HVAC Replacement Cost in Kent, WA (2026)
Updated October 2026 · Kent, WA · index 1.25
How much does a new HVAC system cost in Kent? For a 3-ton system with central AC + gas furnace, homeowners in Kent, WA pay about $13,100 on average, and most quotes land between $8,900 and $17,200 — $2,973 to $5,731 per ton. The price covers removing the old system, the new outdoor and indoor equipment, a new line set, electrical and condensate connections, the thermostat, the permit, start-up and commissioning.
The HVAC replacement price in Kent runs 25% above the U.S. average: construction labor in the Kent area runs 40% above the national mean, materials 3% above. The same job averages $10,500 nationally and about $12,100 at the Washington statewide index.
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HVAC replacement price in Kent by system type
What a 3-ton system costs in Kent with each system type, installed:
| Option | Average · range |
|---|---|
| Central AC + gas furnacesplit AC, matched coil and an 80,000 BTU furnace$4,352 per ton | $13,100$8,900 – $17,200 |
| Heat pump + air handlerall-electric split heat pump, no furnace$4,035 per ton | $12,100$8,150 – $16,100 |
| Cold-climate heat pump + air handlervariable-speed heat pump rated for deep winter$4,613 per ton | $13,800$9,350 – $18,300 |
The least expensive option in Kent is heat pump + air handler, at about $12,100; cold-climate heat pump + air handler averages $13,800, 1.1 times as much.
Cost to replace an HVAC system in Kent by size
With central AC + gas furnace, priced for Kent, WA:
| Size | Average · range |
|---|---|
| A 2-ton system$5,661 per ton | $11,300$7,750 – $14,900 |
| A 3-ton system$4,352 per ton | $13,100$8,900 – $17,200 |
| A 4-ton system$3,698 per ton | $14,800$10,100 – $19,500 |
Some costs stay the same whatever the size — load calculation and equipment sizing, mechanical permit and inspection, old system removed, refrigerant recovered — so a bigger job costs less per unit: $3,698 per ton for a 4-ton system against $5,661 for a 2-ton system.
What an HVAC replacement in Kent includes
Line by line, the $13,100 average for a 3-ton system breaks down like this: 32% labor, 65% materials and equipment, and $270 in permit fees passed through at cost.
| Line | Low – high |
|---|---|
| Load calculation and equipment sizing | $100 – $290 |
| Mechanical permit and inspection | $150 – $400 |
| Old system removed, refrigerant recovered | $430 – $760 |
| Gas furnace (about 80,000 BTU) | $1,900 – $3,400 |
| Outdoor unit, set on a new pad | $2,850 – $5,350 |
| Matched indoor coil | $1,250 – $2,650 |
| New refrigerant line set (25 ft) | $480 – $760 |
| Disconnect, whip and thermostat wire | $260 – $430 |
| Condensate drain and safety switch | $140 – $330 |
| Gas connection and furnace venting | $400 – $740 |
| Plenums and transitions to the ducts | $330 – $760 |
| Programmable or smart thermostat | $290 – $520 |
| Evacuation and refrigerant charge | $140 – $290 |
| Start-up and commissioning | $140 – $330 |
| Warranty registration and walk-through | $70 – $170 |
Each line is the price book's U.S. rate for that step, scaled by 0.76 to the installed price published sources give for the whole job (see how these prices are built), times Kent's index of 1.25; permit fees are not scaled.
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What affects HVAC replacement prices in Kent
Labor and materials in Kent
Construction wages in the Kent metro run 34% above the U.S. mean (BLS, May 2025), and specialty-contractor pay in the city's county moves that up by 5%, to 40% above the national mean. Materials in the area's ZIP codes price 3% above the national average. Together they give Kent a construction cost index of 1.25.
Where Kent sits in Washington
Kent ties for the most expensive of the 32 Washington cities in our index, against a statewide index of 1.16. Yakima is the least expensive at 1.04.
Against the rest of the country
Of the 306 U.S. cities in JobFlex's index, Kent ranks 8th from the most expensive. The job that averages $13,100 here averages $10,500 at the national rate.
Climate a system is sized for in Washington
Contractors size equipment for the local design temperatures. Across Washington's counties the median is about 89°F on a hot summer day and 16°F on a cold winter night (ENERGY STAR county table), and your county can differ. A standard heat pump handles most winters here; a furnace or a cold-climate model covers the coldest nights.
Sales tax in Washington
Washington's base state sales tax is 6.5%, and cities and counties can add their own. How it applies to a home-improvement contract varies, so ask whether a quote includes it. Prices on this page are before tax.
What a Kent contractor will ask before quoting
- Job type — new construction, replacement or upgrade — and the evidence for it
- Heating and cooling load for this house (not the old nameplate), tonnage, fuel and refrigerant
- Ducts, line set, circuit, gas line and flue: keep, fix or replace, each with its reason
- Water heater in scope, and whether it shared the old flue
- Panel main amps, free slots and the new equipment's MCA
- Permits, tests and incentives that apply in this state
HVAC replacement cost in other Washington cities
A 3-ton system with central AC + gas furnace averages $13,100 in Kent; $13,100 in Renton, $13,100 in Auburn, $13,100 in Bothell.
| City | Average · range |
|---|---|
| Renton, WAsame as Kent | $13,100$8,900 – $17,200 |
| Auburn, WAsame as Kent | $13,100$8,900 – $17,200 |
| Bothell, WAsame as Kent | $13,100$8,900 – $17,200 |
| Federal Way, WAsame as Kent | $13,100$8,900 – $17,200 |
| Redmond, WAsame as Kent | $13,100$8,900 – $17,200 |
| Issaquah, WAsame as Kent | $13,100$8,900 – $17,200 |
| Kirkland, WAsame as Kent | $13,100$8,900 – $17,200 |
| Sammamish, WAsame as Kent | $13,100$8,900 – $17,200 |
HVAC replacement price in Kent: questions
How much does a new HVAC system cost in Kent, WA?
About $13,100 for a 3-ton system with central AC + gas furnace, and most Kent quotes fall between $8,900 and $17,200. That is 25% above the U.S. average, where the same job averages $10,500.
What is the HVAC price per ton in Kent?
$2,973 to $5,731 per ton, about $4,352 on average with central AC + gas furnace. Smaller jobs cost more per unit, because the fixed costs are spread over less.
How much is a 4-ton system in Kent?
$10,100 to $19,500, about $14,800 on average, with central AC + gas furnace — $3,698 per ton.
Do you need a permit for HVAC replacement in Kent?
Yes — installing HVAC or fuel-burning equipment needs a permit nearly everywhere, Kent included. The prices on this page carry $150–$400 for the permit and inspection.
Does the price include sales tax in Washington?
No. The prices here are before tax; Washington's base state rate is 6.5%, plus any local rate.
What size HVAC system does a house in Kent need?
It is worked out with a Manual J load calculation for the house — included in the prices above — not from square footage alone. Here it is run against design temperatures of about 89°F in summer and 16°F in winter (the Washington median).
Other home projects in Kent
HVAC replacement cost in Washington
How these prices are built
Every price on this page comes from JobFlex's contractor price book: what a homeowner pays a licensed contractor for each step of the job, as a U.S. national average per unit, with the contractor's overhead and profit included and sales tax left out. The HVAC replacement is priced step by step, then multiplied by Kent's construction cost index of 1.25.
Where the price book's steps for an option add up to more than 20% over the installed price a published source gives for the whole job, every step but a permit fee is scaled down to the middle of that range: central AC + gas furnace × 0.76 (HomeCostCalcs 2026: $7,000–$14,000); heat pump + air handler × 0.76, following central AC + gas furnace; cold-climate heat pump + air handler × 0.76, following central AC + gas furnace.
The index weighs local construction wages (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025) at 60% and the area's material prices (Craftsman ZIP-area factors) at 40%. Published indices for Kent, each on its own base: Craftsman 1.13. Treat any city figure as about ±5%; a contractor's quote for your house is the number to plan with.
Contractors in Kent build quotes like these with JobFlex's HVAC estimator.
- HomeCostCalcs 2026: furnace + AC replacement $7,000-$14,000 standard, $10,000-$20,000 high efficiency
- Today's Homeowner 2025: complete HVAC system install $5,000-$12,500