Cost to Install HVAC System: Understanding Prices with Ductwork

In the heart of your home, akin to its veins, lies the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system, which includes critical units such as the furnace and the air conditioner. Endowed with the role of a heat pump, this system carries climate control to all corners of your dwelling, much like how blood circulates in a body. The HVAC system, unit by unit, mirrors the thermostat, becoming the brand that signposts energy efficiency within your walls.

The systems are capable of maintaining optimal use of energy, saving you money. Depending on the region of the world you call home, this climate control management, efficiently tackling the heat or the cold, can range from being a luxury to a downright necessity.

Due to its very nature, installing or replacing HVAC systems, which house important mechanisms, can be a daunting task. Component tasks include ductwork installation to transfer the heat or cool air, thermostat devices to control the system, and the system itself. Homeowners often rely on a professional contractor to oversight these tasks, ensuring all the HVAC systems are properly installed and yielding maximum energy efficiency.

In need of Commercial or Residential Ventilation Repair in Las Vegas? Perhaps you’ve noticed a reduction in the airflow due to a clogged filter or an expired warranty on your HVAC systems? Homeowners who value their hard-earned money should find a renowned brand that offers energy-efficient units with higher SEER ratings to replace their obsolete air conditioner.

Call Us (702) 567-0707.

The ductwork can be particularly problematic, much like a complicated heat pump, as it needs to reach all parts of the building in question. Factors like established insulation can further complicate things, potentially creating a bevy of issues such as:

Needing to remove or alter existing framing, wall structure, wall surface (especially awful with plaster walls), as well as maneuvering the new systems around any existing plumbing, electrical, or other HVAC systems could require the skills of a professional contractor.

Undertaking necessary maintenance and improvement on these complex units, you may discover pre-existing, latent hazardous construction materials such as asbestos or lead–which can require its own extensive removal and repair process.

Some areas require permits and inspections, depending on the region and work to be done, which a licensed contractor can assist with, saving you both time and money.

What Is the Cost to Install HVAC System With Ductwork? This question is often high on the list of many prospective homeowners. Considering the high price of the equipment and necessary efficiency measures like filters and insulation, it’s understandable why.

There are a few general guidelines that you can use to estimate the cost of installing new ductwork. They include materials and their delivery, which includes tax and transportation costs, along with labor costs and the act of preparing the site of the work, which includes protecting or moving everything in the area.

In addition to that, there are sometimes extra costs that can pop up, such as if your home or building has an unusual floor plan and requires special design work to make the systems fit.

Here are some rough average numbers to expect for residential work. According to Fixr.com, ductwork including labor and materials will cost between $35-55 per linear foot, and an “average single-family home needs 30 to 90 linear feet of ducting.”

Contemplating a major project like an HVAC installation or rework is never easy, but hopefully, this information helped with your decision-making process. One thing to keep in mind throughout the process is to consider just how important your environment truly is. A poorly installed or damaged HVAC system with inadequate maintenance can cause a lot more problems than just making a hot day even more sweltering or a cold one particularly frigid;

it can also cause allergy and mold problems as well as unnecessarily high utility bills.As creatures in many ways defined by our environments, maintaining the health of our homes is truly a worthy investment! This includes monitoring the temperature and humidity levels, which can be greatly affected by our hvac units. A failing hvac unit may require repair or replacement, a task that shouldn’t be underestimated, as it comes with its own price tag.

Labor costs are the primary expenses to consider. For example, when considering the hvac replacement involving the installation of furnaces or ac units. This cost largely depends on the amount of work involved in the project.

The act of preparing the site of the work, which includes protecting or moving everything in the area, also affects the prices. The presence of water lines, for example, may require careful maneuvering, increasing labor hours and costs.

Some common factors that increase the cost of your project are the number of floors of the structure as well as its age. The more floors and the older the building, the higher you can expect the cost of installation to be. Numerous floors, for instance, may require more furnaces or ac units to regulate temperature and humidity efficiently.

In addition, there are sometimes extra costs that can pop up, such as if your home or building has an unusual floor plan and requires special design work to make the ducts fit. For example, designing custom ductwork for an hvac unit in a uniquely shaped house will ramp up prices.

Related: How Can I Tell If My Air Ducts Are Leaking?

Cost to Install Ductwork

Here are some rough average numbers to expect for residential work.

According to Fixr.com, ductwork including labor and materials will cost between $35-55 per linear foot, and an “average single-family home needs 30 to 90 linear feet of ducting.” The cost also depends on the hvac unit installed and the temperature controls required.

The cost also depends somewhat on the type of ducting used.

Types of Ducting

The cheapest is flexible non-metallic, which will run between $1-2 per linear foot and is good for winding around tight corners and lightweight but can tear easily and need to be repaired more often as a result.

The most expensive option is fiberglass duct board, which costs between $4.50-6 per linear foot. It comes pre-insulated and is particularly suited to long, straight sections due to its ease of forming square or rectangular shapes.

In the middle, you could choose flexible aluminum, costing between $1-4 per linear foot, or sheet metal, which costs between $1.50-6 per linear foot. Aluminum is another lightweight winding option while sheet metal is good for straight sections and is strong but challenging to insulate.

There are also some other materials which must be considered as well, such as curving joint pieces and elbows, the vents themselves, and the cost of labor. Labor alone can run between $50-70 per hour, with an average project lasting two or three days.

Related: Air Duct Cleaning: Why Is It Important?

Commercial Ductwork Installation Cost

While many of these considerations are with residential costs in mind, the factors remain the same for a commercial space. One merely needs to upscale the calculations for the increased size and capacity requirements. Aim high: commercial spaces may require stronger, and thus more expensive, ducting to accommodate the larger amount of air flow and to manage temperature and humidity for a more substantial number of people.

Favicon