Know what your hvac replacement should cost
A 2,000 sq ft hvac replacement costs $9,350 to $14,600 in 2026, about $6 per sq ft installed. Across every option it runs from $4,050 (central air conditioning only) to $17,000 (full system (ac and furnace)).
Four questions gets you an itemised range, adjusted for construction wages where you live. The whole number, up front, before we ask for anything.
What hvac replacement work costs in 2026
| Project | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Full system (AC and furnace) Both replaced together, the usual matched pair | $9,350 – $14,600 |
| Central air conditioning only Keeping the existing furnace | $4,200 – $6,600 |
| Heat pump Heats and cools from one unit | $7,950 – $12,400 |
| Ductless mini-split No ductwork, one head per zone | $5,150 – $8,050 |
Where the money goes
Equipment
$5,400 · 45% of the job
Installation labour
$3,360 · 28% of the job
Duct connections and line set
$1,440 · 12% of the job
Electrical and permits
$960 · 8% of the job
Removing the old system
$840 · 7% of the job
HVAC Replacement cost by state
Labour is the part of this job that moves with geography. These are the same 2,000 sq ft project, priced against construction wages in each state.
- California $9,850 – $15,400 +4.6% vs national
- Texas $9,500 – $14,900 +1.3% vs national
- Florida $8,800 – $13,800 -6.0% vs national
- New York $9,750 – $15,300 +4.4% vs national
- Nebraska $8,800 – $13,800 -6.0% vs national
- New Hampshire $9,500 – $14,900 +2.1% vs national
- New Jersey $9,850 – $15,400 +4.8% vs national
- New Mexico $8,750 – $13,700 -7.1% vs national
- Nevada $9,300 – $14,500 -1.0% vs national
- Ohio $9,300 – $14,500 -0.8% vs national
- Oklahoma $8,600 – $13,400 -8.2% vs national
- Oregon $9,450 – $14,800 +0.7% vs national
Questions homeowners ask
How much is a new HVAC for a 2000 sq ft house?
Roughly $9,350 to $14,600 for a matched furnace and air conditioner. Replacing only the air conditioning on the same home is about $4,200 to $6,600. Failing ductwork can add several thousand on top of either figure.
What is the $5,000 rule for HVAC systems?
Multiply the age of the unit in years by the quoted repair cost. If the result is above $5,000, replacing generally beats repairing. A 15-year-old system facing a $400 repair comes to $6,000, so it points to replacement; the same repair on a five-year-old unit comes to $2,000 and does not.
Is it worth fixing a 20 year old AC unit?
Usually not. Twenty years is at or past the service life of most systems, the refrigerant it uses has likely been phased out, and a modern unit will cut running costs enough to offset part of the replacement. The exception is a cheap, simple repair that buys a season while you plan the job properly.
Should I replace the furnace and AC at the same time?
If both are near end of life, yes. They share the labour, the permit and the visit, so doing them together costs less than two separate jobs. Matched equipment also runs more efficiently than a new unit paired with an old one.
Reviewed and maintained by Anchorcost. Last checked September 3, 2026. Figures are verified against this page's own calculator on every build. How these figures are worked out.