HVAC & Furnace Replacement Cost in Boise (2026)

These 2026 estimates cover Boise and the Treasure Valley. Treat every figure as a range, not a fixed quote. Your price depends on your house, your ductwork, and the equipment you choose.

Top Shelf Heating & Cooling is a Meridian, Idaho company. Its published guides put the installed furnace range at $2,500 to $7,500 and the full AC range at $4,000 to $12,000.

A full system replacement costs more than either job alone. This Old House's 2026 national estimate for central AC plus a gas furnace is $7,400 to $22,000. Other national configurations it lists: heat pump with air handler, $7,300 to $21,700; dual fuel, $9,600 to $28,700; ductless multi-zone, $12,000 to $25,000; geothermal, $15,000 to $35,000.

A furnace-only job in Boise runs $2,500 to $7,500 installed, according to Top Shelf's published guide. If the price has to include the furnace itself, the range is $3,000 to $8,400.

Boise-area labor runs about $1,500 to $5,000 per HVAC job, at $100 to $200 an hour, based on Top Shelf's published figures. Equipment, installation complexity, and any ductwork changes move a quote within the range.

Top Shelf's Boise guide also puts a heat pump replacement at $4,000 to $8,000 and a ductless system at $2,000 to $13,000+. Both sit inside the overall AC range.

The furnace ranges are estimates, not bids. A written quote should itemize the equipment, the labor, and permit fees separately.

Age is the fastest way to decide between a repair and a replacement. ENERGY STAR says to start thinking about replacement when your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old, or when your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old.

Carrier says a well-maintained furnace typically lasts 15 to 20 years, and high-quality systems that are professionally installed and maintained can run up to 30 years. Top Shelf's Boise guide agrees: heaters should last 15-plus years, and replacement is worth considering for a unit over 15 to 20 years old.

If your system is past those ages and the repair estimate is a large chunk of a replacement price, replacement usually makes more sense. If the unit is younger, a repair keeps it going. Repairs of an existing system are exempt from the HVAC permit requirement under Idaho Code 54-5016.

Idaho law requires a permit before installing or replacing an HVAC system. Idaho Code 54-5016 makes it unlawful to do any construction, installation, or alteration of a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning system without first getting a permit. Repair and maintenance of an existing system are exempt.

Which office issues the permit depends on your address. Idaho DOPL, the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, says a permit is required for any HVAC work and publishes a jurisdiction chart because several cities and counties issue their own permits. Inside Boise city limits, the City of Boise requires a mechanical permit to install or change any part of a heating or cooling system and has its own inspectors. Where DOPL holds jurisdiction, it issues contractor and homeowner HVAC permits and schedules inspections.

Who can do the work? Idaho Code 54-5008 requires a state certificate of competency to work in HVAC in Idaho. You have to pass an exam to earn one, which is stricter than general contracting. Certificates are not transferable and must be displayed and carried on the job under Idaho Code 54-5014. DOPL issues apprentice, journeyman, and contractor classes, plus specialty and limited-heating versions of each.

A homeowner acting as their own sub (subcontractor) in Boise must get the permit and physically perform the work themselves.

Get at least three written bids before you replace a system. Make sure each bid lists the same items: equipment model, labor, permit fees, removal of the old unit, and any ductwork changes.

Top Shelf's published guide puts Boise-area labor at $1,500 to $5,000 per job, at $100 to $200 an hour. That is one reason quotes vary. Equipment type moves the number even more: a heat pump runs $4,000 to $8,000 in the Boise area, while a ductless system can run $2,000 to $13,000+.

Before you sign, check the contractor's Idaho certificate of competency. You can verify HVAC licenses with DOPL. Ask each company what the bid includes and what would be extra. The cheapest bid is not always the best one if it leaves out permits or disposal.

Replacing the furnace and AC at the same time is common, but the numbers point to two different price levels. This Old House's 2026 national estimate for a full system, central AC plus a gas furnace, is $7,400 to $22,000. Top Shelf's Boise ranges for the two jobs separately are $2,500 to $7,500 installed for the furnace and $4,000 to $12,000 for the AC.

The ranges overlap, and that is the honest answer: pricing depends on the exact equipment and the installer. No published discount is guaranteed for doing both at once, so ask for an itemized quote for each job and compare the combined price against full-system bids.