How we estimate prices
Every price on this site comes from one reviewed table of typical installed ranges for Ontario. Here is where those numbers come from, what they include and leave out, and how to hold them up against a real quote.
Ranges are compiled from publicly posted Ontario contractor pricing, manufacturer and distributor list-price guidance and typical installation scopes, reviewed October 2026. Real quotes vary with the home, access, venting, ductwork, brand and season.
- System types in the price table
- 15
- Last full review
- October 2026
- Canadian dollars throughout
- CAD
- HST, always shown separately
- 13%
On this page
- What a typical installed range means
- Why a range and a midpoint, not one number
- The Ontario price index
- Add-ons sit outside the base range
- Repairs, maintenance and rentals are separate
- How city pages adjust the numbers
- Before and after HST
- What our ranges are not
- Calculator assumptions
- How often we review the numbers
- How we handle rebates
- Questions people ask
What a typical installed range means
A range on OntarioFurnacePrices.ca is what most Ontario homeowners should expect to pay for a standard replacement: the old unit comes out and a new one of the same type goes in, in an existing detached home whose ductwork and venting can be reused. It covers the equipment, the labour and the normal installation materials, in Canadian dollars, before 13% HST. Removal and disposal of the old unit is often included.
Inside the range
- The new unit at a typical installer price
- Labour for a like-for-like swap in the same spot
- Standard fittings, connections and start-up
- Removal and disposal of the old unit, often included
Priced on top
- New venting or a chimney liner
- Ductwork changes, gas line or electrical work
- A new thermostat, condensate pump or permit
- HST at 13%
Semis, townhouses and condos can land outside the range because venting routes, access and building rules differ. A detached home is the common basis that keeps every range comparable from one system, brand and city to the next.
Why a range and a midpoint, not one number
A single average hides what you most need to know: how far apart a simple job and a hard one can be. Two fair quotes for the same furnace in the same city can differ by a couple of thousand dollars because one basement is open and easy to work in and the other is finished, tight and needs a longer vent run.
- Low end $4,000
- A simple swap in the same location with easy access, entry-level equipment for the type and flexible timing.
- Midpoint $5,250
- A typical job. If you know nothing else about your home yet, plan around this number.
- High end $6,500
- Harder access or venting, a premium brand tier or features, or a rush install in the middle of winter.
The midpoint is the centre of the range, rounded to the nearest $50. It is not the median of a survey, and we do not claim a sample size, because we do not run one. On every bar, the dark tick marks that midpoint.
The Ontario price index
These are the 15 systems in the reviewed table, each drawn on the same $0 to $20,000 scale so you can compare them at a glance. Geothermal runs past the end of the scale. Every price guide, calculator and city page reads from this table, and each row links to its full guide.
| System | Typical range | Range on a common scale |
|---|---|---|
| Furnaces | ||
| Gas furnace, single-stage95 to 96% AFUE | $4,000 to $6,500 | |
| Gas furnace, two-stage96% AFUE, ECM blower | $5,500 to $8,000 | |
| Gas furnace, modulating97 to 98% AFUE, variable speed | $7,000 to $11,000 | |
| Central air conditioning | ||
| Central AC, standard1.5 to 3 ton, about 14.3 SEER2 | $3,800 to $7,000 | |
| Central AC, high efficiencyvariable speed | $6,500 to $10,500 | |
| Furnace and AC together | ||
| Furnace and central AC togetherreplaced in one job | $8,000 to $15,000 | |
| Heat pumps | ||
| Cold-climate heat pump, ductedwhole home, air source | $9,000 to $18,000 | |
| Dual fuel systemheat pump with gas furnace backup | $11,000 to $20,000 | |
| Ductless mini-splits | ||
| Ductless mini-split, single zoneone indoor head | $3,500 to $6,500 | |
| Ductless mini-split, multi-zone3 to 5 indoor heads | $9,000 to $18,000 | |
| Boilers | ||
| Combi boilerhigh efficiency, heat and hot water | $7,000 to $13,000 | |
| Hydronic heating boilerboiler only | $6,000 to $11,000 | |
| Water heaters | ||
| Tank water heater40 to 50 gal, gas | $1,800 to $3,200 | |
| Tankless water heatergas | $3,500 to $6,000 | |
| Geothermal | ||
| Geothermal heat pumpground source, whole home | $25,000 to $45,000 | to $45,000 |
Heating Cooling Heats and cools Hot water. The tick marks the midpoint of each range.
Add-ons sit outside the base range
Some work is needed in one house and not in the next, so we price it on its own line instead of hiding it inside the range. When a quote comes in above our range, the add-on lines are the first place to look.
- New venting or chimney liner$300 to $1,500
- Condensate pump$150 to $350
- Ductwork modifications$500 to $3,000+
- New thermostat$150 to $600
- Municipal permit$75 to $300
- Gas line work$300 to $1,200
- Electrical work for a heat pump$500 to $2,500
- Electrical panel upgrade$2,000 to $4,500
Heat pumps are where add-ons matter most. A ducted heat pump can need $500 to $2,500 in electrical work, and a panel without room for it can add an upgrade of $2,000 to $4,500. Ask for the electrical work to be quoted on its own line before you compare heat pump prices.
Repairs, maintenance and rentals are separate
Repair prices answer a different question, so they live in their own tables. A diagnostic or service call is typically $100 to $200 and an annual furnace tune-up $120 to $250. Parts such as igniters, flame sensors, blower motors and control boards are priced in the furnace repair cost guide, and capacitors, refrigerant leaks and compressors in the AC repair cost guide. A cracked heat exchanger is usually treated as replacement-level, which is why we built the repair or replace quiz.
Ontario furnace rentals are priced by the month, typically $40 to $80 on 10 to 15 year terms with buyout schedules. We compare them with buying in rent or buy a furnace.
How city pages adjust the numbers
City pages start from the same provincial table. Where local conditions consistently move quotes, the city snapshot shows the adjusted range next to the reason for it: older housing stock that more often needs a chimney liner, tight lots and street parking, travel time to rural addresses, or local labour costs. Where there is no clear reason to adjust, the provincial range stands. Each city page also covers the local gas utility, the climate and permit notes.
Before and after HST
Ontario's 13% HST applies to installed heating and cooling equipment and labour. We show ranges before tax because most quotes list HST on its own line, which makes them easier to compare. To convert, multiply by 1.13.
| Example | Before HST | HST | With HST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round number | $5,000 | $650 | $5,650 |
| Furnace, low end | $4,000 | $520 | $4,520 |
| Furnace, midpoint | $5,250 | $682.50 | $5,932.50 |
| Furnace, high end | $6,500 | $845 | $7,345 |
| Heat pump, midpoint | $13,500 | $1,755 | $15,255 |
Furnace rows use the gas furnace, single-stage range, $4,000 to $6,500. The heat pump row uses the ducted cold-climate range, $9,000 to $18,000.
A rebate paid to you after installation does not reduce the HST charged on the invoice, so budget for the full taxed price at the time of purchase.
What our ranges are not
- Not a quote or an offer. No company has agreed to do any work at these prices.
- Not one company's price list, including the participating companies that receive quote requests.
- Not a survey average. We do not run a survey, so we do not publish sample sizes.
- Not a promise about your home. Only a written quote after someone has seen the house is a firm number.
Turn a range into a written price
A participating local heating and cooling company can assess your home and quote the job. Free, no obligation, about a minute to request.
Free, no obligation. About a minute to request.
Calculator assumptions
The calculators use the same price table plus a few defaults you can change. Running-cost tools assume natural gas at about $0.50 per cubic metre all-in, with delivery included, electricity at about $0.15 per kWh all-in, and 10.35 kWh of heat in each cubic metre of gas. Your bills give a better answer, so enter your own rates.
Sizing tools use rules of thumb only: 25 to 45 BTU per hour per square foot for heating, depending on the age and insulation of the home, and roughly one ton of cooling per 500 to 700 square feet in Southern Ontario. A CSA F280 room-by-room load calculation is the proper sizing method in Canada.
How often we review the numbers
The full table was last reviewed in October 2026. We review it at least once a year, and sooner when something moves Ontario prices in a way homeowners would notice: a manufacturer price change, a new efficiency or refrigerant requirement, a shift in gas or electricity rates that changes running costs, or a change to a rebate program. Because every page reads from the same table, a change reaches the price guides, calculators and city pages at the same time.
How we handle rebates
Rebate facts come only from the program's own pages and government sources, never from advertising or older summaries, and each rebate page shows the date we checked them. Programs change, and some require approval before installation: Home Renovation Savings heat pump rebates need pre-approval before the work starts. A standalone gas furnace or a cooling-only air conditioner is not a heat pump rebate measure, and the Canada Greener Homes Loan closed to new applications on October 1, 2025. We never promise a rebate amount. Read the current rules in our Ontario HVAC rebates guide and confirm with the program before you buy.
Primary sources for rebate facts
- Home Renovation Savings: heat pump rebates checked October 4, 2026
- Home Renovation Savings: terms and requirements checked October 4, 2026
- Natural Resources Canada: how the Greener Homes process works checked October 4, 2026
- Save on Energy: Energy Affordability Program checked October 4, 2026
Questions people ask
Are the prices on this site quotes?
No. They are typical installed ranges for planning, built from public pricing, manufacturer and distributor guidance and typical installation scopes. A quote is a price for your home from a company that has assessed it and is ready to do the work. Use our ranges to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
Why is my quote higher than your range?
Check the add-on lines first: venting or a chimney liner, ductwork changes, gas line or electrical work and permits sit outside our base range. Then check the scope. A condo, a tight crawlspace, a premium model or a mid-winter emergency install can all push a fair price past the typical range. Ask the installer to itemize so you compare like with like.
Do your ranges include HST?
No, unless a page says so. Every range is in Canadian dollars before Ontario's 13% HST, because most quotes list tax on its own line. Multiply by 1.13 for the taxed price: $5,000 before HST is $5,650 with HST.
Do participating companies influence the numbers?
No. The site is supported by participating local heating and cooling companies that receive quote requests, but they cannot set, edit or approve the price table, and they cannot buy a better range for a brand or a city. The editorial team reviews the table against public pricing and manufacturer and distributor guidance.