Cassette Aircon South Africa sits recessed in the ceiling and throws air out in four directions, which suits an open-plan office or a square room far better than a unit on one wall. The unit costs more than a mid-wall split and the ceiling work is the other half of the price.
Describe the ceiling and get cassette quotes.
Get the Best QuoteWhy a Cassette
- Even distribution. Four-way throw suits a square or open-plan space.
- No wall space used. Nothing above the shop fittings or the boardroom screen.
- Discreet. Only the grille shows, flush with the ceiling.
- Bigger capacities. Common from 12000 BTU up to 60000 and beyond.
- Fresh air option. Many models take a fresh air duct connection.
- Commercial look. The expected finish in offices, shops and restaurants.
What the Ceiling Has to Give You
- Void depth. Typically 250 to 400mm above the ceiling for the body.
- A suspended ceiling. Easiest by far; a solid slab ceiling is a bigger job.
- Structural support. The unit hangs from the slab, not from the ceiling grid.
- Drain fall. A condensate pump is normally needed, and it is a consumable.
- Pipe routes. Refrigerant lines to wherever the outdoor unit sits.
- Service access. Filters come down through the grille; the body must be reachable.
Where Cassettes Go Wrong
- Not enough void. Discovered after the unit is bought, which is expensive.
- Condensate pumps. They fail, and when they do the ceiling shows it first.
- Hung off the grid. A ceiling grid is not a structural support.
- Draughts. Directly over a desk, a four-way throw is not popular.
- Filter neglect. Out of sight, so nobody washes them until airflow dies.
- Access forgotten. A unit over fixed shelving is serviced at a price.
Cassette Aircon Prices
Ballpark cassette figures so you can check a quotation.
| Item | Ballpark price |
|---|---|
| 12000 BTU cassette, supplied and installed | R22,000 - R34,000 |
| 18000 BTU cassette, supplied and installed | R26,000 - R40,000 |
| 24000 BTU cassette, supplied and installed | R30,000 - R48,000 |
| 36000 BTU cassette, supplied and installed | R42,000 - R68,000 |
| 48000 to 60000 BTU cassette, installed | R55,000 - R95,000 |
| Condensate pump, supplied and fitted | R1,800 - R4,500 |
| Ceiling cutting and making good | R1,500 - R6,000 |
| Cassette service, per unit | R950 - R2,200 |
Prices JUST UPDATED. Ballpark figures, rounded, excluding VAT. They reflect typical South African aircon and refrigeration rates. They are not our prices or quotations, and no provider is bound by them. Confirm what each quotation includes, such as the unit capacity, the standard pipe run, the electrical work, making good and callout fees.
Get an installed price for your own ceiling rather than a range.
Get the Best QuoteWhat Affects the Price
- Capacity. Cassettes span a wide range and the price follows it.
- The ceiling. A suspended ceiling is cheap to open; a slab is not.
- Void depth. Too little, and the unit choice narrows to the expensive end.
- Pipe and drain routes. Distance to the outdoor unit and to a drain point.
- Pump or gravity. A gravity fall where it exists saves a pump and its failures.
- Access equipment. Scaffolding or a tower in a high-ceilinged space.
What to Include in Your Request
- The ceiling type. Suspended grid, rhino board or a concrete slab.
- The void depth. Measured if you can, estimated if not.
- Room size and shape. Square, long or open plan.
- What is below the position. Desks, seating or a counter.
- Where the outdoor unit can go. And how far that is.
- How many units. And whether they run on one system.
Before the Installer Quotes
- Measure the void first. It decides which units are even possible.
- Ask how the unit is supported. From the slab, with threaded rod, not off the grid.
- Ask about the condensate. Gravity if possible, and a pump specified if not.
- Think about where people sit. A four-way throw straight down is felt.
- Ask about filter access. And who will actually do it.
- Get making good included. Ceiling cutting leaves a mess that someone must finish.
Cassette Aircon FAQs
What ceiling space does a cassette need?
Most four-way cassettes need somewhere between 250 and 400mm of clear void above the ceiling for the body, plus room for the pipes and the drain. Slim-line models exist for tighter voids and cost more. Measure before you choose a unit, because discovering the void is too shallow after the unit arrives is one of the more expensive ways this job goes wrong.
Can a cassette go into a concrete ceiling?
Not recessed into the slab itself. It needs a void, which means either an existing suspended ceiling or a bulkhead built to house it. On a solid slab the usual alternatives are an under-ceiling unit, which mounts on the surface, or a ducted system with the plant in a bulkhead elsewhere.
Why does a cassette need a condensate pump?
Because the drain outlet sits in the ceiling void and there is rarely a gravity fall from there to anywhere useful. The pump lifts the condensate to a point where it can run away. They are reliable but they are a wearing part, and when one fails the first sign is usually a stain on the ceiling, so they are worth servicing.
Are cassettes noisier than wall units?
Not inherently, and in a large room they are often quieter at the same cooling output because the air is distributed rather than blown across the room from one end. What people do notice is the draught if they sit directly under one, which is a placement question rather than a noise one.
How are the filters cleaned?
The grille panel drops down and the filters come out from below, so routine cleaning does not need the ceiling opened. It does need someone with a ladder who remembers to do it, which is why cassettes in offices are usually on a maintenance contract rather than left to whoever notices.
Cassette units are one of the types providers listed on Aircon Hub quote for, alongside ducted, underceiling and rooftop systems.
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