HVAC cost by home size calculator

Last checked October 29, 2026

How the math works

1. Adjust the square footage. HomeGuide's sizing guide says to add about 10% for sunny rooms, 10% to 20% for poor insulation, and about 10% for higher ceilings. We add 10%, 15% (the middle) and 10% when you check those boxes.
2. Look up the size in two charts. A Las Vegas HVAC company's chart (Bob's Repair) and HomeGuide's hot-climate chart. They disagree by up to a ton for 2,000 to 2,500 sq ft homes, so we show the span from both.
3. Price that size. For 3, 4 and 5 tons we use Bob's Repair's Las Vegas prices. That company says its table is built from Angi's national equipment and install prices. No local source lists 2, 2.5 or 3.5 tons, so those use Fixr's national prices.
4. For AC and furnace or a heat pump, no source prices by tonnage, so we show a Las Vegas cost guide's range for a typical 1,500 to 2,500 sq ft home.

This is a ballpark, not a sizing. ACCA and building-science writers say square-foot rules are often wrong. Contractors commonly use 400 to 600 sq ft per ton, but measured load calculations have averaged far larger, around 1,200 sq ft per ton, so a lot of homes get oversized ACs. An oversized AC short-cycles and wears out faster. Ask every contractor for a Manual J load calculation. More on sizing

Over about 3,000 sq ft, or with two stories, you may need two systems or zoning. NRS, a Las Vegas company, says one unit can struggle in a two-story home over 2,000 sq ft. Get an on-site quote.

Got a quote already? Check it against Las Vegas prices.

Common questions

Sources

Rules, rebates and prices change. If something here is out of date, tell us on the share page and we'll fix it.