A matched central AC installation runs about $5,581 to $6,751 at researched defaults, scaling with tonnage: a 2-ton system at the low end, a 4-ton at the high end, on a 14.3-SEER2 base with permit and haul-away, at $135 and $65 an hour of crew labor. Every scenario below is itemized from a real HVAC pack.
Written by Ashesh Dhakal · The numbers are real resolver output; every price is yours to adjust in your own price book.
A 3-ton matched condenser + evaporator coil, reused lineset, ground access, 14.3-SEER2 base — permit and haul-away in.
| Labor — lead | $1,080.00 |
|---|---|
| Labor — helper | $520.00 |
| Condenser (R-454B) | $2,795.00 |
| Matched evaporator coil | $1,014.00 |
| Lineset flush kit | $156.75 |
| Equipment pad | $107.25 |
| Whip + disconnect | $79.20 |
| Filter-drier | $62.70 |
| Locking caps | $29.70 |
| Permitpass-through · at cost | $225.00 |
| Haul-away / disposal | $70.00 |
| Total | $6,139.60 |
Loading the interactive calculator… the priced example above is already real, computed by the engine.
$5,580.60
$6,139.60
$6,750.60
Every total is integer-cents resolver output from the hvac pack’s researched defaults — nothing hand-typed.
| Line item | Notes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Labor — lead | $1,080.00 | |
| Labor — helper | $520.00 | |
| Condenser (R-454B) | $2,795.00 | |
| Matched evaporator coil | $1,014.00 | |
| Lineset flush kit | $156.75 | |
| Equipment pad | $107.25 | |
| Whip + disconnect | $79.20 | |
| Filter-drier | $62.70 | |
| Locking caps | $29.70 | |
| Permit | pass-through — at cost, never marked up | $225.00 |
| Haul-away / disposal | commonly forgotten — caught by review | $70.00 |
| Total | $6,139.60 |
Real resolver output from the hvac pack’s researched defaults. The permit is a pass-through billed at cost — never marked up (Law 3); the flagged rows are what low quotes leave off.
A single “ballpark” hides where the money goes. Priced line by line, you can see the equipment, the labor, the code add-ons, and the pass-throughs separately — and check any quote you get against them. That’s the whole point of this tool.
Bigger equipment costs more — the condenser and coil scale with tonnage. Sizing should come from a load calc, not a guess.
Reusing a sound lineset saves money; a new refrigerant lineset adds material and labor.
A rooftop or attic air handler is harder to work than a ground-level unit and adds labor.
A condensate float switch protects against overflow; a surge protector protects the electronics. Cheap insurance, real line items.
A permit (pass-through, at cost) and EPA-required refrigerant recovery are both real lines a fair quote shows.
A cheap quote usually gets cheap by leaving something out. These are the same items the app’s review engine flags for a contractor — inverted here, so a homeowner can spot them too.
SEER2 is the current cooling-efficiency rating. Higher SEER2 costs more upfront and less to run. This calculator prices the 14.3-SEER2 base; the Good/Better/Best step to two-stage and variable-speed inverter equipment is where the premium goes.
Yes for a right-sized system. Manual J sizes the equipment to your home instead of copying the old unit. This tool prices by tonnage; a good contractor confirms the tonnage with a load calc before ordering.
Almost always. An AC changeout ties into your electrical and refrigerant systems, so a permit and inspection are standard. A fair quote lists the permit as a pass-through billed at cost, never marked up.
A straightforward matched changeout is often a single day. Rooftop or attic access, a lineset replacement, or added electrical can push it longer — which is why those show as separate labor lines here.
Keep going — the trade page, a related calculator, and the line-by-line anatomy post below all share this pack's numbers.
Price HVAC replacements and service — tonnage and zone parametric, Good/Better/Best ready.
Furnace replacement cost by efficiency and size, with the fair-quote line items shown.
Every line of a fair HVAC replacement quote, explained across Good/Better/Best options.
Written by Ashesh Dhakal · The numbers are real resolver output; every price is yours to adjust in your own price book.
HVAC pack defaults are researched from published trade data and labeled researched defaults. This page shows 2026 researched-default pricing and is dated honestly — refreshed when the numbers change, never re-dated to look fresh.