HVAC system installation cost in Brentwood depends on which system you are putting in and what the house needs around it. A complete AC installation in Brentwood runs between $6,200 and $11,500. A new system here means equipment sized to the house, set where it stays quiet, with the permit paperwork handled and the unit started before we leave.
What a new HVAC system costs in Brentwood
Start with cooling. The $6,200 to $11,500 range covers a complete central AC install, the outdoor condenser, the indoor equipment, the connections and the start-up. Read the full scope on our AC installation service.
If you are replacing heat too, price it separately. Gas furnace replacement costs $4,500 to $7,500. A complete ducted heat pump installation runs $8,000 to $14,000. A heat pump does the cooling and the heating, so it can stand in for both.
Request the written estimate and we will price the system you actually want, not the one on the old nameplate. We walk the house first. Then you see the equipment, the scope and the price on paper before work starts.
What moves the number
The load calculation comes first. We measure room by room, count window area and which way the glass faces, and look at insulation and ceiling height. The answer sets the tonnage, and tonnage drives price.
After that, three things separate a low quote from a high one:
- Duct condition. Leaky or undersized ducts are fixed or replaced before the new system goes in.
- Condenser location. Setbacks, HOA screening and the neighbor's bedroom window decide where it goes.
- Access. A hillside pad or a long line set run changes the labor.
Ducts can be a real line item. Full replacement, which is what long retrofit runs and collapsed flex usually need, runs $3,200 to $7,400 and scales with the number of supplies and the distance from the air handler to the far end of the house. See ductwork services for what that includes.
On the estimate you see the equipment, the scope and each separate line, so a duct repair or a permit item never hides inside one total. If a number looks high, ask us which line drives it. We walk through it with you and, where a smaller scope would work, we price that too.
Condenser placement on flat streets and canyon lots
We decide where the condenser goes before the estimate, not on install day. On flat Brentwood streets the questions are setbacks and how far sound travels to the next house.
On canyon lots off Mandeville or in Sullivan Canyon, the pad is often cut into the slope below the house. Then the line set length and the rise to the air handler become part of the design. Where an HOA has rules on equipment placement and screening, we plan around them.
Bel Air takes more lead time. Gated communities and winding roads mean we schedule access in advance, and HOA notification is often required before exterior equipment goes in. If you are in Bel Air, tell us when you call.
Permit, refrigerant and what the code asks for
A new HVAC system is permitted work. Brentwood is inside the City of Los Angeles, so the mechanical permit comes from LADBS, and some jobs need an electrical permit as well. We handle the paperwork when the project needs it.
Title 24 Part 6 is California's Building Energy Efficiency Standard. On a change-out it can require duct sealing and a duct leakage test, verified by a third-party HERS rater who is not the installer. Since 1 January 2025, new residential split AC and heat pump systems are made with lower-GWP A2L refrigerants such as R-454B or R-32, so a new system uses one of those.
Thermostat and start-up
Setting the thermostat is the last step of the install. We check the wiring, match the thermostat to the equipment and any zone panel, and set the schedule with you. If you want the upgrade quoted, ask for a smart thermostat line on the estimate.
Then we start the system, check the refrigerant charge and airflow against the design numbers, and walk you through filter changes and the first seasonal check. The crew protects floors and landscaping and cleans up before leaving.
Installation questions
Can you quote the AC and the heating together?
Yes. We lay out central air, a heat pump or a furnace for your house side by side, each with where the outdoor unit would sit, so you compare before you approve anything.
My house has no ductwork. What are my options?
A ductless mini split gives each room its own head, sized to that room's load. A compact ducted air handler in a spare closet can serve part of the house. We walk the rooms and show where each piece goes before we quote.
Will my existing ducts work with a new system?
Sometimes. We measure static pressure and test for leakage, then tell you whether the ducts stay, need sealing, or need the trunk and returns resized.
Where does the permit come from?
LADBS issues it for Brentwood. We arrange the inspection after the install.
Ready for a number? Call (877) 702-9609 and Brentwood Air will book the walk-through.
Need Professional HVAC Service?
Our HVAC-experienced technicians are ready to help with all your AC and heating needs. Contact Brentwood Air today for expert service throughout the Brentwood and the canyons around it service area.
