Houston, TX / HVAC replacement
HVAC replacement cost in Houston, TX
Average $7,500; common $5,000–$12,500; up to $22,000 with new ductwork. Central AC $3,900–$7,900; gas furnace $3,800–$10,000; heat pump $4,200–$7,600; labor about $1,500.
Labor for HVAC replacement in Houston, TX is indexed to the BLS construction-and-extraction occupations mean hourly wage for Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX of $27.41 (May 2025), applied to the 30% labor share.
Houston Permitting Center (Building Code Enforcement) is the issuing office. The typical permit fee recorded from City of Houston 2026 BCE Permit Fee Schedule p. 3 HVAC; CE-1017 (Jan 2026), retrieved 2026-09-01, is $231. Fee model: valuation.
The national typical for this job is $7,500. Materials stay at the national figure while labor is wage-indexed for Houston, TX.
Typical all-in
$7,437
Job cost plus the recorded local permit fee at this size.
- Low
- $4,984
- Typical
- $7,437
- High
- $21,549
Breakdown
| Labor (allocated) | $2,165 |
|---|---|
| Materials (allocated) | $5,050 |
| Job subtotal | $7,215 |
| Permit | $222 |
| All-in typical | $7,437 |
Labor is adjusted for construction wages in this metro. Materials stay at the national figure. This is an estimate, not a contractor quote.
Permit fee
- Fee model
- Based on project value
- Typical fee
- $222
- Range
- $174 – $385
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-01
- Repairs/alterations to existing HVAC (2% of valuation + $47) — $197At $7,500 typical. Then min $91.06.
- Administrative fee — $34Included in totals.
- Alternate complete-system line — $1253-ton at $11.41/ton + $47, then min + admin. Not used; does not consume assigned valuations.
$5,000: 0.02×5000+47=147 +33.56=180.56. $7,500: 197+33.56=230.56. $16,000: 367+33.56=400.56.
Totals use the published 2%-of-valuation alteration line plus admin. Filing as a complete new system is billed per ton and usually pays only the $91.06+$33.56 floor. Portable appliances / minor part replacement are exempt.
City of Houston 2026 BCE Permit Fee Schedule p. 3 HVAC; CE-1017 (Jan 2026)
Citations
- How Much Does HVAC Replacement Cost? [2026 Data] Retrieved Aug 12, 2026. Average $7,500; $5,000–$22,000; labor about $1,500; national permit range $50–$500 (not city-specific).
- City of Houston 2026 BCE Permit Fee Schedule p. 3 HVAC; CE-1017 (Jan 2026) Retrieved Aug 31, 2026. Totals use the published 2%-of-valuation alteration line plus admin. Filing as a complete new system is billed per ton and usually pays only the $91.06+$33.56 floor. Portable appliances / minor part replacement are exempt.
- BLS OEWS construction wages — Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX BLS OEWS construction-and-extraction mean hourly wage / national same vintage, applied to laborShare only. Not a city-specific bid survey.