Whole-home heating and cooling with no visible wall units. Just ceiling vents and one quiet outdoor unit. Craig and the team install ducted systems across Takapuna and the North Shore, and they'll tell you honestly if ducted is right for your home.
Ducted is the premium option for whole-home heating and cooling. But it's not right for every home. Craig will tell you honestly on the site visit whether ducted makes sense for your home, or whether a multi-room system would do the same job for less money.
The honest answer is that ducted works brilliantly in homes with good ceiling cavities and straightforward duct runs. It's harder and more expensive in older North Shore villas where ceiling space is tight and roof angles are unpredictable.
A ducted heat pump has one large indoor unit hidden in your ceiling or roof space, connected to a single outdoor compressor. The indoor unit pulls air in through a return air grille, heats or cools it, and pushes it back through a network of ducts to ceiling vents in each room.
The result is even, consistent temperatures across your whole home with no wall units in sight. Most systems include zoning, so you can set different temperatures in different parts of the house.
Sits outside on the wall or a roof bracket. Much quieter than multiple outdoor units.
Hidden completely in your roof space. Heats or cools the air and pushes it through the ducts.
Flush with the ceiling. Each vent can be zoned so you're not heating empty rooms.
Control every zone from a single wall controller or from your phone via Wi-Fi.
Craig has installed ducted systems across the North Shore for years. Here is the honest picture for each home type.
Ideal ducted candidates. Good ceiling cavities, straightforward duct runs, often designed with ducted in mind. Installs are cleaner and cheaper than in older homes.
The Perfect FitLarger sections, good ceiling access, often two-storey but well suited to zoned ducted systems. The investment makes sense given the home size and usage.
High ROIUsually workable. Ceiling cavities exist but may need careful planning around roof angles and existing structure. Craig will assess on the site visit.
Usually possible, assess firstTricky but doable. Limited ceiling space, steep roof angles and irregular layouts add complexity and cost. Craig will tell you honestly if ducted stacks up or if multi-room is smarter.
Complex but worth itDucted is rarely possible. Concrete construction means there's no ceiling cavity for ductwork. A high wall unit is almost always the right answer here.
High-Wall is betterThe best time to put ducted in is during a renovation or build. Talk to Craig before the builders close the ceiling up and save thousands in access costs.
Plan it in from the startDucted is the most complex installation type and the price reflects that. Here are realistic 2026 ranges for North Shore homes.
| Home Type | Notes | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Small home up to 100m2 | Modern construction, good ceiling access, straightforward duct runs | $8,000 to $12,000 |
| Medium home 100m2 to 150m2 | Standard North Shore home, good ceiling cavity | $10,000 to $15,000 |
| Large home 150m2+ | More duct runs, larger unit required, zoning recommended | $14,000 to $20,000 |
| Complex or heritage home | Limited ceiling space, irregular roof angles, older construction | $15,000 to $25,000+ |
All prices include supply, installation, ducting, controls and commissioning. The only accurate price is an on-site quote. Read our full ducted cost guide →
Craig installs the major brands with proven ducted systems that hold up well in the North Shore's coastal conditions. Not tied to any supplier.
Craig will recommend the right brand for your specific home and ceiling layout.
The first step is a free site visit. Craig will check your ceiling space, design the duct layout, and give you a clear written price. No obligation.