Enter five details about your home and get a personalised, itemised installation estimate, sizing, materials, labour, and matching power units, in under two minutes. New to the project? Start with our central vacuum installation guide.
Your home
Enter five details
2,000sq ft
Total finished living space, include all floors.
50015,000
Or type:SQ FT
Multi-storey homes need vertical pipe runs and additional inlets.
Retrofit costs 25-40% more than new construction due to accessing finished walls.
One inlet per 700 sq ft (the 600-800 industry rule with a 30 ft hose), plus one per additional floor for stairwell coverage, plus one more above 3,000 sq ft. Minimum of two.
Piping length
25 ft per inlet, plus a trunk line (15 ft + 1 ft per 100 sq ft), plus 12 ft per riser for each floor above the first. Retrofit adds 15% for fittings and wall workarounds.
Power unit sizing
The double-your-square-footage rule maps doubled coverage to airwatt bands, accounting for suction loss over piping length. Larger homes step up to 750+ AW or dual-motor units.
Cost factors explained
Home size
Square footage drives everything downstream: more area means more inlets, more pipe, a stronger power unit, and more labour hours.
Number of floors
Each floor above the first adds vertical pipe risers between levels and an extra inlet for stairwell reach, plus a complexity premium on labour.
New construction vs retrofit
Rough-in during a build runs pipe through open framing; a retrofit routes through attics, basements, and finished walls, then patches drywall, 25-40% more.
System type & method
Budget, mid-range, and premium tiers set your power unit, accessory cost, and ongoing filter spend. DIY trades roughly 8-24 labour hours for your own time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about central vacuum sizing and installation