Typical range
01
$3,500 – $8,000 installed
Honest, installed, no surprise add-ons.
38.21°N · 87.57°W — Haubstadt, IN
Vol. 17 · No. 26 — A Field Guide to Comfort
Open 24/7/365
How much does a new furnace cost in Southwest Indiana.
If you are looking at a furnace replacement this year, you deserve real numbers — not a vague brochure range. With 68 freeze days a year around Evansville and a polar vortex that hit -12°F in the last decade, your furnace is not a luxury. It is a load-rated piece of equipment that has to match your home, your ductwork, and your gas supply. Below is the honest math the way Pat would walk you through it at your kitchen table — entry-level 80% AFUE on one end, fully modulating 96%+ on the other, and what actually moves the price in between. No commission scripts. No surprise add-ons hidden in the fine print.
I
Quick Answer
The honest range, at a glance.
Updated June 2026. We revise as distributor pricing moves.
Median install
02
$5,500
What most Evansville-area homes land at for a properly sized, code-installed system.
01 / 03
Entry-level 80% AFUE single-stage
$4,000 median
$3,500 – $4,500
financing available — ask about current options
A straightforward like-for-like swap on a smaller home with clean, accessible ductwork and an existing flue that meets code. Honest, reliable heat with no frills.
02 / 03
Mid-range 95–96% AFUE two-stage
$5,500 median
$4,800 – $6,300
financing available — ask about current options
High-efficiency condensing furnace with a PVC sidewall vent, a properly sized return, and a real Manual J load calc. The most common choice for a 1,800–2,400 sq ft home around Evansville.
03 / 03
Premium 96–98% modulating variable-speed
$7,200 median
$6,500 – $8,000
financing available — ask about current options
Fully modulating burner paired with an ECM blower, communicating thermostat, and any duct or return modifications needed to actually let the equipment breathe. The quiet, even-heat setup.
II
What Moves the Price
The ledger, line by honest line.
Measured, not guessed. These are the variables we actually price against your home.
No.
Factor
Why it matters
Range
01
Furnace size (BTU) and efficiency rating
Bigger BTU and higher AFUE both add cost — but oversizing is a comfort problem, not a feature.
+$0 – $3,500 02
Single-stage vs. two-stage vs. modulating
Two-stage and modulating burners cost more upfront but run longer at lower fire — quieter, more even.
+$1,200 – $3,000 03
Venting changes (B-vent to PVC sidewall)
Moving from an 80% to a 95%+ furnace requires new PVC venting and a condensate drain.
+$400 – $1,200 04
Ductwork modifications or return air upsizing
Most older homes have undersized returns. We measure static pressure before quoting.
+$300 – $2,500 05
Gas line resize or new line
A higher-BTU unit sometimes needs a larger gas line from the meter.
+$150 – $800 06
Thermostat and zoning
Communicating thermostats unlock modulating features. Zoning adds dampers and a control board.
+$250 – $2,200 07
Permit, inspection, and combustion analysis
Required by code and should always be on the invoice — not optional.
+$120 – $350 III
On a Real Estimate
What should be in writing.
If a quote skips these, ask why. None of them are extras — they are the job.
- 01
Manual J load calculation matched to your home, not a rule of thumb
- 02
New furnace, factory warranty registration, and a 10-year parts warranty when eligible
- 03
New PVC venting and condensate drain (for 95%+ models)
- 04
New thermostat or reuse of your existing one (your call)
- 05
Removal and proper disposal of old equipment
- 06
Permit, inspection, and post-install combustion analysis
- 07
Startup, airflow balancing, and a written commissioning report
- 08
One-year labor warranty on the installation
IV
Usually Not Included
The honest exclusions.
If your home needs one of these, we quote it separately — never buried.
- 01
Major duct rework or adding new supply runs (quoted separately if needed)
- 02
Electrical panel upgrades if your service is undersized
- 03
Asbestos abatement on older flue or duct insulation (rare, but possible in pre-1980 homes)
- 04
Chimney liner work if you have an orphaned water heater after the swap
V
Estimate Red Flags
What we would walk away from.
No commission scripts here — these are the patterns that should give any homeowner pause.
- 01
A "today only" discount that disappears if you sleep on it — comfort decisions deserve a night to think.
- 02
No Manual J load calculation, no static-pressure reading, and no look at your return air before a quote.
- 03
A flat per-ton or per-BTU price with no walk-through of your specific home.
- 04
Verbal-only quotes or a refusal to itemize equipment, labor, venting, and permit separately.
- 05
Pressure to finance at the door before you have seen the written scope.
VI
Honest Caveats
What we would tell our own family.
Caveat
01 / 03
Every home is different. The same model furnace can install for $5,400 in one Newburgh ranch and $7,600 in a Vincennes two-story with a tight mechanical room — and both numbers are fair.
Caveat
02 / 03
Equipment pricing moved in 2025 with the refrigerant phase-out and tariff shifts. We update these numbers as our distributor pricing changes — not once a year.
Caveat
03 / 03
If someone quotes you well below the entry-level number, ask what was left out. Usually it is the permit, the combustion analysis, or the warranty registration.
VII
Frequently Asked
The questions we hear at the kitchen table.
Plain English, no scripts.
01 Is a 96% AFUE furnace worth the extra money over an 80%?
In Southwest Indiana, usually yes — but not always. With 68 freeze days a year, the efficiency gap pays back in 6–9 years for most homes. If you are planning to sell within 3 years or your gas bill is already low, an 80% can be the honest call. We will run the payback math for you, not against you.
02 How long should a new furnace last?
15–20 years if it was sized right and maintained. We see plenty of properly installed Trane, Carrier, and Lennox units cross 18 years in this climate. The number one thing that shortens furnace life is oversizing — it short-cycles itself to death.
03 Do I have to replace my AC at the same time?
No. Plenty of homes only need the furnace right now. The honest reason to do both at once is matched performance and a single labor charge — not because someone told you the AC "will not work" with the new furnace. That is rarely true.
04 Are there any rebates or tax credits in 2026?
Yes — the federal 25C credit still applies to qualifying high-efficiency furnaces, and Vectren/CenterPoint runs seasonal rebates. We will check both before we hand you the quote.
05 What do furnace repairs cost before I commit to replacing?
Minor furnace repairs run $189–$499 and major repairs run $499–$1,900, on top of the standard $65–$95 evaluation fee. When a major repair lands near the price of new equipment on a 15-year-old furnace, we'll show you both numbers side by side and let you decide.
VIII
Your Next Step
Honest math for your home.
Get an honest furnace quote
Pat and the family will walk your home, measure what matters, and put real numbers in writing — at your kitchen table, not a script.
Get an honest furnace quoteSee furnace services
Read the service page before you call. You will see the same plain-English explanations we use on every quote.
See furnace servicesLast updated June 2026. We revise this guide as our distributor pricing changes — not once a year.
Posted Fees
The fees, in the open.
- Standard evaluation / dispatch $65 – $95 not waived
- After-hours / emergency visit from $200 24/7 dispatch
- Seasonal tune-up / maintenance visit $89 spring or fall
- Inspection & testing (most services) $99 written report
Before You Compare Quotes
These ranges are estimates — your exact price comes from your home.
Every number on this page is a real range from jobs we run in Southwest Indiana, but the final price always depends on your equipment, your home's condition, and the scope of the work. Call to schedule and we'll give you an exact, written quote — no surprises at the door.
Financing is available through third-party lending partners, subject to credit approval — ask us for current options. The evaluation/dispatch fee is quoted before booking and is not waived.
Why an instant-quote algorithm can't price your job
Open 24 / 7
Ready for an honest furnace quote? —
the call that starts it.
No commission scripts, no pressure, no surprise add-ons. Just Pat and the family walking your home and showing you the math.
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Indiana HVAC: HAC25196 · Indiana Plumbing: PC10701678 · Illinois: #550-045707
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Even Sunday at 2 a.m.
We stand behind it
Every job, every time
END OF FIELD GUIDE A Family-Owned Operation — Since 2009 Vol. 17 · No. 26