HVAC Installation Cost Estimator
Lay out each contractor quote line by line — equipment, labour, ductwork, electrical work, permits and removal — to see the totals, the price per ton and exactly where the quotes differ.
Method reviewed October 26, 2026. Version 1.0.0. How it works
Result
- Lowest total
- 1
- Its total installed price
- $12,700
Quote 1 has the lowest total at $12,700; the quotes differ by $0.
- Every price here is one you entered from a quote. The tool adds and compares them; it does not estimate prices.
- The biggest difference between the quotes is equipment (outdoor and indoor units, coil, furnace): $900.
- Quote 2 shows nothing for ductwork (new, repairs or sealing) while another quote does. Ask whether it is included, not needed, or extra.
- Quote 2 shows nothing for removal and disposal of old equipment while another quote does. Ask whether it is included, not needed, or extra.
- Difference between highest and lowest
- $0.00
Total installed price
- Quote 1
- $12,700
- Quote 2
- $12,700
Price per ton of cooling
- Quote 1
- $4,233
- Quote 2
- $4,233
Equipment (outdoor and indoor units, coil, furnace)
- Quote 1
- $7,200
- Quote 2
- $8,100
Installation labour
- Quote 1
- $3,100
- Quote 2
- $2,900
Ductwork (new, repairs or sealing)
- Quote 1
- $800
- Quote 2
- $0.00
Electrical work (circuits, disconnect, panel)
- Quote 1
- $450
- Quote 2
- $600
Permits and inspections
- Quote 1
- $250
- Quote 2
- $300
Removal and disposal of old equipment
- Quote 1
- $200
- Quote 2
- $0.00
Thermostat and controls
- Quote 1
- $300
- Quote 2
- $450
Other (pad, line set, condensate pump, commissioning)
- Quote 1
- $400
- Quote 2
- $350
Show the working
- Quote 1: sum of line items + tax − discounts$12,700 + $0 − $0 = $12,700; ÷ 3 tons = $4,233 per ton
- Quote 2: sum of line items + tax − discounts$12,700 + $0 − $0 = $12,700; ÷ 3 tons = $4,233 per ton
Your quotes, itemised
Installation quotes are hard to compare because contractors bundle the work differently. One includes a new thermostat and haul-away; another lists duct sealing separately; a third leaves out permits. Entering each quote line by line puts them on the same footing:
- Equipment: the outdoor and indoor units, coil or furnace.
- Labour: installation, start-up and commissioning.
- Ductwork, electrical work, permits and inspections, removal and disposal, thermostat and controls, and other items such as a pad, line set or condensate pump.
- Sales tax if it is not already included, and any discount or rebate taken off at the time of sale.
The estimator adds each quote, divides by its cooling size for a price per ton, and points out lines that one quote includes and another does not.
Why there are no typical prices here
We looked for current installation cost data that is specific enough for your area and licensed for reuse. The best public source, NREL’s National Residential Efficiency Measures Database, gives national price ranges from 2023 data and says it is not meant for estimating a specific project. Commercial cost databases are paid and cannot be republished. Rather than show numbers that could mislead, this tool uses only the prices in your quotes. We will add sourced regional ranges only if reliable, reusable data becomes available.
After you compare prices
The cheapest installation is not always the cheapest to own. From the results you can send the totals to the Quote Comparison Calculator, which adds the cooling electricity over the years you will keep the system; to the Repair or Replace Calculator; and to the tax credit checker and the Financing Calculator.
Worked example
These are the example values the calculator opens with, and the result the engine calculates for them.
Inputs
- Number of quotes
- 2 quotes
- Quote 1: Equipment (outdoor and indoor units, coil, furnace)
- 7,200 $
- Quote 1: Installation labour
- 3,100 $
- Quote 1: Ductwork (new, repairs or sealing)
- 800 $
- Quote 1: Electrical work (circuits, disconnect, panel)
- 450 $
- Quote 1: Permits and inspections
- 250 $
- Quote 1: Removal and disposal of old equipment
- 200 $
- Quote 1: Thermostat and controls
- 300 $
- Quote 1: Other (pad, line set, condensate pump, commissioning)
- 400 $
- Quote 1: sales tax (if not already included)
- 0 $
- Quote 1: discounts and rebates taken off at sale
- 0 $
- Quote 1: cooling size
- 3 tons
- Quote 1: SEER2
- 16
- Quote 1: labour warranty (years)
- 5
- Quote 2: Equipment (outdoor and indoor units, coil, furnace)
- 8,100 $
- Quote 2: Installation labour
- 2,900 $
- Quote 2: Ductwork (new, repairs or sealing)
- 0 $
- Quote 2: Electrical work (circuits, disconnect, panel)
- 600 $
- Quote 2: Permits and inspections
- 300 $
- Quote 2: Removal and disposal of old equipment
- 0 $
- Quote 2: Thermostat and controls
- 450 $
- Quote 2: Other (pad, line set, condensate pump, commissioning)
- 350 $
- Quote 2: sales tax (if not already included)
- 0 $
- Quote 2: discounts and rebates taken off at sale
- 0 $
- Quote 2: cooling size
- 3 tons
- Quote 2: SEER2
- 17.5
- Quote 2: labour warranty (years)
- 10
Result
- Lowest total
- 1
- Its total installed price
- $12,700
- Difference between highest and lowest
- $0.00
Quote 1 has the lowest total at $12,700; the quotes differ by $0.
Assumptions
- Totals are the sum of the line items you enter, plus sales tax you enter separately, minus discounts and rebates taken off at the time of sale.
- Price per ton divides each total by the cooling size you enter for that quote.
- No prices are built in. We looked for current, regional installation cost data that may be reused; the public sources available (such as NREL’s REMDB, 2023 data, national ranges) are not specific enough for a project estimate, so none is shown.
Limitations
- Quotes are only comparable if they cover the same scope. A missing line may mean included, not needed, or extra later — ask.
- Long-term cost depends on efficiency and installation quality too; use the Quote Comparison and Repair or Replace calculators for that.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to install a new HVAC system?
It depends on the equipment, the house, the region and how much ductwork and electrical work is needed, so we do not publish a typical figure. The reliable answer is two or three written, itemised quotes for the same scope — which this tool helps you compare.
What should an HVAC quote include?
The equipment model numbers (outdoor and indoor), the size and how it was calculated, labour, any duct and electrical work, permits, removal of the old equipment, the thermostat, start-up and commissioning, and the labour warranty.
Is price per ton a good way to compare quotes?
It is a quick check for quotes on the same house and the same size. It is less useful between different sizes or efficiency levels, which is why the estimator also lists every line and hands the totals to the Quote Comparison Calculator.
Should rebates be subtracted?
Subtract discounts and rebates that are taken off the price at the time of sale. Rebates paid later by a utility or state are better treated as money back after the purchase.
Sources
- National Residential Efficiency Measures Database (REMDB) — NREL via OpenEI (CC BY 4.0). National retrofit price ranges, data from September 2023; NREL states it is not intended to provide cost estimates for a specific project — reviewed and not used for prices here.
Spotted an error? Report a problem with this calculator — see our corrections policy.