How to Offer Air Conditioning Installation and Maintenance Services in Colombia

The customer writes: "I need to install a minisplit in the living room, how much does it cost?". Three technicians respond. One sends a price via WhatsApp without asking anything, another says "it depends" and disappears, and the third asks about the area, the balcony height, and where the drainage would go. Guess who gets hired. In Barranquilla, where air conditioning is almost not a luxury, that difference in clarity decides who gets the job.

This guide is for you, technician or workshop owner, who wants to publish an installation and maintenance offer that can be compared, quoted, and trusted.

What service you offer and what you do not

First, separate three trades that the customer mixes up: on-site installation, preventive maintenance , and repair. Each one is quoted differently and has a different warranty. If your ad says "everything in air conditioning", the customer does not know what they are going to pay for.

Also separate the workshop from the home visit. If the customer gives you equipment to repair, receipt and warranty rules apply. If you go to their house to install, deliver what was agreed upon. I explain the difference below. If you are more into general repair of refrigerators and washing machines, check out the guide for on-site appliance repair. If you also offer the electrical part of the home, there is the guide for on-site electrical services. Whoever hires maintenance, and not the person offering it, has the other side in how to hire home maintenance and repairs.

How to quote without a national rate

There is no official BTU rate that works for the whole country, and the prices circulating on commercial blogs are private references. That is why you will not find a table in pesos here: your "price from" is yours, the one that comes from your costs, and you provide it after seeing the site.

A visit before quoting protects you and the customer. What you should look at and put as separate items:

• The capacity that the space actually demands, not the one the customer has in mind.
• The meters of piping between the indoor and outdoor unit.
• The height and access for the outdoor unit.
• The condensate drainage and where it exits.
• Civil works, if a wall needs to be opened or a base made.
• Electrical work, always separate.

Honestly, quoting over the phone with only the BTUs is the most common source of fights: you arrive, the piping is twice what was imagined, and the customer feels like you are scamming them. A ten-minute visit avoids that conversation.

The electrical part: without exaggerating the standard

Many myths circulate here. Two that you must stop repeating: that RETIE requires an exclusive circuit for any air conditioner, and that the entire NTC 2050 must be met. Resolution 40117 of 2024 did not make the entire NTC 2050 mandatory in its second update; RETIE adapted some requirements of that standard. And the current RETIE was modified by Resolution 40284 of June 23, 2026.

What you can say with peace of mind: the circuit, the overcurrent protection, and the grounding must correspond to the equipment load and the manufacturer's instructions. And a new electrical installation, or the part that is expanded or remodeled, must demonstrate compliance with RETIE through a declaration of compliance and, when that scope requires full certification, with the opinion of an accredited inspection body.

Do not invent kVA thresholds for a minisplit. To know when a technical opinion is needed, the guide for RETIE certification and inspection explains it. And if you need an electrician partner, you can search for them in the electricity category of the marketplace.

Refrigerant and maintenance

In maintenance, the practice you can affirm is simple: control leaks and do not release refrigerant into the atmosphere. Do not teach (or publish as a trick) how to open the circuit or vent gas; that is work for those with the training and recovery tools.

The Ministry of Environment published guidelines on June 19, 2025, on leak control and good practices for commercial refrigeration with R-290. Careful: that R-290 guide is for commercial refrigeration equipment that uses that gas, not a rule for all domestic minisplits. Do not assume a single refrigerant for all domestic minisplits.

Regarding certification in good practices with refrigerants: there is a scheme promoted by the Ozone Technical Unit, SENA, and ACAIRE. It is a good endorsement to show in your ad, but do not present it as a mandatory permit to publish your service; it has not been proven that it is.

Warranty and receipt

Here the difference between workshop and site matters.

Installation or maintenance at the customer's site. According to article 11 of Law 1480 of 2011, if the service fails to meet what was agreed, the consumer can choose between you repeating the service or refunding the price paid.

Equipment that the customer leaves at your workshop. You must give them a receipt with your data and tax ID (NIT), address, and phone number, who delivers the equipment, receipt number and date, the item, noted defects, type of service, deadline, value, and payments made. If the customer does not accept in writing that the service is without warranty, it remains guaranteed for three months from delivery of the good. And if the SIC has not set another deadline, the repair to make the legal warranty effective is completed within 30 business days from delivery of the good.

Always leave a written service warranty, even if it is a short sheet. If the direct claim is not resolved, the customer can go to the SIC; the guide for how to file a complaint with the SIC explains that path.

How to get your ad ready

A technical services ad works when it answers questions before the customer asks them. Include:

• Coverage area: the sectors where you do travel.
• What the visit includes and what is charged separately (additional piping, civil works, electrical work).
• Photos of real work: finished installations, neat piping, drainage. No catalog photos.
• Your price from, if you decide to include it, clarifying that it is confirmed after the visit.
• Experience and endorsements: years in the trade and, if you have it, your good practices certification.
• Written warranty: state that you provide it in writing.

According to active ads on Colombia Move (October 2026), the repairs category has 7 active ads and 3 recent ones, and electricity has 15 active ads. Repairs has 1,422 views in that window: an ad with area, photos, and scope stands out.

To filter out curiosity seekers without losing serious clients, ask for the area, type of equipment, and photos of the location. Do not ask for opaque advance payments, and do not rely on your cell phone as the only filter: an advertisement that explains the scope attracts fewer "how much does it cost" inquiries and more determined clients. To locate the complete directory, there is the services section.

Formalize your activity

Check the name of your activity on your RUT. In the classification that the DIAN adopted with Resolution 000114 of 2020, class 4322 is titled "Plumbing, heating, and air conditioning installations," while 3530 is the supply of steam and air conditioning. The DANE note refers the installation of these systems to 4322, not to specialized machinery maintenance. Note: DANE already lists the ISIC Rev. 5 A.C. (Resolution 992 of 2026), so confirm with the DIAN or your accountant which code your RUT accepts today.

If you are already a merchant, keep your registration up to date; deadlines and penalties are in the guide for commercial registration renewal.

Frequently asked questions

❓ How much should I charge for installing an air conditioner?

There is no official national rate that serves as a reference. Calculate your price after visiting the site, with piping, height, drainage, civil works, and electrical work as separate items, based on your actual costs. (verify with the official source)

❓ Does RETIE require an exclusive circuit for every air conditioner?

This has not been proven as a universal rule. The circuit, protection, and grounding must correspond to the equipment load and the manufacturer's instructions, and new or expanded electrical components must demonstrate compliance with RETIE. (verify with the official source)

❓ What warranty do I provide if the client drops off the equipment at the workshop?

Three months from the delivery of the goods, unless the client agrees in writing that the service will be provided without a warranty. Always provide a receipt with the information required by the SIC: equipment, defects, service, deadline, value, and payments. (verify with the official source)

❓ What happens if the on-site installation is not working as contracted?

The consumer may choose for you to repeat the service or refund the price paid, according to Article 11 of Law 1480 of 2011. Putting the scope in writing helps both parties resolve it quickly. (verify with the official source)

❓ Which activity should I mark on my RUT for installing air conditioning?

Confirm in your RUT the class for plumbing, heating, and air conditioning installations, and do not use the one for steam supply or industrial machinery for that installation. Verify the current code with the DIAN or your accountant. (verify with the official source)

❓ Do I need a refrigerant license to post my service?

It has not been shown to be a mandatory permit for posting. Certification in good practices with refrigerants, promoted by the UTO, SENA, and ACAIRE, serves as support that you can show your clients. (verify with the official source)

❓ How do I filter out curiosity seekers and avoid a scam without losing a serious client?

Ask for the area, type of equipment, and site photos before scheduling the visit. Then, leave the scope, deadline, and warranty in writing. Anyone who just asks "how much" without providing details is usually a curiosity seeker. (verify with the official source)