Heat pump questions, answered plainly

A single high-wall heat pump typically runs $2,500–$4,800 installed, depending on the size of the room. Top5.nz's August 2026 figures put a small room at $2,500–$3,500, a living area at $3,200–$4,800 and a large open plan at $4,500–$6,500. Multi-splits run $5,000–$12,000 and ducted systems $8,000–$25,000. See heat pump prices NZ.

Because they aren't real yet. Each package price is set from two installer quotes for that size plus our margin, and we're contracting installers now. Publishing a number before that would be a guess dressed up as a price. Until then every package page shows the sourced market range and says so.

Yes. Every price we publish will be the whole job in NZ dollars including GST, with the standard install and the priced extras next to it. No asterisks and no 'from' pricing.

Consumer NZ puts running costs at under $200 a year for a small (2.5 kW) unit to about $1,000 for a large (10 kW+) unit, at an average NZ electricity price of about 42c/kWh (MBIE, May 2026). The arithmetic is in our running costs guide.

Start with the floor area × 0.13 kW per m², then adjust for stud height, insulation and your climate zone. A 25 m² insulated Auckland lounge with a 2.4 m stud comes to about 3.3 kW; the same room in Christchurch about 3.9 kW. The size calculator shows the working and the package it maps to.

No. An oversized unit costs more up front and cycles on and off more than it needs to, which is noisier and no cheaper to run. Size for the room and check the model's heating output at low outdoor temperatures if you're somewhere frosty.

Use Tenancy Services' official Heating Assessment Tool for the main living room of a rental — it is the only calculation that counts for compliance. Ours is a buying guide, not a compliance tool. See heat pumps in rentals.

The indoor unit on an external wall, the outdoor unit ground-mounted directly behind it, up to 3 m of insulated refrigerant pipe, up to 2 m of capping, up to 4 m of condensate drain, up to 15 m of electrical cable on a single-storey run, the electrical certificate, commissioning, and both warranties in writing. The full table is on prices.

Pipe beyond the standard allowance ($50–$80 per metre in the market), an outdoor unit on a roof or high bracket, runs through the roof space or under the floor, new circuits or switchboard work, and removing an old unit. Every one is priced in writing at the site check, before you commit.

You give a brand preference when you book, from the range our contracted installer supplies. The model and its rated heating output are confirmed in writing before you accept the price. Our brand pages set out what each one publishes for NZ.

Yes. The deposit is $200 and is fully refundable until you accept the confirmed price after the site check — including if the site check turns up extras you don't want, or we can't get an installer to you in the window we agreed. It's credited against your balance if you go ahead. Full terms in terms of trade.

After the install is finished and the electrical certificate is issued. We invoice the package price plus any extras you accepted, less the deposit.

A contracted installer, whose EWRB registration we check on the public register and whose refrigerant certification we keep evidence of. We do not hold those registrations. You contract with us and we manage the job. See how it works.

Not quite. We're contracting installers region by region, so every region is on a waitlist and no deposits are being taken. Join the waitlist from any package page and we'll email you the fixed price when your region opens. Status last updated 15 September 2026.

No. EECA decides who is eligible and grant-funded installs go through EECA's own providers, so if you might qualify, check with EECA first — the grant is up to 90%, capped at $3,450 for eligible homes, leaving roughly $400–$700 to pay. We'd rather you saved the money. See what Warmer Kiwi Homes actually covers.

Usually not for a standard high-wall install, but district plan noise limits apply at the boundary and apartments and heritage buildings often have their own rules. The site check picks a position that meets them. See noise, placement and council rules.

Clean the filters yourself every few months and have it professionally serviced yearly. A one-off service runs $79–$249 in NZ. Our yearly service plan is on a waitlist while the per-unit rate is agreed.