How much does terrace cooling cost?

The four factors that move the price

Two terraces of the same size can differ by a factor of two. These are the reasons, and they are all decided before anyone talks about money.

• Nozzle count — roughly one nozzle per 3–5 m². A 60 m² terrace needs around 15 nozzles; a 400 m² terrace needs around 100.
• Pump size — the pump has to hold pressure across every nozzle on the circuit, so more nozzles and longer pipe runs mean a larger unit (1.5 kW up to 7.5 kW in this range).
• Zoning — splitting a terrace into two or three independently controlled zones costs more in valves and controls, but it cuts water use and lets you cool only the tables in use.
• What is already on site — water point, drain, power, and whether tubing can be hidden along walls and planting beds or has to be trenched.

Where people overspend, and where they should not

The two most common mistakes are the same in every market.

• Overspending: buying a bigger pump "for safety". Pressure is set by the circuit, not by the pump size; an oversized unit cycles more and can shorten nozzle life.
• Overspending: nozzles in a straight grid on a terrace with wind. On an exposed terrace, nozzles matched to airflow do the same job with fewer heads.
• Do not cut: the inlet filtration. A 5 μm filter is what keeps ruby-orifice nozzles working; skipping it is the fastest way to a maintenance problem.
• Do not cut: zoning. One zone means either too much water or a terrace that is only half cooled.

How to get a real number

Send four things and the price stops being a guess: the area in m², whether the terrace is sheltered or exposed, the water point and power available, and your destination port. You get an itemised quotation — pump unit, nozzles, tubing, fittings, controls, spares and freight as separate lines — so you can see what each part costs and remove what you do not need.