How Much to Charge to Install a Mini Split
Price a mini split from your hours and the whole job, not just the unit. Each added zone, each foot of line set and the power all change the price.
Price the job, not the box
Take your hours times your rate, then add the unit and every part the job needs. The unit is only one line. The line set, the power, the drain, the mount and the permit are the rest.
A mini split is a heat pump with no ducts. A unit outside feeds 1 or more heads inside. Each head heats or cools 1 room or area, called a zone.
Most 1-zone jobs take 1 day for a crew of 2. Time your own jobs for a few weeks. Your real hours beat any chart you find online.
Count the hours from the walk, then add for each zone
Plan on about 6 to 10 hours of labor for 1 zone, then 3 to 5 more for each zone after. These are rough. Your crew, the house and the wall decide the real number.
Walk the job before you quote. Look for the things that eat time:
- Where the head goes, and how far it is from the unit outside.
- What the wall is made of, since brick or block is slow to drill.
- How high the head sits, and if you need a tall ladder or a lift.
- How the drain will run, and where the power will come from.
Size each zone from a load calculation, not a guess. It is the standard way to work out how much heat a room gains and loses. A head that is too big for the room turns on and off too much.
Price the line set by the foot
The line set is the pair of copper lines between the 2 units. It also carries the wire and the drain hose. Price it by the foot, because each run is different.
Most units ship with enough gas for a set length of line. Past that length, you add gas by the foot. The maker's manual says how much.
- Copper: the line set itself, priced per foot.
- Cover: a plastic cover on the outside wall that keeps it neat.
- Extra gas: for long runs, priced per foot past the set length.
- Time: a long run with bends takes longer to hang and test.
Only a tech with an EPA 608 card may handle the gas. Every unit gets a vacuum and a leak test before it runs.
A worked example for 1 zone
Here is one way the numbers can add up. Every figure is an example. Swap in your own rate and your supplier's prices.
Say your rate is $120 an hour. It has to cover your pay, the truck, gas, insurance, tools and the office. The job is 1 wall head in a bedroom, 25 feet from the unit outside.
- Labor: 8 hours at $120, $960.
- Unit: an outdoor unit and 1 wall head, your price to the customer, $1,600.
- Line set and cover: 25 feet with parts, $350.
- Power: a new circuit and a shutoff by the unit, $450.
- Pad and drain: a pad and a drain line, $120.
- Permit: passed through at cost, $150.
That comes to about $3,630 for 1 zone. A 2nd zone might add $1,500 to $2,500. It needs an outdoor unit built to run 2 heads, a 2nd head, its own line set and more hours.
The extras that change the price
Look at the whole job before you quote. Each of these adds time or parts, so each one is fair to price.
- Its own circuit: most units need their own breaker and a shutoff in sight of the unit outside. Check the size the unit needs.
- A drain pump: water from the head must drain downhill. If it can't, a small pump moves it out. Price the pump and its wire.
- Pad or wall bracket: a pad on the ground, or a bracket that holds the unit up off snow.
- Wall head or ceiling cassette: a cassette sits in the ceiling. It means cutting in and more hours, so it costs more.
- Each added zone: a head, a line set and 3 to 5 more hours.
- Hard walls or high heads: brick, block or a 2nd floor head adds time.
- The permit: most places want a permit, and some want an electrical permit too. The rules vary, so check yours.
Rebates for heat pumps change from state to state and from one power company to the next. Check what is open in your area before you mention one.
Show it on the quote as a few clear lines
Give the customer a few clear lines, not one big number. For example:
- Equipment: the outdoor unit and each head, with the brand's warranty.
- Install: the labor, the line set, the cover and the mount.
- Electrical: the new circuit and the shutoff.
- Permit: the permit and the inspection.
You can give 2 or 3 real choices, each with its own total. For example, 1 zone now, or 2 zones that cover the whole floor.
Then say what is not included. For example: a panel upgrade, patching drywall, painting, or tearing out an old unit. Each one can be its own quote.
Keep each part, each zone and the line set price in your price book. Then the next mini split takes a few minutes to quote.
Fair questions
- Should I charge the same for every zone?
- No. Price each zone from its own run, wall and head. A head on an outside wall near the unit is quick. A head on the far side of the house takes much longer.
- What if the customer bought the unit online?
- Many shops will not install a unit they did not supply. You cannot stand behind its warranty, and some makers only honor it with a pro install. If you do take it, price your labor at full rate and say in writing that you do not cover the unit.
- Do I need a permit for a mini split?
- In most places, yes. Many towns want a mechanical permit, and some want an electrical permit for the new circuit. Call your local office to be sure.