Written The costs of this would depend upon:The age of your system - If you have an older AC unit, the installers may have to do extensive wiring and sheetmetal work to adapt the new unit to your old unit's mounting.The cost of the new unitThe labor rates of the company which is performing the installationThe time of year or of the week when you are having this done.The location of your unit - A roof-mounted unit may cost significantly more than a ground unit as it requires greater levels of difficulty to install.I would suggest getting several estimates from several reputable companies and comparing them. I would also advise against going for the LOWEST bid as this may simply be a ruse by the installer to later charge you more for "discovery work."The installation of a new unit,regardless of its location should NEVER cost you more than 25-50% of the cost of unit. Anything more will almost certainly mean that you are being defrauded.Written Shouldn’t cost you more than half of what you paid for the AC, but you have to take several factors into account like if the AC unit goes in the ground or up on the roof, as well as how old/new the AC system is. 

Know this, you want a company that can do a good job, so while cheaper sounds better…you’ll probably end up spending more later down the line when your having problems. outside ac unit runs inside does notWe used binky home and air out of NJ. 3 ton ac electrical loadPlus, with the heat as high as it is nowadays, you wouldn’t want it busting down with over 100F outside.how to fix my central air conditioning unitAssuming you already have an installed units with all ductwork and so forth, small square footage furnace and AC can generally run anywhere form $2000-$5000 for each unit, or about $4000-10000 for a combined unit, depending on ease of installation, etc. This assumes your existing plumbing, electrical, ductwork, etc are directed suitable, so it is merely a matter of cutting in a new unit and hooking it up.

The lowest price would be for a minimally efficient unit, the upper number for highest efficiency.If you are changing the type of heat (baseboard to forced air or electric to gas, for instance) or installing AC from scratch, then running power, ductwork, etc can up to double that number.If you live near the coast (and depending on how hot you will let the condo get before cooling kicks in) the cost savings of a high efficiency unit might not pay for itself. Of course, if you are in the San Gabriel Mountains and really need winter heat, or in the Mohave desert or inland valley area and really need serious air conditioning, then a high efficiency unit (which can cost twice as much) might pay for itself in 5-10 years.Your utility company (companies if gas heat with electric AC) can help with guides on how much your savings might be with different efficiencies, and may have an energy efficiency rebate program for efficient units. Also, the California Energy Commission has information and online calculators for that, as well as rebate programs for energy efficiency.

There is also a federal energy efficiency rebate program (though it is generally limited to a tax credit equal to 10% of the cost of energy efficient retrofits, unless it is considered an "alternative energy" system). Pay attnetion to these energy rebate programs - I have a neighbor who, between state and federal program, had the entire cost of his insulation upgrade and furnace/hot wate heater system replacement covered in toto, except for few hundred $ for the initial energy audit. About $8000 in work for about $300, with about $100/month reduction in gas bills.As always with condo units, check with the condo manager and the bylaws to find out what the rules are - some condos require matching units or installation by a certain contractor for ease of maintenance, and in many condos the heating and AC are actually the responsibility of the condo association or the bylaws require that the association handle the installation but you pay the costAlso, major work of this type usually has to be coordinated with the condo manager, and there may be time of day limitations on work hours, etc.

And of course make sure your HVAC contractor, if you end up choosing him, is licensed, bonded, insured, and well recommended, and whether any repairs to walls, floors, ceiling etc necessitated by replacing the system are or are not covered in his bid (he would subcontract this out, or more likely tell you that you need a general contractor to supervize plumber, electrician, plasterer, painter, flooring contractor, etc).About "Ask the Energy Expert" Craig Muccio ran FPL's Conservation Research & Development Program and crunched the numbers to figure out how you can save by managing your energy use. Your questions on energy-related topics can be submitted anytime to our Ask the Energy Expert blog. Just click here to submit your question, and if chosen, it will be answered here Asked on: March 11, 2013 by Sandra G., Boca Raton, FL How do I know when it is time to replace a functioning heat pump air-conditioning unit with a new, more energy-efficient system?The question of early replacement of an A/C or heat pump that is working fine is mostly an economic decision.

Ask yourself if you’re ready to make the large investment in a new air conditioning unit, and you can start saving on operating cost right away. Generally, FPL suggests considering early replacement if your existing A/C is 10 years old or more. Your possible annual savings is affected by the efficiency rating, or SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), of your existing unit and the extent of your upgrade. For example, using an average 3 ton A/C unit, if you upgrade from a SEER 10 to SEER 16, your annual savings will be about $400 a year. Meanwhile, you’ll save about $150 per year by upgrading an already more efficient SEER 13 unit to a 16 SEER. In addition, when installing a 16 SEER 3 ton unit, FPL will contribute $585 as a rebate to your total cost of the unit if you purchase your A/C system through a Participating Independent Contractor (PIC). FPL rebates vary based on size of the A/C unit and the SEER efficiency selected.  See our annual cooling cost calculator illustrating this example below.