HVAC Duct Replacement Cost

Just How Much Does HVAC Duct Replacement Cost?

$175 to $400 Per Duct Run
The expense to change the HVAC duct in your house will cost anywhere between $175 and $400 per duct. The rate differs based upon whether you’re replacing it with a flexible duct or sheet metal HVAC duct and based on the length of each run.

Typical Cost to Have the Ductwork Replaced

The typical expense to change HVAC ductwork is around $285 per duct run and is based upon the number of HVAC duct runs that need to be changed, the length of each run, and the type and size of the replacement ductwork. When strong ducts in walls and ceilings need to be changed, the expense can rise to $550 per run or even more.

The most common duct replacement expense range of $175 – $400 per duct consists of getting rid of the old duct and supply register, setup of the brand-new flexible or metal duct, labor expenses and disposal of all old materials.

Typical Do It Yourself expenses – $1.25 per Linear Foot
Typical Professional Set-Up Expenses – $10.00 per Linear Foot
Average Expense – $7 – $12 per Linear Foot

Summary of Central HVAC Duct

There are 2 significant factors to change ductwork.

The old ductwork might be in such bad condition that fixing it isn’t recommended. Old ducts leak as much as 35% of the treated air, resulting in waste and higher-than-necessary energy expenses. Some also rust due to condensation forming in them over a number of years.
The old HVAC system was too big for the house. There was a time when professionals believed larger was much better, however, that’s no longer the case. A system that is too big wastes energy, develops temperature level variations, and will not effectively dehumidify a home in the summer season.
Even if the old system was the proper size, upgrades such as house wrap, energy-effective windows, and increased insulation in the attic lower the requirement for heating and cooling capability, so the next HVAC system will be smaller sized. That might develop the need for smaller sized ductwork too.

You should watch out for cost gouging! “Throughout the nation, the gross profit for duct restoration work is reported at margins of 65% to 80%. That’s quite sweet compared to the market averages of 30% to 40% gross profit for unit replacement,” according to Rob Falke, President of the National Convenience Institute, a business that aids HVAC Companies to boost their services.

Knowing about that substantial margins, it makes good sense to get quotes from a minimum of 3 businesses in your location with a track record of fair handling consumers and quality craftsmanship.

The rest of this article covers cost aspects, itemized rates, and duct setup rate quotes from all around the internet.

Supplies and Products Price Information

Duct Rate Elements

Ductwork replacement expenses of less than $1,000 to more than $6,000 covers a great deal of ground. Here are the elements that will identify where on that range your job will fall.

The type Of Ductwork System – The least pricey duct system is a radial system of flexible ducts in an attic going to ceiling grates. Ductwork running along an open ceiling in the basement of a one-story house is also more economical to have replaced. The costliest ones are sheet metal ducts running in enclosed walls and ceilings. A lot of jobs need more than one kind of ductwork.
Size of Your House – Larger houses need more linear feet of ductwork leading to a greater price.
Whether Return Ducts are Needed – Many houses have return ducts. A couple of houses with an open layout and a first-floor HVAC system do not need them, as air is quickly drawn back to the heating system or air handler.
The Number Of Duct Runs – Home size is an element here, however, so is the design of your house. A stretching cattle ranch may have more duct runs than a two-story of the exact same number of square feet.
R-value of Insulated Ducts – Flexible ductwork running in open space like an attic will be insulated from about R6 to R10. The greater the R-value, the more expensive the ducting. Nevertheless, this is an expense that pays for itself pretty quickly, so pick better R-values when provided with an alternative. Keep in mind: Increasing the insulation throughout your house is usually a terrific way to minimize energy expenses all year round. Check out expenses for spray foam insulation, in addition to standard blown in insulation expenses to get an idea of expense versus cost savings.
Wall/Ceiling Disturbance – As already noted, when drywall or drop-ceiling systems should be eliminated and replaced, the expense quote will be close to the upper end of the range. This is more typical in multi-level houses.
Mold Removal – If the team gets into the wall area and discovers considerable levels of mold, it ought to be dealt with. While not very common, mold removal can be costly. If it is substantial levels, you’ll sustain expenses beyond the range offered above. That’s truly a different job in itself.
Zoning Tools Inside Ducts – When dampers need to be gotten rid of and replaced, the price increases because of the extra tools and labor needed.
The complexity of the Ducting – A few of the other aspects enter into this, like home size and design, where the ductwork is situated, age of your house and ducts, and so on.
Season – How busy or slow the HVAC professionals are at the time you get quotes will most likely impact their quotes.
Your geographical location – The general cost of living can impact expenses by 10% to 25%. It is higher on the Coasts, specifically in the NE and NW. The nationwide average is found in big city locations, like Chicagoland and urbane Dallas/Ft. Worth. The cost of living is the most affordable in the backwoods of the Midwest, Plains, and the South.

Cost of Setup Materials

Here are the itemized expenses for the most typical kinds of ductwork and materials required to finish the setup.

You might also like our articles about the cost of block foundation repair, tape and mud drywall installation, and galvanized pipes replacement.

$1.10 – $5.25 per foot for Insulated flexible duct, 4″ to 16″ sizes utilized as branches or in radial duct attic systems
$2.30 – $13.00 per foot for Round and oval sheet metal duct, 3″ to 8″ sizes usually utilized for trunks in little houses and branches in bigger houses
$6.50 – $12.00 per foot for Rectangle-shaped duct 6″ x12″ and 12″ x24″ utilized as trunks
$3.00 – $12.50 per foot for Spiral, ornamental duct utilized in visible places such as along the ceiling of a loft apartment or condo
$5.25 – $7.00 per foot for Duct stacks utilized in walls
$50 – $150 each for Plenum utilized to link the heating system or air handler to provide ducts and Cold Air Drop for linking the return ducts to the furnace/air handler
$225 – $575 for Fittings and devices like boots, liftoffs, joist pans, and dampers
$50 – $125 for Duct sealant consisting of tape, insulating wrap, and mastic
$60 – $200 for Needed tools depending upon their quality

Authorizations, Evaluation, and System Setup Expenses

It’s not a common occurrence for authorization to be needed for duct replacement. You should always check with your regional codes though.

Setup Labor Elements

Do It Yourself ductwork minimizes labor expenses.

$4.50 – $8.25 per foot for Setup labor expense depending upon the type, complexity, area, and how easy/hard it is to gain access to.

Setup Time

Setting up ductwork is a 1-4 day task because of the large range of scenarios you might fall into. Linking an attic air handler to ceiling ducts in a single-story house is a fast job.

Setting up ducts in a multistory house goes a little more slowly because wall stacks will be included.

Here’s a common circumstance for a 2,000 – 2,500 square foot two-story.

5-1 Day to expose and remove old ductwork
1-2 days to set up brand-new ducts
5 -1 day to seal brand-new ducts and finish the job

Overall = 2-4 days.

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Alec Pow

Alec Pow is a thorough and methodical Financial and Business Analyst with over 15 years of experience in financial statement analysis, Foreign exchange derivative hedging instruments analysis, modeling, and risk management, with a long history of writing for big news publications like Forbes, MSN.com, Washington Post, and many more.