A ducted heat pump heats and cools your whole home through a single hidden indoor unit that pushes conditioned air along ducts to vents in each room. In Wellington in 2026, a complete supply-and-install system typically costs between NZ$8,000 and NZ$18,000 including GST, takes one to three days to fit, and rarely needs a building consent for a standard residential job. Because Wellington is cool, windy and full of older timber homes, sizing and duct design matter more here than in milder parts of the country. This guide answers the questions Wellington homeowners actually ask before they buy.
What is a ducted heat pump and how does it work?
A ducted heat pump is a central heating and cooling system that conditions air in one concealed indoor unit, usually mounted in the ceiling space or underfloor, then distributes it through insulated ducts to grilles in each room. From inside the house you see only the slim vents and a wall controller, not a wall-mounted box in every room. The outdoor unit sits outside and moves heat in or out of your home depending on the season.
The appeal is even, quiet, whole-home comfort with minimal visual clutter. A single system can warm the entire house to a consistent temperature, and zoned setups let you direct air to the rooms in use. The trade-off is that ducted systems are more involved to install than a single high-wall unit, because they need ducting routed through the building and balanced across multiple rooms.
How much does a ducted heat pump cost in Wellington?
In Wellington in 2026, a complete ducted heat pump including supply, standard installation and GST typically costs between NZ$8,000 and NZ$18,000, with larger or more complex installs reaching NZ$25,000 or more including GST. Smaller single-zone systems sit at the lower end and whole-home multi-zone systems at the upper end. The final figure depends on capacity, the number of zones, the amount of ducting and any electrical or building work needed.
Published examples give a useful sense of the range. Some suppliers list Haier ducted units installed from around NZ$8,999 including standard installation and GST. An example 8 kW ducted system has been advertised from about NZ$7,700 including GST. A Wellington installer quoting a 10 kW ducted system at NZ$11,500 plus GST works out to roughly NZ$13,225 including GST once the 15 percent is added. Larger Daikin ducted units can list around NZ$17,000 including GST before site-specific work.
Watch the GST wording closely when comparing quotes. Some pages state a price that already includes GST, while trade or installer pages often quote a figure plus GST. Always confirm whether the number you are looking at is the total you will pay. The base unit and standard install price is only the starting point, because zoning, ducting complexity, electrical work and site access all add to it.
How long does a ducted heat pump take to install?
Most ducted heat pump installs in Wellington take one to three days. A simpler job in a home with good ceiling access can be completed in around a day, while a retrofit into an older home with tight or awkward roof space can stretch beyond that. Ducted systems are naturally slower than a single split because the ducting has to be run and the airflow balanced across several rooms.
The realistic sequence starts with a site assessment and quote, where the installer checks your layout, insulation and where the units and ducts can go. Next comes system design and sizing, working out the heat load and matching capacity to Wellington’s winter. After you accept the quote, the job is scheduled and any electrical or carpentry prep is arranged. The core installation places the indoor unit in the ceiling or underfloor space, runs the ducting, cuts in the vents and positions the outdoor unit.
The job is not finished when the equipment is in. Commissioning and testing follow, where the system is leak tested, charged if needed, and the airflow, zoning and controls are checked. Finally the installer hands over, explaining the controls and basic maintenance and clearing up. The biggest variables in timing are roof-space access, whether ducts are being added to an existing home, the number of zones and how much electrical work is required.
Do you need council consent for a ducted heat pump in Wellington?
Most standard residential ducted heat pump installs in Wellington do not need a building consent, but you are responsible for checking, and the first place to look is Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004, which lists work exempt from consent. The consent question usually turns on the specific work involved, such as new penetrations, ducting, structural changes or alterations to the building fabric, rather than the heat pump itself. All building work must comply with the Building Code even when no consent is required.
Local rules can also apply. Wellington City Council is the building consent authority and the planning authority to check first, because the outdoor unit, vents, noise or location can raise district-plan questions. The Resource Management Act 1991 can come into play if the installation has effects such as noise or placement near a boundary, and Greater Wellington Regional Council is the regional resource-consent authority for some activities in the region.
For the equipment itself, MBIE and EECA administer the national energy-efficiency regime under the Energy Efficiency (Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002. Heat pumps supplied in New Zealand must comply with Minimum Energy Performance Standards, and from 1 May 2026 those regulations were amended to include air conditioners and heat pumps above 65 kW. For a typical home that sits well below this threshold, so the practical focus stays on the Building Act and any council rules.
What makes installing a ducted heat pump in Wellington different?
Wellington’s cool, windy marine climate and its stock of older timber homes make ducted systems more design-sensitive here than in milder or more sheltered regions. EECA cites a design temperature of 2 degrees Celsius for Wellington City, so a system must be sized for local winter conditions rather than the brochure rating. An undersized ducted system runs more defrost cycles and struggles on cold, damp days, which is exactly when you need it most.
The frequent strong winds mean the outdoor unit should be sited for protected airflow and good low-temperature performance, with attention to clearances. Many Wellington homes are older with limited or complex ceiling cavities and timber framing, so the installer must check available void space and routing, and decide between ceiling and underfloor installation. That added complexity is a common reason costs rise on character and hillside homes.
Two further local points matter. Long, convoluted duct runs through uninsulated attic space can lose more than 30 percent of their heat, so short, insulated runs are worth insisting on. And because most ducted systems recirculate the air already in the house rather than drawing in fresh air, a tightly sealed Wellington home should plan separate ventilation such as an HRV or ERV system. In denser suburbs, outdoor unit placement should also consider boundaries and noise to keep the peace with neighbours.
Ducted heat pump versus multi-split: which is right for your home?
A ducted system suits homes wanting discreet, even, whole-home heating where there is enough ceiling cavity for ductwork, while a multi-split system suits homes where running ducts is impractical or where room-by-room control matters most. A multi-split uses one outdoor unit feeding several indoor heads, avoiding full ductwork. The ducted option hides almost all the equipment but costs more upfront and depends on usable roof space.
Other options exist too. A high-wall single split is the cheapest way to heat one room or a living area and is an easy retrofit, common in New Zealand homes. Ceiling cassettes work well in open-plan spaces where a wall mount does not suit. Some households prefer non-heat-pump heating such as hydronic systems, wood burners or electric panel heaters for targeted radiant warmth, though these have different running costs and comfort profiles.
The decision usually comes down to a handful of factors. Insulation quality, existing ductwork, ceiling cavity depth, how much you value independent room control, and the balance between upfront and running cost all shape the answer. In coastal Wellington, corrosion-resistant coils are worth specifying. A well-insulated home can often use a smaller, cheaper system, so improving ceiling and underfloor insulation first frequently gives the best value before you commit to any system.
What size ducted heat pump does a Wellington home need?
The right size comes from a heat-load calculation that accounts for your home’s insulation, glazing, ceiling height, orientation and the number of zones, not from floor area alone. A reputable installer works to Wellington City’s design temperature of 2 degrees Celsius so the system can hold a comfortable temperature on the coldest local days. Getting this right is the single biggest factor in whether you are happy with the system over its life.
Both undersizing and oversizing cause problems. An undersized system runs flat out, cycles through defrost more often and never quite keeps up in a Wellington winter. An oversized system costs more than it needs to and can short-cycle, which reduces efficiency and comfort. Zoning decisions also feed into sizing, because directing air to occupied rooms changes the load the system has to meet at any moment.
This is why a proper site assessment matters more than a quick phone estimate. The installer should measure your actual rooms, check insulation and glazing, and design the duct layout around your ceiling space. Ask to see the heat-load figures behind the recommended capacity, so you can be confident the system is matched to your home rather than to a generic template.
How do you keep running costs and maintenance manageable?
Running costs stay manageable when the system is correctly sized, the ducts are short and insulated, and the home itself is reasonably sealed and insulated. A ducted heat pump moves far more heat than the electricity it draws, so efficiency depends heavily on the install quality. Heat lost through poorly insulated ducting is heat you pay for but never feel, which is why duct design is as important as the unit you choose.
Day to day, use zoning to heat only the rooms in use, set sensible temperatures rather than extremes, and let the system run steadily rather than blasting from cold. Keeping filters clean is the simplest maintenance task and has a direct effect on airflow and efficiency. Most homeowners can check and clean filters themselves between professional services.
A ducted system benefits from periodic servicing to check refrigerant, airflow, controls and the outdoor unit, particularly in coastal areas where salt air can affect components over time. Booking a regular service with an experienced HVAC company helps catch small issues before they become expensive, and keeps the system performing close to the efficiency it had on day one.
How do you choose a ducted heat pump installer in Wellington?
Choose an installer who performs a full heat-load calculation, designs the duct layout around your specific home, and uses certified trades for the electrical work and compliance certification. The quality of the design and install determines comfort, running cost and reliability far more than the brand on the box. Ask to see local examples and references from Wellington homes similar to yours.
A good installer will talk openly about the things that affect your quote: ceiling access, duct routing, the number of zones, insulated ducting, ventilation planning and outdoor unit placement for wind and noise. They should confirm whether any part of the work needs a building consent, and provide the compliance documentation once the job is done. Be cautious of a quote that skips the site visit, because sizing a ducted system without seeing the roof space is guesswork.
On Time Aircon is a family-owned Wellington HVAC company with more than 20 years’ experience installing and servicing ducted systems, heat pumps, ventilation and hot water heat pumps across Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Kapiti. If you are weighing up a ducted system for your home, the most useful next step is a site assessment that gives you a heat-load figure, a duct plan and a clear price including GST, so you can compare options with confidence.