around any items we had up there. They were super respectful, answered any questions we had and worked all day to get the job done for us. The electricians who came round to sort the wiring out were also super friendly, and I've never felt so relaxed whilst getting what I class as a fairly big installation done.

After nine hours, our two-bedroom units and external unit were complete, our furniture had been put back, the vacuums were going, and our driveway was being brushed. I was in shock at how well our home was left, with not one little bit of dust or sign that we'd had any work done at all.

Florin then showed us how the units worked, and my life changed from that day.

You can even connect them to Google Nest as well as the BOXT app to cool your home or room down before you get home. However, the remote works just as well for me and I'm still finding out cool things the unit does. From changing direction of air to turning into a dehumidifier, the unit can also act as a heater in the winter months as well as a fan.

You can choose the temperature you want your room to be, how fast you want the cool air to come out, as well as a turbo mode, silent mode and sleep mode. I was expecting the device to be fancy, but this was next level.

But most of all, I couldn't believe how quiet the unit was. Florin had noted that it may be a little louder in one of the bedrooms due to it being the second one, but I can barely hear it, especially when it's on a lower fan setting or on sleep mode.

The scaffolding company came back around just two days later to remove it, so I could get a proper look at the external unit, and whilst it is large, I now barely even notice it.

After care

After the installation, BOXT were super efficient with registering my air conditioning units and everything was easy to view within the app. I'm also now covered for a whole year under their workmanship warranty.

The app shares the manual in case you lose it, as well as a final invoice, so you have everything in one place. You can also report an issue on the app, contact BOXT and view your order if you need any help, have any questions or want to revisit what you had installed.

I absolutely love that everything is in one place and BOXT really do make it easy, showing they always have the customer at the forefront of their minds.

I also received a text from the company asking me to share my thoughts on the process and if there was anything they could have done better, but there wasn't. The whole process from start to finish was quite daunting, but they made it as easy as it could have been for someone who doesn't understand a thing about technology.

I'm now sleeping better, working better, and the best thing is that the unit cools the room down in just a few minutes. Running air conditioning can be expensive, but the cost depends on several factors so I'm yet to see an increase in bills.

What's more, I love that it also doubles up as a heater too, so I can use it all year round compared to just in the summer months.

The units will need to be serviced once a year in order to make sure they're running efficiently, and this can cost anywhere between £70 and £120 per unit, depending on their size and what needs to be done. I'm happy to take this extra cost as it means I can sleep better, my pets are healthier, and my hay fever has been significantly reduced with the dehumidifier mode.

Was it worth it?

Overall, BOXT were incredible from start to finish, and the process couldn't have been easier. I'd highly recommend the company, and whilst air con is a luxury and it's an initial investment, it'll last for years when looked after correctly, and I'd recommend it to anyone. What's more, BOXT were also on the more affordable side compared to other companies I viewed, and they use BOSCH products.

I've also asked dozens of family and friends whether they would purchase a home with air conditioning units, and their answers were simple. They'd actually pay a premium for a property with air conditioning already installed.

They don't just install air conditioning units either, they also do solar panels and boilers, to name a couple.

I've also tried out portable air con units, and whilst I can't really compare the two, they offer a more affordable solution if you're trying to stay cool.

Many sites sell portable air conditioning units, including John Lewis, AO.com and Currys.