Building a brand new home can be a lengthy process.
The average Australian house takes from four to 12 months to build once the land is purchased and the design has been locked in.
Anthony Whitby from Pinnacle Builders, Melbourne, believes people have unrealistic expectations about how long a house takes to be built due to home reno shows like The Block.
“Reality TV has given some people the misconception you can do major work in four, five or six weeks… the process actually takes much longer,” Anthony says. “It takes time to build a quality home.”
The long haul to a brand new home can make new homeowners over-eager to get things done as fast as possible, including having air conditioning installed through the builders rather than a qualified air conditioning expert.
There are dangers involved with this common decision including a spluttering, malfunctioning AC unit. We’re here to help you understand the risks of getting your home builder to install your air conditioning.
#1. Vandals can break into the construction site and damage (or take) your air conditioning unit
Your construction site is left unattended overnight, leaving your new home susceptible to vandalism and theft.
It sounds like a one-off crime that’ll never happen to you, but it’s becoming an increasing problem throughout Australia as vandals break into residential construction sites, damage walls, break windows, and steal building materials as well as freshly installed appliances.
The crime isn’t uncommon – construction site vandalism costs builders $1.2 million in damages per year.
Yep, some punk kid could damage or steal your air conditioning unit!
Getting air conditioning installed during the building process could put your air conditioning at risk of damage or theft.
This may seem counterintuitive but we recommend waiting until the project is finished and you’ve moved into your new home. It’ll save a lot of time, cash, and heartache if it gets stolen from the site.
#2. Your filters will get clogged with construction dust and dirt
Construction sites are notoriously dusty.
When air conditioning units are installed during the building process, they’re guaranteed to get exposed to clouds of dust and dirt which can cause malfunctions down the line.
Air conditioners have coils with refrigerant running through them as well as a fan that sucks in warm air from the house, over the cooling coil, and then spreads cool air back through the house.
Split systems can suck in dust and debris collecting on the air filter and preventing fresh air from moving over the coil and causing the unit to malfunction.
The same goes for ducted air conditioning. Air ducts full of dust will spread allergens throughout the house, causing potential asthma and allergic reactions.
You can avoid future air conditioning malfunctions, breakages, and sneezing fits by waiting a few extra weeks to install the unit.
#3. Speedy professionals can install your air conditioning in a single day
Yep, waiting to install air conditioning until you’ve moved in can help avoid damage, malfunction, and the potential for vandalism…
Plus, hiring a trained air conditioning professional will ensure your unit is installed fast, efficiently, and to the highest standard!
Air conditioning is often installed by a non-specialist air conditioning technician to save cash in the construction process. This can lead to bad placement, improper wiring, and the potential for malfunction down the line.
Air Conditioning Industries, on the other hand, offers complete design, installation, maintenance and service for all homes, no matter the size, design, location or age.
Our qualified technicians can install a brand new air conditioner in a single day. Just kick back, relax, and have the air conditioning running by the late afternoon.
Rushing to install air conditioning before the end of a build could put your investment at risk
There are a range of advantages to waiting until AFTER your home is built to install air conditioning.
- Your air conditioning unit won’t be at risk of construction site vandalism or theft
- Your air conditioning won’t get clogged with dust and dirt before moving in
- Your air conditioning unit will be installed by a qualified professional, rather than a random tradie
- You will not have to pay an inflated price due to builders costs markup
- You can choose the brand and style want while not being locked into one specific brand
However, there are also some disadvantages to waiting until after construction.
- If you have a two-storey house, sometimes it can be necessary to install some ducting to the downstairs areas, but there is a simple way around this which Air Conditioning Industries can help with. Simply tell the builder you would just like to get the downstairs areas rough in for installation of a unit at a later date.
We recommend having a professional install your air conditioning post-build to protect your investment – it would be heartbreaking to spend hard-earned cash on a new air conditioner only to have it get nicked from the building site, or have it break down months after moving in.
Want to talk to one of our pros about air conditioning installation and maintenance post-build? No worries.
