Cost scenarios
What you actually pay
Heat pump install cost depends heavily on your scenario — ducted vs. ductless, retrofit vs. new construction, full electrification vs. dual-fuel hybrid. Below is the real dollar breakdown per scenario: equipment, labor, ductwork, electrical, permits. Plus typical rebate stacks and the ways homeowners overspend.
Partial — one mini-split for an addition or single room
Cheapest path to heat pump experience. Single ductless head for a sunroom, garage conversion, finished basement, or attic bedroom that the central system struggles to reach.
Total installed
$3,200–$8,200
Rebate stack
~$1,200
Ductless mini-split — for homes without existing ductwork
No ducts, no problem. One outdoor unit paired with 1–5 indoor heads mounted on walls or ceilings. Common in older New England stock, bungalows, apartments, additions.
Total installed
$5,650–$21,200
Rebate stack
~$3,200
Ducted heat pump retrofit — replacing a gas furnace + AC
The most common install: drop a ducted central heat pump into an existing forced-air plenum after the gas furnace reaches end of life.
Total installed
$7,350–$19,100
Rebate stack
~$3,500
Dual-fuel hybrid — heat pump + gas furnace backup
Best of both: HP runs ~30°F and above, gas furnace kicks in below. Avoids the cold-climate model premium in zones 5–6 where gas is cheap.
Total installed
$8,000–$20,000
Rebate stack
~$2,200
New construction — heat pump from day one
When you build, the HP is cheaper than a gas + AC combo. No fuel line install, one system instead of two, and duct design optimised for lower supply temperatures.
Total installed
$10,350–$26,400
Rebate stack
~$2,500
Whole-home cold-climate heat pump — full electrification in zone 5+
NEEP-listed ccASHP handles 100% of heating down to -13°F. No gas backup needed. Most expensive retrofit upfront, but decouples you from gas bills and the AIM Act refrigerant phase-down.
Total installed
$14,450–$32,400
Rebate stack
~$5,200