2.5 Ton AC Unit Cost: What Homeowners in Glendale & LA Actually Pay

By Alex Butakov, co-founder, COLD CLOUDCSLB #1131338, C-20 and C-38Updated October 2026
You have three quotes for a “2.5 ton system” and they are thousands of dollars apart. Most of the time the difference is not the equipment. It is what each contractor put into the price and what they left out. Here are our actual installed prices for a 2.5 ton system in Glendale, what is inside the low and the high number, and what to check before you sign.
AC only
$9,200 to $12,600
New condenser and coil. Your furnace and ducts stay.
We usually recommend

Heat pump + air handler
$11,100 to $15,600
Replaces both the AC and the gas furnace.
AC + new gas furnace
$13,000 to $19,100
Full replacement of cooling and heating.
Dual fuel
$17,000 to $19,000
Heat pump with a gas furnace as backup.
New Goodman 2.5 ton heat pump installed by Cold Cloud in Glendale, CA 91206

Our 2.5 ton Goodman heat pump install, Glendale 91206
All ranges assume your existing ductwork stays, are rounded to the nearest $100, and already include the discount we give on every estimate for early approval and cash or ACH payment.
Free estimator visit with a load calculation and 3D scan
Permit and HERS test on every replacement
We register your manufacturer warranty
3 years of labor warranty on our work
In this guide

  1. How to read the ranges
  2. Price by system type
  3. What is included
  4. Equipment tiers
  5. Add-ons
  6. Is 2.5 tons right for you?
  7. AC or heat pump?
  8. Red flags in other bids
  9. Timeline and permit
  10. Warranty

How to Read These Price Ranges

Low end

Equipment installed, nothing else

No permit, no HERS test, no surge protector, no smart thermostat. Many bids leave the permit out, so this number lets you compare ours with theirs line by line.
High end

Everything a code-compliant job needs

Adds the City of Glendale permit and inspection, the HERS test required by Title 24, a surge protector, a smart thermostat, and a static pressure measurement of your ducts.

We pull a permit on every replacement. So on a real Cold Cloud job, expect your price to sit above the low end once the permit and HERS test are added. The Glendale permit alone is about $516.

Why do we still show the low end? Because it is the honest way to compare. If another bid is lower than our low end, it is usually missing something from the list below.

The visit before any of this is free. Our estimator comes to your home, runs a load calculation and makes a 3D scan of the house. The scan shows your real load right away, and how changes like new windows or attic insulation would change it.

    Need an exact quote for your home?

    Price ranges are a starting point, but your actual cost depends on your house, your ducts and your equipment. Leave your phone number and a licensed COLD CLOUD technician will call you back with a straight estimate.

    We usually call back within 1 business hour.

    2.5 Ton Price by System Type

    SystemOur rangeLow endHigh end
    AC only$9,200 to $12,600Goodman GLXS4, single-stage, 14.3 SEER2Carrier 37MURA inverter, with permit, HERS, ecobee smart thermostat and surge protector
    Heat pump + air handler$11,100 to $15,600Goodman GLZS4, single-stageDaikin DH6VS inverter, 17.5 SEER2, Daikin One Touch thermostat, with permit and HERS
    AC + gas furnace$13,000 to $19,100Goodman GLXS4 with a 40,000 BTU, 80% furnaceBryant 135SAN, 16 SEER2, with a 60,000 BTU, 95% furnace, permit and HERS
    Dual fuel$17,000 to $19,000Daikin DH6VS inverter with a 60,000 BTU, 80% gas furnaceSame system, with permit, HERS, surge protector and smart thermostat

    In the AC and furnace range, the price moves mostly with furnace efficiency (80% versus 95 to 97%), the brand, and the condition of your ducts. If your home has no 240V line where a heat pump needs it, add about $1,300. We do not install AC with an electric air handler.

      Not sure what your system actually needs?

      We'll diagnose it first and explain every option before any work starts, often on the same day you call. If installation makes sense, we'll also check which GWP or LADWP rebates you qualify for.

      We usually call back within 1 business hour.

      What Is Included in Every Price

      Even our lowest number includes
      • Installation, startup and commissioning
      • Removal and disposal of your old equipment
      • Refrigerant recovery under EPA Section 608
      • Flushing and pressure testing your existing refrigerant lines, with a new filter drier
      • Equipment pad with anti-vibration mounts
      • Disconnect and breaker
      • Condensate drain up to 25 ft
      • Secondary drain pan with a float switch, so a clogged drain shuts the system off instead of leaking through your ceiling
      • Programmable thermostat
      • FIKR32 leak detection kit for an R-32 air conditioner on your existing gas furnace
      • 3 years of labor warranty
      The high end adds: Glendale permit and city inspection, HERS test under Title 24, surge protector, smart thermostat, static pressure measurement.

      Equipment Tiers at 2.5 Tons

      At 2.5 tons, the lines we install do not have a two-stage option. You choose between single-stage and inverter. A single-stage unit runs at full speed and shuts off. An inverter unit adjusts its speed to the load, so it runs quieter, holds temperature more evenly and uses less energy.

      Heat pump + air handlerTypeEfficiencyFrom
      Goodman GLZS4 / GLZS5Single-stage14.3 to 15.2 SEER2$11,100
      Daikin DH4SE / DH5SESingle-stage14.3 to 15.2 SEER2$11,900
      Goodman GZV6SInverter17.5 SEER2$12,200
      Carrier 37MUHA / 37MURAInverter17.0 to 17.2 SEER2$13,200
      Daikin DH6VSInverter17.5 SEER2$13,600
      AC only, from
      • Goodman GLXS4: $9,200
      • Goodman GLXS5: $9,600
      • Daikin DC4SE: $10,000
      • Carrier 37MURA inverter: $10,900
      AC + gas furnace, from
      • Goodman GLXS4: $13,000
      • Goodman GLXS5 with an 80 to 97% furnace: $13,400
      • Daikin DC4SE with a furnace: $14,500

      Add-Ons That Can Change Your Price

      These are the extras we see most often in Glendale homes. Prices are approximate and include the same estimate discount.

      Add-onAbout
      New return with plenum$1,900
      Full duct replacement for a 2.5 ton system$8,600
      Sealing an existing duct run$210 per run
      New 240V line$1,300
      Moving the condenser up to 15 ft$800
      Roof stand$460
      Crane / spider crane$810 / $1,630
      Steep or tile roof, or a tight attic$370
      New attic hatch$1,660
      Extending refrigerant lines$230 per 10 ft
      Gas line$630
      Electrical panel upgrade, 100A to 200AQuoted on site by our licensed electrical partner
      AsbestosUp to 100 sq ft we remove ourselves. Larger areas go to a specialized abatement company with a separate quote.

      Four things drive the cost up in Glendale homes again and again: old ductwork, asbestos, a weak electrical panel, and code violations left behind by a previous contractor. None of them are visible from the outside, which is why we look before we quote.

      Is 2.5 Tons the Right Size for Your Home?

      Often it is not. Many homes we see have a system oversized by about 30%. Square footage says very little about the real load. Insulation, windows, the number of stories and which way the house faces the sun matter more, so a rule like “one ton per 500 sq ft” does not work. The only reliable answer is a load calculation, and ours is free.

      Real job: Glendale 91201

      The calculation said 2 tons, not 2.5

      December 2025843 sq ftDaikin DH7VS inverter, 2 tonDFVE36 air handler1.5 daysPermit, HERS, city inspection passed
      The home had an old heat pump with an air handler. During the job we found two thin supply ducts causing high static pressure. We added a third trunk duct straight to the plenum, sealed the wooden return box, and installed the disconnect that was missing. The existing 18 ft refrigerant lines were flushed and kept.
      Total: about $16,100 (above the heat pump range in our table: Daikin’s top inverter line plus the duct corrections)

      AC or Heat Pump?

      Our usual recommendation

      Heat pump

      An inverter heat pump is efficient, quiet and comfortable, and its heating capacity fits the Southern California climate well. California is also moving toward electric heating. If your home qualifies for the Glendale Water & Power rebate, an inverter heat pump comes close in price to an AC with a new gas furnace.
      New refrigerants

      What changed

      We no longer install R-410A. All new equipment uses R-32 or R-454B. In most homes we keep the existing refrigerant lines, but only after flushing them, pressure testing them and installing a new filter drier.
      Financing: we work with GoGreen Home financing through USC Credit Union and with GoodLeap. Heat pump projects may qualify for 0% financing for up to 10 years, subject to lender approval.

      Red Flags in Another Contractor’s Bid

      1. No permit and no HERS test in the scope
      2. No flushing of the old refrigerant lines
      3. No refrigerant recovery
      4. No FIKR32 leak detection kit for an R-32 AC on an existing gas furnace
      5. No secondary drain pan with a float switch
      6. No load calculation
      7. No exact model numbers and no AHRI reference number, the certificate that confirms the outdoor and indoor units are rated to work together

      Timeline, Permit and Inspection

      1. 3 to 5 daysFrom signing to installation (3 to 7 in peak season). We get the permit and stage your equipment at our warehouse.
      2. 1 to 2 daysThe replacement itself.
      3. 3 to 5 days laterA HERS rater tests the system.
      4. About a weekThe City of Glendale inspector, depending on the city’s schedule.
      Cold Cloud technician charging refrigerant on a new Goodman R-32 heat pump in Glendale 91206
      Before and after a 2.5 ton Goodman heat pump replacement in Glendale 91206

      Refrigerant charging and the before and after from our 2.5 ton heat pump replacement in Glendale 91206. See the full project.

      Warranty

      Cold Cloud labor3 yearson our work
      Goodman10 yearsparts and compressor
      Daikin12 yearsparts and compressor, plus 6 years unit replacement (12 on DH6VS)
      Carrier and Bryant10 yearsparts and compressor

      We register the manufacturer warranty for you. You do not need to do anything.

      Why We Work With These Brands

      We install Daikin, Goodman, Carrier and Bryant, Trane and American Standard. All of the major brands make good equipment. We chose these because we have built working relationships with their suppliers: fast deliveries, parts availability and stock at our warehouse. For you, that means your equipment arrives quickly and a warranty repair does not wait for weeks.

      “Choose the contractor, not the equipment. There is no limit to the corners someone can cut: brazing without nitrogen, kinked lines, a sloppy condensate drain, a unit that is not level, no calibration, the wrong refrigerant charge. You will not see any of it on installation day. You will see it later, when water drips from the attic or the system fails in five years because of mistakes nobody could see.”Alex Butakov, co-founder, COLD CLOUD

      Get a 2.5 Ton Quote in Glendale

      COLD CLOUD is a licensed HVAC contractor, CSLB #1131338, C-20 and C-38, based at 676 W Wilson Ave in Glendale. We serve Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, Altadena, La Cañada Flintridge, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, Arcadia and nearby Los Angeles neighborhoods. The estimator visit is free and includes a load calculation and a 3D scan of your home. You get a written estimate with exact model numbers before any work begins.

      Call (747) 298-8580

      Standards and sources

      • ACCA Manual J, residential load calculation: acca.org
      • California Energy Commission, Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards: energy.ca.gov
      • U.S. EPA, Section 608 refrigerant management: epa.gov
      • AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance: ahridirectory.org
      Alex Butakov
      Author Alex Butakov
      Co-founder, CEO & Technical Director at COLD CLOUD, a Daikin Comfort Pro dealer and licensed C-20 and C-38 HVAC contractor serving Greater Los Angeles.

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