Poles who wait for the first heat wave before ordering an air conditioner can end up paying almost half as much again for installation. Figures quoted by WP Finanse show that late-July demand was rising by over 100 percent day on day, pushing installer rates up by as much as 45 percent and extending waiting times to more than a month.
Oferteo.pl, the service whose data were cited in the report, recorded a sudden spike in queries about cooling systems at the end of July. The jump followed the pattern seen in previous weeks: interest climbs sharply when temperatures soar and then fades once the weather cools. The problem is that a large group of clients reacts only at the very moment of peak demand.
That timing has a direct effect on price. In the off-season, installation of an air conditioner costs on average between 1.8 and 2.2 thousand zloty. In the middle of summer the same work is priced at 2.5-3.5 thousand zloty. The increase reaches 45 percent without any change in the scope of work or the equipment used.
The real cost of waiting until summer
– This is a jump of 45 percent resulting solely from the timing of the project – not from a change in scope or equipment parameters – stressed Marta Kaleta-Domaradzka from Oferteo.pl, quoted by WP Finanse.
Households that schedule the purchase in spring can save from several hundred zloty on a basic unit to several thousand zloty on a more advanced system. The Oferteo expert says the period of lowest prices ends around mid-April. After that, the balance of power on the market changes.
– In the peak season, it is the installers who select commissions, and the window for the lowest prices usually closes in mid-April – Kaleta-Domaradzka noted.
Waiting lists and missing components
The high demand has also created a shortage of available fitters. In April, the average wait for installation was seven days. In July, clients had to wait more than 30 days, which means the difference between a quick job and a delay lasting most of the summer.
Order books are not the only bottleneck. One fitter interviewed by WP Finanse described shortages in the supply chain.
– There are so many orders that wholesalers often run out of air conditioners, and especially parts – he admitted.
For anyone considering air conditioning, the numbers suggest that mid-April is the latest safe point to order at the lower price. After that, the cost of the same service moves to 2.5-3.5 thousand zloty, and the calendar becomes just as important as the equipment itself.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Maksud / Shutterstock
