Typical installed cost for a 3-ton AC + furnace system, with contractor labor rate. National average: $9,500. Updated 2026-09-01.
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A complete 3-ton AC plus gas furnace replacement runs $7,900 to $22,000 installed, with most jobs landing between $8,000 and $15,000. Bryant's 2026 pricing guide puts full-system replacement nationally at $5,000 to $28,000 depending on system type and efficiency. AC alone is $6,000 to $18,000 for 3 tons; a gas furnace alone is $2,800 to $6,400.
Usually yes if both are past 10 years. The coil and blower work as a matched set, so a new AC on a dying furnace loses efficiency and often the warranty. Doing both at once also saves roughly 10% versus two separate visits. If the furnace is under 8 years old and healthy, replacing the AC alone is defensible.
Check three things. Equipment should be itemized (a 3-ton condenser alone runs $1,700 to $5,000). The sizing should come from a Manual J load calculation, not the old unit's badge. And the quote should specify line-set replacement, a new pad, and proper commissioning with documented superheat and airflow numbers. Quotes lacking all three are guesses wearing letterhead.
Prices don't move by month as much as wait times do, but the dead of summer and the first cold snap of winter are when emergency replacements happen, and emergency buyers negotiate nothing. Booking in spring or fall gets you scheduling flexibility and room to collect competing bids. Off-season promotions in those shoulder months are also common.