Ductwork Installation and Repair Pricing: HVAC Contractor Guide
HVAC contractors should charge $2,800-$5,500 for a complete ductwork replacement in a typical 2,000 sq ft home. Flex duct runs $8-$15 per linear foot installed, while rigid sheet metal costs $15-$30 per linear foot. Duct sealing and insulation repairs run $800-$2,500. Individual duct runs or branch additions cost $300-$800 each. Labor accounts for 50-60% of ductwork project costs.
Ductwork is the most overlooked component in HVAC estimating, yet it has the single biggest impact on system performance. A perfectly sized furnace or AC unit will underperform by 20-40% with leaky, undersized, or poorly insulated ducts. For HVAC contractors, ductwork projects are high-margin opportunities — the labor intensity keeps out DIY competition, and most homeowners have no idea what ductwork should cost. This guide covers pricing for every ductwork scenario.
Complete Duct System Installation Pricing
A full duct system for new construction or a complete replacement includes trunk lines, branch runs, registers, returns, boots, and transitions. Material costs for a 2,000 sq ft home typically run $1,200-$2,500 depending on material type: insulated flex duct is the most common residential option at $1.50-$3.00 per linear foot for materials, while rigid sheet metal fabricated ductwork runs $4-$8 per linear foot for materials. A typical residential system needs 150-250 linear feet of duct, 8-12 supply registers, 3-5 return air grilles, and a supply plenum with transitions. Labor for a complete duct system runs 16-30 hours for a two-person crew at $75-$125 per hour per person. Total installed cost: $2,800-$5,500 for flex duct systems and $4,500-$8,500 for rigid sheet metal systems. Sheet metal costs more but offers better airflow, durability, and noise reduction — position it as the premium option in your proposals.
Duct Replacement and Retrofit Pricing
Replacing existing ductwork in an occupied home is more labor-intensive than new construction because of access constraints in attics, crawl spaces, and between floors. Attic duct replacements are the most common residential job. A typical attic flex duct replacement takes 8-16 hours for a two-person crew: remove old duct straps and insulation, pull out old ducts, install new hangers, run new insulated flex duct, connect to boots and plenum, seal all connections with mastic, and verify airflow at each register. Materials run $800-$1,800 and labor runs $1,500-$3,000. Total: $2,500-$5,000 for an attic duct replacement. Crawl space duct replacements cost 10-20% more due to access difficulty and moisture considerations — you may need to add vapor barrier or insulation upgrades. Between-floor duct runs are the most expensive because they require drywall removal and patching (coordinate with a drywaller or include it as an exclusion in your estimate).
Duct Sealing and Insulation Pricing
Duct sealing is one of the highest-margin services in residential HVAC. The average home loses 20-30% of conditioned air through duct leaks, and fixing this dramatically improves system performance and comfort. Manual duct sealing involves applying mastic or foil tape at every connection point — plenums, branches, boots, and transitions. A typical home has 30-60 connection points. Materials cost $50-$150 (mastic, tape, sealer) and labor runs 4-8 hours. Total: $800-$1,500. Aeroseal is a technology that seals ducts from the inside using aerosolized sealant particles. Equipment rental runs $200-$400 per job, materials $150-$250, and the process takes 3-5 hours. Total: $1,500-$2,500. The margin on Aeroseal is excellent because the technology commands premium pricing and delivers measurable, testable results. Duct insulation upgrades (adding R-8 insulation wrap to uninsulated ducts in unconditioned spaces) run $2-$4 per linear foot installed, typically $500-$1,200 for a whole system.
Duct Modifications and Add-On Runs
Duct modifications during system replacements are among the most commonly missed items in HVAC estimates. When upgrading from a 3-ton to a 4-ton system, the existing ductwork may be undersized — supply plenums, trunk lines, and branch runs all need to match the new airflow requirements. Adding or resizing a return air drop typically costs $300-$600 in materials and labor. Adding a new supply run to a room that is always too hot or cold costs $300-$800 depending on distance and access. Transitioning from an old plenum to a new air handler often requires sheet metal fabrication at $200-$500. Damper installation for zone control adds $150-$300 per damper. These modifications are easy to overlook during the quoting process but can add $500-$2,000 to a system replacement. Build a ductwork checklist into your site assessment: measure trunk line sizes, count supply and return registers, check for disconnected or crushed ducts, and verify insulation condition.
Material Options: Flex vs. Rigid vs. Duct Board
The three main residential duct materials have different cost profiles and applications. Insulated flex duct is the most cost-effective option at $1.50-$3.00 per linear foot for materials. It is lightweight, easy to install, and available in standard sizes from 4 to 16 inches. The downside is airflow resistance — flex duct must be pulled taut and properly supported to avoid kinks and sags that restrict flow. Rigid sheet metal ductwork costs $4-$8 per linear foot for materials and requires fabrication skills. It offers the best airflow performance, longest lifespan (30+ years), and cleanest appearance in exposed installations. Sheet metal is standard in commercial work and premium residential. Duct board (fiberglass duct board cut and assembled on site) costs $3-$5 per linear foot and provides good insulation and sound attenuation. It is common in the South for trunk lines. Use flex duct for branch runs to maintain cost efficiency, and consider sheet metal for trunk lines and main returns where airflow performance matters most.
Ductwork Estimating Tips and Common Mistakes
The biggest estimating mistake on ductwork jobs is underestimating labor hours. Ductwork installation is physically demanding — working in 140-degree attics, tight crawl spaces, and awkward positions slows even experienced crews. Add 20-30% to your initial labor estimate for attic work in summer and crawl space work in any season. Second, do not forget about return air. Many older homes have inadequate return air — one central return for the whole house. Adding return air runs to bedrooms improves comfort dramatically and is an easy upsell at $300-$600 per return. Third, always account for transition pieces and fittings. A duct run is not just straight duct — every boot, elbow, wye, and transition adds $15-$50 in materials and 15-30 minutes of labor. A typical system has 20-40 fittings. Fourth, insulation requirements vary by climate zone and location. Ducts in unconditioned spaces (attics, crawl spaces, garages) must be insulated to R-6 or R-8 per code in most jurisdictions. Factor this into your material costs for any exposed ductwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Complete ductwork replacement in a typical 2,000 sq ft home costs $2,800-$5,500 for flex duct systems and $4,500-$8,500 for rigid sheet metal. This includes trunk lines, branch runs, registers, returns, insulation, and all connections. Attic replacements are most common; crawl space and between-floor work costs 10-20% more.
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