Air Conditioning Installation Stafford
Queenslanders and post-war homes on Stafford's quarter-acre blocks are lovely to live in and hard to keep cool. We install split systems that suit open timber houses, starting with a proper look at the wiring.
Reviewed by Lee Gundenswager (Lead Electrician, Connex Lic #92217) and Darren Standring (Owner). Last updated 2026-10-28.
Cooling Queenslanders and post-war homes in Stafford
Timber homes breathe, which is great in a breeze and tricky when you want one room to stay cool.
Stafford was called Happy Valley until the mid-1880s, and Stafford State School opened in 1886. Gourock Estate sites went to auction in 1928, electric trams ran up Stafford Road from 1940 to 1968, and Gibson's Tannery made way for Stafford City Shopping Centre, which opened in 1984. The housing reflects that timeline, with original Queenslanders mixed among post-war Housing Commission homes on quarter-acre blocks.
Those houses share a few habits. Walls are often single-skin timber, ceilings are high, and there are gaps around old doors and windows. Air con still works well, but the room needs to be closed off, the unit sized for the volume rather than the floor area, and draughts sealed so you are not cooling the hallway. We talk through all of that before recommending a unit.
Stafford sits west of Lutwyche Road along Kedron Brook, with Sparkes Hill rising to 96 metres in the south-west. Younger families have been moving into the older homes, and many are mid-way through renovating. If the wiring has not been touched in decades, that needs sorting before a new air con circuit goes on.
Connex Electrical is based in Mango Hill and services Stafford, Stafford Heights, Everton Park and the surrounding inner northside. Also see EV charger installation in Stafford and Electrician Stafford.
Why we check the wiring first
Older Stafford homes can still have ceramic fuses, rubber or cloth-insulated cable, or a board with no room for another circuit. A split system needs its own protected circuit, so we inspect the board before quoting.
Adding an RCBO for the air con circuit is $180 to $400 incl. GST. If the board is not up to it, a switchboard upgrade is $1,320 to $3,850 incl. GST.
Mounting on timber walls and stumps
Weatherboard walls need the indoor bracket fixed into studs, and the wall penetration sealed properly so water does not track into the frame. On high-set homes the condenser can often sit under the house on a pad.
Lowset post-war homes usually suit a ground pad beside the house.
High ceilings and open rooms
A tall ceiling adds volume, and an open archway between rooms adds more. We size for the space you are actually cooling, which is why our sizing guide looks at more than floor area.
Our Stafford air conditioning services
Electrical and air con work done together for older homes.
Split systems for timber homes
Units fixed securely into the frame, with sealed penetrations and tidy external pipe runs.
Wiring and board upgrades
Old fuses replaced with modern safety switches so the house can take new air con.
Supply and install
A TCL 2.5 kW split supplied and installed from $1,650 incl. GST on a standard job.
Ducted for raise-and-build
Raising and building in underneath? Zoned ducted can be planned in. Quoted after a free assessment.
Other Stafford air con work
- Under-house condenser positions on high-set homes
- Fitting a unit you have bought yourself
- Replacing old window units in sleep-outs
- Sealing and weatherproofing wall penetrations
- RCBO protection for each air con circuit
- Multi-head systems for several bedrooms
- Air con servicing and filter cleaning
What Stafford air con installs cost
Starting prices with GST included, and any electrical work quoted up front.
A standard back-to-back split install is from $1,120 incl. GST if you supply the unit, or from $1,650 incl. GST with a TCL 2.5 kW split. In older homes, the electrical side is what most often changes the total. We tell you on the first visit whether you need an RCBO, a board upgrade or neither, so the quote is complete. Longer runs, up-and-over and ducted jobs are quoted after a free assessment, and additional costs may apply for non-standard installs.
More on pricing in our air con installation cost guide.
| Common Stafford AC jobs | Price (incl. GST) |
|---|---|
| Split system, installation only (back-to-back) | From $1,120 |
| TCL 2.5 kW split, supply and install | From $1,650 |
| RCBO for new air con circuit | $180 to $400 |
| Switchboard upgrade | $1,320 to $3,850 |
| Under-house or long pipe run | Free assessment |
Confirmed in writing before work starts. See all prices.
Our approach in older Stafford homes
Inspect the board
We start at the switchboard so you know straight away whether any electrical work is needed.
Measure the room
Ceiling height, openings and sun exposure all go into choosing the right size unit.
Install and seal
Units fixed into the frame, pipework pressure tested and vacuumed, and every penetration sealed.
Test and certify
Circuit tested to AS/NZS 3000 and a certificate of compliance issued.
Not sure your Stafford home can take air con?
Call us and we will check the wiring and give you an honest answer.
Why Stafford families call Connex
Electricians first
We are licensed electrical contractors (#92217), so old wiring does not stop the job.
Refrigeration licensed
ARCtick accredited with ARC licence #AU42842 for every refrigerant connection.
Comfortable with timber
We know how to fix, seal and route pipework in Queenslanders and post-war homes.
One visit, one quote
Air con and electrical work priced together so nothing is left out.
Established in 2014
More than 5,000 customers across the northside and Moreton Bay.
5.0 on Google
Consistently rated by local customers.
Stafford air conditioning FAQs
Will air con work in an old Queenslander?
Yes, as long as the room can be closed off and the unit is sized for the full volume, including high ceilings. Sealing obvious draughts helps a lot. Many owners start with bedrooms, which are easier to close up than open living areas.
My Stafford house still has fuses. Can I add a split system?
Usually not without an upgrade. A new air con circuit needs modern protection, and old fuse boards rarely have room for it. We will quote the upgrade, from $1,320 to $3,850 incl. GST, alongside the air con.
Can the outdoor unit go under the house?
On high-set homes it often can, on a pad with good clearance and airflow. It keeps the yard clear and the unit out of the sun.
Will drilling through weatherboards cause leaks?
Not if it is done properly. We fall the hole slightly outward, sleeve and seal it, and run the drain so water moves away from the wall.
Should I wait until we raise the house?
If a raise-and-build is coming soon, it can make sense to plan ducted or rough-in for the new level then. If it is years away, a bedroom split now will make the wait far more comfortable.
Do you do electrical work as well as air con in Stafford?
Yes. Rewiring, lights, power points and switchboards are all part of our work. Visit our Stafford electrician page.
Air con installation near Stafford
We also install split systems in these surrounding suburbs.
Book an air con quote for your Stafford home
Call 0474 207 609 or request a free quote. We will check the wiring, size the unit for your rooms and confirm the full price in writing, GST included.
Electrical Licence #92217 · ARC #AU42842 · $20M Public Liability · ABN 37 665 474 537
