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HVAC Replacement Cost Calculator

Enter your conditioned area, system type, efficiency tier and ductwork plan, and get a low, typical and high installed replacement cost from three public cost guides.

Home
System

Installed cost, central AC + gas furnace, 2,000 sq ft

~$8,000

Low~$5,000
Typical~$8,000
High~$12,000

Equipment + installation: ~$8,000 typical (~$5,000–$12,000) from 2 cost guides

Capacity the guides list for 2,000 sq ft: 3 tons (HomeGuide), 3–4 tons (Fixr). Final sizing needs a Manual J load calculation (ACCA).

What drives the range: home size and layout, equipment brand and SEER2/AFUE tier, condition of the existing ductwork, local labor rates, electrical or gas-line work, and permit fees.

Installed cost figures used by this calculator (transcribed 2026-09-14)
ItemGuidePublished figures
Central AC + gas furnace, existing ducts, by home sizeHomeAdvisor1,000 sq ft $3,000–$6,000 · 1,500 $4,000–$7,000 · 2,000 $5,000–$9,000 · 2,500 $6,000–$10,000 · 3,000 $7,000–$12,000
HomeGuide$3–$6 per sq ft: 1,000 sq ft $3,000–$6,000 · 1,200 $3,600–$7,200 · 1,600 $4,800–$9,600 · 2,000 $6,000–$12,000 · 2,500 $7,500–$15,000 · 3,000 $9,000–$18,000
Central AC only, by capacityHomeGuide1.5 t $2,000–$5,000 · 2 t $2,500–$5,500 · 2.5 t $2,700–$6,000 · 3 t $3,000–$6,500 · 3.5 t $3,100–$7,000 · 4 t $3,500–$7,500 · 5 t $4,000–$8,000
Fixr1.5 t $1,800–$7,000 · 2 t $2,000–$7,600 · 3 t $2,500–$8,000 · 4 t $3,100–$8,700 · 5 t $3,300–$9,300
HomeAdvisor$3,900–$7,900 (any size)
Capacity listed by home size (used for "match my area")HomeGuide1,000 sq ft 1.5–2 t · 1,500 2.5 t · 2,000 3 t · 2,500 3.5–4 t · 3,000 4–5 t · 3,500 and 4,000+ 5+ t
Fixr1,000 sq ft 2 t · 1,500 2.5–3 t · 1,800 and 2,000 3–4 t · 2,500 3.5–5 t · 3,000 4–6 t (shown only)
Gas furnace only, by home sizeHomeAdvisor1,000 sq ft $1,200–$2,000 · 2,000 $2,400–$4,000 · 3,000 $3,600–$6,000 · 4,000 $4,800–$8,000 · 5,000 $6,000–$10,000
Fixr1,000 sq ft $1,200–$2,000 · 1,500 $1,800–$3,000 · 2,000 $2,400–$4,000 · 2,500 $3,000–$5,000 · 3,000 $3,600–$6,000 · 4,000 $4,800–$8,000 · 5,000 $6,000–$10,000
HomeGuideGas furnace replacement $3,800–$12,000 (any size)
Ducted air-source heat pump, by home sizeHomeGuide1,000 sq ft $6,000–$8,500 · 1,500 $8,000–$10,500 · 2,000 $10,000–$20,000 · 2,500 $12,000–$22,000 · 3,000 $18,000–$25,000 · 3,500 $20,000–$28,000 · 4,000+ $22,000–$32,000
Fixr1,000 sq ft $5,000–$8,000 · 1,500 $6,700–$14,000 · 1,800 $8,000–$20,000 · 2,000 $8,000–$20,000 · 2,500 $9,500–$22,000 · 3,000 $15,000–$25,000
HomeAdvisor$4,237–$7,943 (any size)
Ductless mini-split, by zonesHomeGuide1 zone $2,500–$6,000 · 2 $4,500–$8,000 · 3 $6,500–$11,000 · 5 $10,000–$15,000 · 8 $18,000–$20,000
Efficiency premium, AC and split systemsHomeGuideAC unit price by SEER: 13–14 $1,000–$4,200 · 15–16 $1,500–$5,700 · 17–18 $1,800–$6,100 · 19–21 $2,500–$7,500 · 22–26 $3,700–$8,500. Premium used = row minus the 13–14 row: 17–18 +$800–$1,900; 19–21 +$1,500–$3,300
HomeAdvisorHigh-SEER units cost $1,000–$2,000 more than average (used for the high tier)
Efficiency premium, heat pumps (installed, by SEER2)HomeGuide14–15 $6,000–$12,000 · 16–17 $8,000–$15,000 · 18–19 $11,000–$18,000 · 20+ $15,000–$25,000. Premium used: 16–17 +$2,000–$3,000; 18–19 +$5,000–$6,000
Fixr14–15 $5,000–$12,000 · 16–17 $7,000–$15,000 · 18–19 $10,000–$18,000 · 20+ $15,000–$25,000. Premium used: 16–17 +$2,000–$3,000; 18–19 +$5,000–$6,000
Ductwork repairHomeAdvisor$200–$1,000
Ductwork replacementHomeGuide · HomeAdvisor · Fixr$1,400–$5,600 · $1,000–$2,700 · $1,400–$6,000
PermitHomeGuide · HomeAdvisor · Fixr$100–$250 · $50–$300 · $50–$1,500
Removal and disposal of old equipmentHomeGuide · HomeAdvisor · Fixr$100–$200 · $150–$330 · $50–$330

Range used = lowest low to highest high across the guides that price the item; typical = average of those guides' midpoints. Home sizes between a guide's listed sizes are interpolated in a straight line; sizes outside its table use the nearest end. "Match my area" prices every capacity HomeGuide lists for the nearest home size. 1 m² = 10.7639 sq ft (NIST SP 811). Capacity notes are the guides' own tables, not a load calculation. Sources (accessed 2026-09-14): HomeAdvisor HVAC installation cost, HomeAdvisor AC unit cost, HomeAdvisor furnace replacement cost, HomeAdvisor heat pump cost, HomeGuide HVAC cost, HomeGuide heat pump cost, HomeGuide mini-split cost, Fixr AC installation cost, Fixr furnace replacement cost, Fixr heat pump installation cost, ACCA Manual J, NIST SP 811 B.9.

How It Works

The calculator looks up your system type in three public cost guides, HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide and Fixr, transcribed on 2026-09-14. Where a guide publishes a table by home size, the calculator reads the row for your conditioned area, interpolating in a straight line between the sizes the guide lists and using the nearest end of the table outside it. Where a guide publishes one range for the whole system, that range applies at every size. Areas entered in square meters are converted at 1 m² = 10.7639 sq ft.

For each line the low end is the lowest low the guides publish, the high end is the highest high, and the typical figure is the average of the guides’ midpoints. A central air conditioner is priced by capacity in tons; “match my area” prices every capacity HomeGuide lists for the nearest home size, or you can pick a tonnage yourself. A ductless mini-split is priced by zone count from HomeGuide’s zone table. The table under the calculator shows every figure used.

Efficiency tiers add the guides’ own premium for a higher SEER row: for air conditioners and split systems, HomeGuide’s 17–18 and 19–21 SEER rows minus its 13–14 row, plus HomeAdvisor’s “$1,000–$2,000 more” for high-SEER units; for heat pumps, the HomeGuide and Fixr installed-cost tables by SEER2. Ductwork repair, ductwork replacement, permit fees and removal of the old equipment are separate lines you can switch on.

Capacity is not calculated here. The sizing line repeats the tonnage HomeGuide and Fixr list for your home size so you can sanity-check a quote, but final sizing requires a Manual J load calculation (ACCA) that accounts for climate, insulation, windows and duct losses.

Worked Example

A 1,500 sq ft home replacing a ducted air-source heat pump with a high-efficiency (16–17 SEER2) unit, new ductwork, a permit and haul-away of the old equipment. The base for 1,500 sq ft is HomeGuide’s $8,000–$10,500, Fixr’s $6,700–$14,000 and HomeAdvisor’s $4,237–$7,943, so the equipment and installation line is $4,237 low, ~$8,563 typical and $14,000 high. The efficiency premium is $2,000–$3,000 (both guides), ductwork replacement $1,000–$6,000 (typical ~$3,017), the permit $50–$1,500 (~$375) and removal $50–$330 (~$193). Total: ~$7,337 low, ~$14,648 typical, ~$24,830 high.

FAQ

Why is the range so wide?

The guides disagree with each other. HomeAdvisor’s heat pump range tops out under $8,000 while HomeGuide’s starts at $10,000 for a 2,000 sq ft home. The calculator keeps both ends instead of picking a winner; the typical figure is the average of the guides’ midpoints and is the number to compare a quote against.

Does the estimate include a new air handler, thermostat or electrical work?

Only what the guides fold into their installed ranges. HomeGuide lists an air handler replacement at $1,500–$3,400 and an electrical panel upgrade at $1,800–$2,500 as separate items, and HomeAdvisor lists thermostats at $120–$260. Add those if your quote includes them.

How many tons do I need?

Use the sizing line as a rough check only. HomeGuide lists 3 tons for a 2,000 sq ft home and Fixr lists 3–4 tons, but a contractor should size the system with a Manual J load calculation. An oversized system short-cycles and leaves the house clammy; see Signs Your Air Conditioner Is Oversized.

Should I repair instead?

HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor and Fixr all cite the $5,000 rule: multiply the repair quote by the system’s age in years, and replace if the product exceeds $5,000. Our R-410A repair comparison walks through that decision for older refrigerant systems.

Are these prices for my area?

They are US national ranges. HomeAdvisor’s heat pump page publishes city ranges from $2,200–$3,700 in Miami to $4,200–$8,000 in St. Louis, so expect high-cost metros to land near the high end.

Sources