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Old evaporative cooler on a terracotta tiled Perth roof

Evaporative to ducted conversions

Evaporative to ducted reverse cycle conversions, Perth.

Heating and cooling, windows closed, every zone under control. We take the old cooler off, repair the roof ourselves, and install a modern ducted system — one team, one quote.

Why switch

Why Perth homes are swapping evaporative for reverse cycle

  • Heating as well as cooling

    Reverse cycle heats your whole home in winter too — many people retire a separate gas or electric heater at the same time.

  • Works with the windows shut

    Evaporative cooling needs doors and windows open to work. Reverse cycle runs with the house closed up — better for security, dust, smoke and noise.

  • Cool on humid days

    Evaporative struggles when Perth gets muggy. Refrigerated air keeps working whatever the humidity.

  • Zone and control every room

    Run just the living areas by day and the bedrooms at night, with smart control from your phone.

Living room with slim ducted reverse cycle vents in the ceiling

What's involved

How an evaporative to ducted conversion works

A conversion is a complete changeover, not just a new unit on the roof. It's usually a full day, including removing the evaporative cooler and patching the roof.

  1. 1

    Free assessment & design

    We look at your roof space, existing ducts and floor plan, then design a correctly sized zoned system and give you a written quote.

  2. 2

    Remove the old cooler

    We take the evaporative unit off the roof and pull out the old ducts — they're too big to reuse for reverse cycle.

  3. 3

    Patch the roof

    Tile roofs are patched with your spare tiles (or we cap the dropper and leave it on the roof). Metal roofs get the sheets patched. No separate roofer needed.

  4. 4

    Install new ducted reverse cycle

    New insulated ductwork, outlets, return air grille, indoor unit in the roof and outdoor unit outside — sealed, tested and commissioned.

  5. 5

    Handover

    We show you how to use the zones and controller, set up your first service reminder, and leave the site clean.

Repaired metal roof after removing an old evaporative cooler
Case study

Old Evap Unit to New Ducted Aircon

We swapped a dated evaporative unit for a modern, efficient ducted system.

This home got a massive comfort boost — but we didn't stop there. The old machine left a big hole in the roof, exposed to the elements, and instead of calling in another contractor we repaired it ourselves.

That means less hassle, less cost, and a clean, professional finish from start to finish. With us you get more than an aircon install — you get a one-stop shop that handles everything.

See the project

Good to know

Can I keep my evaporative ducts and outlets?

The ducts, no. Evaporative ducts are too big for a reverse cycle system, so we run new, correctly sized insulated ducting.

The outlet positions, if you prefer. Best practice is to move the outlets out towards the outside walls of the house, where they work best for reverse cycle. If you'd rather not patch the ceiling, we can install the new outlets in the same spots.

Pricing

What does an evaporative to ducted conversion cost?

It's the price of a new ducted system plus removing the cooler. Typical installed prices for single-storey homes, inc GST:

Try the ducted cost calculator
  • 2–3 bedroom home · 7–10kW$7,000–$12,000
  • 4 bedroom home · 10–14kW$10,000–$15,000
  • 5+ bedroom home · 16kW+$16,000+
  • + Remove old evaporative coolerIncludes patching tiles (customer-supplied tiles), or capping the dropper and leaving it on the roof$650
  • + Patch metal roof sheetsWhere the cooler sat on a metal roof — depends on length and complexity$800–$1,500

Compare your options

Ducted vs split system vs evaporative

Every home is different. Here's how the three main types of air conditioning compare for a typical Perth house.

 Ducted reverse cycleSplit systemEvaporative
Heats in winterYesYesNo
Whole-home comfortEvery zoned roomRoom by roomMost rooms
Works with windows closedYesYesNeeds open windows
Effective on humid daysYesYesLess effective
What you see insideSlim ceiling ventsA unit on each wallCeiling vents
Cool only the rooms in useWith zoningYesLimited
Upfront costHighestLowest for 1–3 roomsLower

FAQs

Evaporative to ducted FAQs

Can't see your question? Call us on 0420 496 791 — we're happy to help.

It's the price of a new ducted system ($7,000–$12,000 for a 2–3 bedroom home, $10,000–$15,000 for 4 bedrooms, $16,000+ for 5+) plus $650 to remove the evaporative cooler. On a metal roof, patching the roof sheets adds $800–$1,500 depending on length and complexity.

On a tile roof, we patch it with tiles you supply as part of the removal. Alternatively we can cap the dropper and leave it on the roof. On a metal roof we patch the roof sheets ourselves, priced by length and complexity — no need to organise a separate roofer.

No — evaporative ducts are too big for reverse cycle, so new insulated ducting is installed. Best practice is to move the outlets towards the outside walls, but we can keep them in the same spots if you don't want to patch the ceiling.

Reverse cycle uses more power than an evaporative cooler when cooling, but it also heats your home in winter, works on humid days, and lets you cool only the zones you're using. Many people replacing an evaporative cooler are also replacing a separate heater, which changes the comparison. We're happy to talk through the trade-offs for your home.

Usually a full day, including removing the evaporative cooler and patching the roof.

Ready to retire the evaporative cooler?

Book a free assessment and we'll give you a written quote covering removal, roof patching and your new ducted system.

Call now Free quote