Recently, a homeowner vented his frustration online after the outdoor unit of his “one-to-two” split-type air-conditioning system broke down, requiring both indoor units to be replaced as well. The homeowner subsequently asked a contractor for a quotation, only to discover that the total cost involved in replacing the entire system was far higher than expected, leaving him greatly surprised.
Generally speaking, when repairing or replacing split-type air conditioners in traditional housing estates, technicians will usually erect scaffolding outside the unit’s windows to carry out the work, with scaffolding fees typically costing only a few thousand dollars. However, the building where the homeowner in question lives uses a full glass curtain wall design, making the exterior wall unsuitable for scaffolding. As a result, air-conditioning repairs can only be carried out by renting the building’s gondola. So just how high was the quotation the homeowner ultimately received for replacing the air conditioners?
According to the quotation, each air conditioner cost as much as HK$60,000, and the homeowner was not allowed to supply his own air-conditioning units. Meanwhile, the gondola required for the works cost HK$30,000 per rental. In addition, the terms also specified a cancellation fee. Even if gondola operations had to be cancelled due to adverse weather such as thunderstorms, the homeowner would still have to pay a HK$5,000 cancellation fee.
If the homeowner were to purchase a similar air conditioner himself on the market, the price would generally be only a little over HK$10,000. Why, then, did the contractor quote as much as HK$60,000? One of the main reasons is the additional administrative and construction costs involved in gondola works.
First of all, not all air-conditioning technicians hold recognised qualifications for operating gondolas, so there are specific requirements for the personnel carrying out such works. In addition, when applying to the estate management office to use the gondola, a deposit is usually required to cover compensation in the event that the external wall or building facilities are damaged during the works. At the same time, third-party liability insurance is also required for the works, and the related premium is generally borne by the homeowner. These various additional costs also significantly increase the overall quotation.
In this situation, the homeowner can first ask the management office whether the repair works must be carried out by a designated contractor, or whether an external contractor can be arranged as long as it has the relevant gondola operating qualifications, insurance, and complies with the building’s safety requirements. If the building does not require the use of a designated contractor, the homeowner can obtain quotations from other qualified companies, allowing for greater room for comparison and negotiation.
In addition, the homeowner may also consider coordinating through the management office to find out whether any other residents in the building similarly need to replace or repair their air conditioners. If multiple units can arrange to use the gondola on the same day, some of the gondola and related administrative costs may be shared among several households, thereby reducing the amount each household needs to bear.
Some people may wonder why, given that residential buildings with glass curtain walls are more inconvenient to maintain in the future, many developers still adopted this type of design in the past. One reason is that it offers a more attractive appearance. In addition, under earlier building policies and floor area exemption arrangements, glass curtain walls used as non-load-bearing external walls could qualify for a “gross floor area (GFA) exemption”. As a result, glass curtain walls were once a common design feature in many newly built residential projects.
The government subsequently also gradually adjusted the relevant design guidelines. Since 2019, residential projects have been allowed, subject to compliance with the relevant requirements, to combine air-conditioning platforms with balconies or utility platforms, making future inspection, maintenance, and replacement works more convenient. If a unit adopts this type of design, maintenance personnel can access the air-conditioning equipment directly from the balcony or utility platform, without the need to erect scaffolding or rent a gondola, thereby relatively reducing future maintenance costs and construction difficulty.
