Ducted air, value add?

[tez]

Hi everyone,

Just got a call from the RE agent to say the old box air conditioner in the bedroom is no longer cooling. It doesnt really seem feasible to get someone out to look at it, as its probably 15 years old, and its not covered by insurance anymore.

The price for a new split system is around $1500 installed.

Would installing a ducted air cond system into the house be a worthwhile expense? Tacking into account depreciation and a possibly slight increase in rent would you do it?

 

[wylie]

I would not put ducted air in unless it was a property that was higher end. We put split systems in which cool the living areas, but the layout of our IPs means we place the split so that it also pushes into the bedrooms.

I would ask for $15 to $20 per week extra if we put in a split. Ducted generally is way more expensive and I would want more than $20 per week return on the expense. I don't think people would pay the extra, so split would be my pick.

 

[mary&mat]

I'm with wylie.

Depending on whether the property is high or low end, I'd just put a split in too.

 

[our obsession]

Wylie's covered it.

Our new builds we (evaporative cooling) duct, the older, already builts we install a split system, make it powerful (and clever positioning) enough in that it does the kitchen/living areas, down the hallway(s), into bedrooms. We are in areas where the summers can get damn hot, they work effectively. The houses are more townhouse size too, so not huge buildings.

Rent is increased, as Wylie explained.

The last split system was (from memory) $2400, professionally installed, required a bit of extra piping for the system's 'optimum' location.

 

[schweedy]

I just put ducted into both of my rentals this year.....I think its worth it, as it cools the whole house and not just part.

 

[wylie]

Would you be happy to give us an idea of the cost?

Our own house was about $8K ten or so years ago. We chose ducted because we have large open areas that needed several splits, so it was not really much dearer to go ducted.

We can zone our living areas and bedrooms.

Our IPs are not as big as our PPOR so one large split is enough to keep most of the house cool.

 

[tez]

Well it is on the lower end of the rental side and a ducted will be around $7000 mark.
Im just thinking that its $1500 for a small split for the bedroom and then if the lounge one down the track dies it will be $2500 for that.

Im just thinking a little bit more and I can get a ducted.

Its a old box type so Im suresits not worthwhile replacing it with another box air cond (provided I can find the right size).

 

[andrewmcgowen]

Tez

I am currently pricing ducted in Adelaide for a 4 bed IP.

Quotes so far fully installed:

Daiken 10kw 4 zone 7 outlet for our IP. $8500

Temperzone 9KW 4 zone 7 outlet. $9500

Fujitsu 8.8KW 4 zone 7 outlet. $7500

LG 9.9KW 4 zone 7 outlet. $8500


Having a look at these I would think the Daiken would be the choice due to it being the superior brand.

For us to do split it was going to cost $2300 for the main unit + a separate smaller unit in the main bed $1600 + ceiling fans to other 3 beds @ $250 each.

For the extra $3850 I think the ducted will be the option for us.

Point to note for us is that most of the new houses in the area have ducted so it seems to be what is being offered to the market.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

 

[MelbMan]

In a very old house in country Victoria I put in 2 box type a/c. One a new Kelvinator (about $700) and a second hand Carrier (about $200). Getting them installed is practically nothing. This was a $50,000 house and I negotiated the rent up $10 week. Mainly did it to make sure the tenants were cool and would stay. Reverse cycle so would heat and cool. However they said the power bills went through the roof. I think zoned a/c with the unit in the roof is the way to go but it is about $10k here in Melbourne. Not sure how you'd claw this back rentwise. But hanging small split systems all over the place is not cheap installation wise. Good luck and I'd be going for something with as many stars as possible. I guess in ideal world you'd throw a couple of solar panels on the roof.

On that subject I wonder if tenants would come to the party if you put in solar panels and this offset and reduced their power bills. Not much to wear out with solar panels... might be a good first step.

John

 

[MrChomp]

I always use http://www.domainair.com.au/air-conditioners/ducted-air-conditioner-5/ for ducted systems from $2299 and the last install was about $800.

 

[schweedy]

Wow.....I put 5 or 6 outlets in a 12sq house, and it cost me $3400, I then put a 6 outlet unit in the rental I was renovating (and we will move into when we subdivide and build on the back of the block) for $3600. I take it that Melbourne is the cheapest place to buy ducted cooling/heating etc.

I also look at it, at any time I need to move into one of our IP's, then it will be ready for me, just the way I like it.

 

[tez]

Those are some ridiculously cheap prices for ducted systems.
Whats the warranty and aftersales service like on these systems?

 

[MOORE ref]

pay for what you want

Actron air has a ducted system that can operate in a single room. it is called PSP. the indoor fan can self calculate how many registers it has to supply so that it doesnt blow ducts apart if its zoned down to one register. the outdoor unit also can run down to 10% capacity which is lower than an inverter can run. its also posible in ducted systems to have temperature sensors in each room that operate a zone motor turning it on and off as needed. You can have what you want when it comes to ducted systems now, a good supplier/ installer will go the extra effort to give you what you want at extra cost.

 

[tez]

If I put a ducted system in and not repair / replace the current air cond unit in the bedroom, can I claim a part of the new ducted system back as repairs or will I just be able to depreciated the air cond system as normal?

 

[Sunfish]

If I were renting, even in the tropics, I would prefer splits into specific rooms. I think it would be easier to control costs (I'm as tight as a fish's bum. )

Maybe that's because I'm in the tropics. We use aircons for more hours per day, for more months of the year and their duty-cycle would be higher than you would in SYD so we notice the power bills.

 

[depreciator]

If I put a ducted system in and not repair / replace the current air cond unit in the bedroom, can I claim a part of the new ducted system back as repairs or will I just be able to depreciated the air cond system as normal?

Nope. You can't claim it as a repair because you're not repairing it.

 

[tez]

Thanks Scott, thought that was the case. How about a scenario whereby the old air cond is not economical to repair and a new one is installed?

 

[depreciator]

Still not a repair, tez, because you are removing an entire item and replacing it - even if it's like for like.