HVAC Installation Cost: What's Fair & What's Foul

Let's break down some of the basics:

• Equipment cost is the first big obstacle. The price a local contractor will give you can vary widely. To save money, buy online from us or a company like us. Online prices are hyper-competitive, so you virtually always save money.
• Next is labor. Unless you're doing a DIY install, and that is beyond most people, you are going to have to pay somebody to put in your new equipment. Labor isn't cheap, and there is just no way to get around it. You might be able to save here and there by doing some of the work yourself. However, make sure you and your installer are clear on who is doing what.
• Do you have existing ductwork? If not, getting ductwork put in is going to increase your hvac installation cost. Repairing ductwork also isn't cheap even if it is not as expensive as a totally new network.
• How complicated is your home system going to be? Dropping a package unit on a slab is relatively easy. Connecting an air handler in the attic to a condenser outside is more difficult. The more cramped and difficult to access the equipment space, the more your hvac installation cost will be, because the job will just take longer to do.

With all that in mind, where can you cut out some HVAC installation cost?

It is true that you can probably do some of the rough work yourself. But the best way to save on your hvac installation cost is to make sure you work with an HVAC contractor that you trust. Don't take the first bid on a job. Get a couple of bids. Let the people doing the estimate know that you're getting bids from their competitors.

Then don't necessarily pick the cheapest bid. If the lowest bidder is way lower, you should be suspicious. Either that bidder doesn't fully understand the complexity of the job, or they plan to nickel and dime you with charges that "just came out of nowhere". Pick one of the median bids from the people that sound the most like they know what they're talking about.