Heat Pump Cost Calculator

Every number this produces comes from the ranges already published in our cost guides. It combines them; it does not invent anything. Use it to judge a written quote, not to replace one.

The ranges it draws on

All of these are published in full, with the reasoning behind them, in the guides linked at the bottom of this page.

Configuration	Installed range
Single-zone ductless mini split (9k–12k BTU)	$3,800 – $6,500
Two- to three-zone ductless system	$8,000 – $15,000
Ducted heat pump, 2–3 ton, straight replacement	$8,500 – $14,000
Ducted heat pump, 4–5 ton, cold-climate model	$13,000 – $22,000
Dual-fuel system with new gas furnace	$12,000 – $20,000
Heat pump water heater	$1,900 – $4,200

What moves your number most

Three line items account for most of the spread between two quotes on the same house, and only one of them is about the equipment.

• Electrical service. A panel upgrade adds $1,800–$4,500 and is the single most common budget surprise. Have it assessed before you fall in love with a system.
• Ductwork condition. Repairs run $800–$3,000. A full replacement can exceed $8,000 and changes the arithmetic entirely.
• Efficiency tier. Moving from 15 to 20 SEER2 typically adds $2,000–$4,000. That pays back where winters are long and rarely where they are mild.

What the calculator deliberately does not do is ask for your ZIP code and hand your details to a lead buyer before showing you a number. The number comes first.

Common questions

Why a range instead of one number? Because a single national average blends a garage mini split with a five-ton ducted replacement and describes neither. A range tells you where your job is likely to land and, just as usefully, when a quote sits outside it.

My quote came in above the range. Is it a rip-off? Not necessarily. Quotes land above these ranges for legitimate reasons: difficult access, long line sets, asbestos abatement, structural work for a new indoor unit. Ask the contractor to itemise. A quote that cannot be itemised is the problem, not a quote that is high.

Does this include rebates? No. These are pre-incentive installed prices. What you actually pay depends on your state and utility programmes, which change constantly.

How we arrive at these numbers

Every figure on this page is a range, not an average, and the distinction matters. A national average blends a garage mini split with a five-ton ducted replacement and describes neither. Ranges tell you where your own job is likely to land.

• Where the ranges come from. Published contractor estimates, manufacturer capacity and pricing tables, and the equipment listings in the AHRI Directory. Incentive figures come from the administering agency directly — the IRS for federal credits, DSIRE for state and utility programs.
• What is an estimate. Where a number reflects field experience rather than a published measurement, it is labelled as such in the text rather than presented as data.
• What we do not do. We do not sell or install equipment, and no manufacturer pays for placement or wording. Nothing on this page is ranked by commission.
• What ranges cannot tell you. Labour rates, permit costs and electrical conditions vary enough between two houses on the same street to move a quote by thousands. Treat any figure here as a way to judge a written quote, never as a substitute for one.

Found something out of date or contradicted by a quote you have in hand? Tell us — corrections are the messages we most want to receive.

Sources

Primary references for the figures and procedures on this page. Where a number here is a range drawn from field experience rather than a published measurement, it is labelled as such in the text.

• AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance — Look up a specific model’s certified capacity and efficiency ratings.
• ENERGY STAR: Air-Source Heat Pumps — Current federal efficiency criteria and the qualifying product list.

Last checked September 2026. Ranges are US-wide and pre-incentive; always confirm against written quotes.