chippyo

Is $20,000 to install heat pumps/mini-splits and redo ductwork (per floor) a fair price?

Project Details

I bought my 2,600 sq foot house last year. It was built in 1997 and had ductwork for central air, but no units were installed. I'm looking to install central air. Initial quotes for heat pumps/mini-splits were very high, and I'm unsure if they are truly more cost-effective than traditional central air, especially with expensive electricity in New England. I currently have oil heat with forced hot water baseboards and am not looking to replace it entirely, but rather to supplement it or add cooling. I'm concerned about the cost savings and don't want to be swindled. Electricity is super expensive here, so I'm not sure what cost savings it would be to split heating between oil and the heat pump, or if it would just jack up my electric bill. I'm curious if heat pumps are now the standard for central air installations.

Quote Details

Initial quotes for installing heat pumps or mini-splits, with the scope of work applying to each floor of the house. The existing oil heat system uses forced hot water baseboards and does not share ductwork with the proposed system. Specifics of the work included: - Ripping out all existing ductwork - Redoing all ductwork - Installation of heat pumps and/or mini-splits - One recommendation included a mini-split for one large room and heat pumps for the two other floors

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More Details

Category

HVAC

Price

$20,000

Quote Date

November 12, 2025

Location

Massachusetts

Home Size

2,600 sq ft

Year Built

1997

Fuel type

Electric

System type

Heat pump, Ductless mini Split

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