Mitch, has your mrs thought about split systems located in the main areas (bedrooms, living room, etc)?

At ~$1500 a pop for a 1.5HP, you will be able to locate them where the heating/cooling is required. Cheap to run (especially the inverter models) and you only cool what's needed.

We dealt with Ford and Doonan last year. They charged $15k for a Daikin system (two storey house, 7 zones, 7 outlets, 10hp inverter outdoor unit). In hindsight, the house would have been better off with individual split systems, and nowdays this can be done with one central outdoor unit if you dont want one for each split system.

Food for thought.

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TD06 - Oink.