What does a new AC
really cost?
An honest breakdown of what you should pay for a new AC in 2026 — and why the big-contractor quote you got is probably $3,000–$5,000 higher than it needs to be. No sales pitch.
A new central AC in 2026 typically costs $6,000–$15,000 installed when quoted by a full-service contractor. Factory-direct pricing through Furnace Direct puts equipment cost at $2,800–$5,500 — the same brand-name units (Goodman, Day & Night, Whirlpool) that contractors install, at wholesale pricing. You save $3,000–$5,000 by buying equipment direct and paying a licensed installer separately.
Typical breakdown of a contractor quote: equipment 35–45%, labor 15–25%, sales/overhead 25–35%, brand markup 10–15%.
Time
Here's what
nobody tells you.
When a contractor quotes you $11,000 for a new AC, only a fraction of that is the actual equipment. The rest is split across advertising budgets, call-center staff, in-home sales commissions, corporate overhead, and — increasingly — private-equity profit margins.
Here's the real math: a quality brand-name AC system, the equipment itself, typically costs between $3,150 and $6,550 at warehouse-direct pricing depending on size and efficiency. Installation, done by a qualified licensed contractor, typically runs $1,500–$3,500 more.
That's $4,650–$9,000 total for a quality system, fully installed — versus the $9,000–$14,000 a big-brand contractor will quote you. Same equipment. Honest pricing. No sales pitch.
Simple. Honest. Fast.
No kitchen-table sales visits. No weeks of waiting. Just quality AC equipment, shipped from our warehouse, with whatever level of help you want from there.
Shop Online
Pick your AC system online at transparent, warehouse-direct pricing. Quality brand-name equipment — the same systems the big companies install, without the markup.
Warehouse To Your Door
Right from our warehouse to your door — usually same-day in Cape Coral and Fort Myers. In stock, ready to ship, free shipping available on most orders.
Install Your Way
Use your own installer — any licensed local contractor — or call us and we'll help coordinate a qualified install of your new equipment.
Where Your AC
Dollar Actually Goes.
The price of a new AC should be the equipment plus the labor. Everything else is markup. Here's what you're really paying for.
Big-Brand Contractor
- Equipment cost: ~25–35% of the quote
- Sales commissions: ~10–15%
- Marketing & call centers: ~10–15%
- Corporate & PE overhead: ~15–25%
- Actual install labor: ~15–20%
Furnace Direct
- Equipment cost: 100% of our product price
- No sales commissions — shop online
- No corporate marketing overhead
- No private-equity profit layer
- Install separately, with your choice of contractor
No Middleman.
No Salespeople. No B.S.
The big HVAC companies you see on TV aren't installing your AC — they're selling you one. We built the opposite model on purpose, and we've been running it the same way since 2003.
Warehouse-Direct Supply
We buy directly from the manufacturers — no distributors, no regional wholesalers. That means you pay the price a licensed HVAC contractor would pay for the same equipment.
No High-Pressure Sales
Nobody coming to your house to close you. No upsells, no bait-and-switch, no fake urgency. Integrity first — always has been since 2003.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
We take care of every client, period. It's why we've kept a 5.0 rating on Google after 20+ years and over 5,000 installs.
See what a fair AC price looks like.
Browse quality AC systems at warehouse-direct pricing. No sales pitch. No hidden fees. Just honest numbers.
Or Call Us Direct(888) 762-1334