Full System Replacement on the North Shore
Full System Replacement on the Chicago North Shore typically costs $9,000-$18,000 installed in 2026, depending on home size, efficiency tier, and system configuration - before utility rebates.
Full System Replacement cost breaks that range down: what is inside it, what is quoted separately, and what moves the number on older North Shore homes.
Replacing the furnace and air conditioner together is the most efficient way to buy comfort. The equipment is matched as a system, the changeout is done in one visit, and you only pay for one installation. It's the right move when both units are near end of life, and it's the strongest candidate for stacked rebates. This is our primary replacement project - one matched, high-efficiency heating and cooling system, installed clean.
Final pricing depends on system size, efficiency, home configuration, and any duct or venting work. Every quote is written and itemized after a free in-home estimate - and we factor in utility rebates you qualify for.
When it's time for this
- System is 15+ years old or out of warranty
- A repair would cost a large share of a new unit
- Rising energy bills or uneven comfort
- Repeated breakdowns in a single season
- Phased-out refrigerant (older R-22 AC)
- Planning ahead before a full failure
Our process
- 1Free in-home estimate
A comfort specialist comes to your home, measures the space, checks ductwork and venting, and explains options and honest price ranges in writing - no charge, no pressure.
- 2Right-sized equipment
We size the system with a proper load calculation and choose efficiency levels that qualify for the utility rebates you're eligible for.
- 3Professional installation
Licensed, insured installers remove the old system and install the new one to spec.
- 4Rebates, registration & follow-up
We register the warranty, hand off the utility rebate paperwork, and confirm everything is running right.
Why choose us for this work
- · Replacement specialists - proper load calculations, matched systems.
- · Rebate guidance built into every quote.
- · Licensed, insured, COI on request for any HOA or property manager.
- · Honest repair-or-replace advice - we'll tell you when a repair is smarter.
- · Written, itemized pricing - no surprise add-ons.
Towns we serve
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new furnace or AC cost on the North Shore?
Installed furnace replacements typically run $4,500-$9,000, central AC $5,000-$10,000, and a full furnace-plus-AC system $9,000-$18,000. Boilers (common in older North Shore homes) run $7,000-$15,000, and heat pumps $10,000-$22,000 before rebates. Final pricing depends on system size, efficiency, and how your home is configured. Every quote is written and itemized after an in-home estimate.
Should I repair or replace my system?
As a rule of thumb, if a system is 15+ years old, needs a repair that costs more than about a third of a new unit, or has failed more than once in a season, replacement usually saves money over time. We give an honest recommendation - if a repair makes more sense, we'll say so, and we'll do the repair.
Do you do repairs, or only replacements?
Both. We repair furnaces, air conditioners, and boilers, with a $99-$169 diagnostic that is credited toward the repair and a flat repair price you approve in writing before any work starts. Most repairs run $180-$950 depending on the equipment and the fault. Replacement is what we specialize in, but that does not mean we push it - a good system with a failed part gets the part.
Do you offer a maintenance plan or service agreement?
Yes. Plans run $199-$399 per year depending on tier and how many systems the home has, and cover two seasonal visits - heating in the fall, cooling in the spring - plus priority dispatch and a discounted repair rate for members. A one-off tune-up without a plan is $129-$199. Most manufacturer warranties require documented annual maintenance, so a plan also keeps that coverage intact.
Do you help with ComEd, Nicor, and federal rebates?
Yes. High-efficiency furnaces, AC, heat pumps, and boilers often qualify for Nicor Gas and ComEd rebates - heat pumps can earn tiered ComEd rebates of roughly $1,400-$2,000 depending on equipment. We size and select equipment to hit rebate thresholds and hand off the documentation you need to claim them.
My furnace died in the middle of winter - can you help fast?
Yes. We run a 24/7 emergency line for no-heat and no-cool situations. When a system can't be safely or economically revived, we can often provide temporary heat and get a replacement installed quickly.
Full System Replacement - Service Areas
Evanston is the North Shore's largest city, a dense mix of historic homes, two-flats, and university-area prop...
Winnetka is a lakefront village of large, older homes where heating and cooling systems are often decades past...
Wilmette is an established North Shore suburb where a large share of homes are well past the point of easy rep...
Kenilworth is a small, historic lakefront village of architecturally significant homes. Nearly every project i...
Glencoe is an affluent lakefront village of substantial older homes. Boiler replacements, cooling retrofits, a...
Highland Park is a large Lake County lakefront city with a wide mix of housing ages. From boiler replacements ...
Lake Forest is an estate community of large, older homes where heating and cooling systems are often multi-zon...
Lake Bluff is a small lakefront village of older, well-kept homes. Boiler replacements and full-system furnace...
Northbrook is a large, family-oriented suburb of postwar and later homes. Furnace-and-AC full-system replaceme...
Glenview is a large suburb with a wide range of home ages, from postwar neighborhoods to newer construction at...
Northfield is a quiet, established village between Winnetka and Northbrook. Boiler replacements and full-syste...
Deerfield is a family-centered Lake County suburb of mid-century and newer homes. Matched furnace-and-AC repla...
Bannockburn is a small, leafy Lake County village of large properties. Multi-zone furnace-and-AC replacements ...
Skokie is a large, established near-north suburb of postwar homes. Full-system furnace-and-AC replacements and...
Park Ridge is a classic near-north suburb of older brick homes and bungalows. Boiler replacements, cooling ret...
Morton Grove is a settled near-north suburb of mid-century homes. Full-system furnace-and-AC replacements and ...
Niles is an established Cook County suburb of mid-century homes. Full-system furnace-and-AC replacements and h...
Lincolnwood is a compact suburb bordering Chicago with a mix of home sizes. Full-system replacements and boile...
Golf is a tiny, historic village of large homes surrounded by Morton Grove and Glenview. Nearly every project ...
Lincolnshire is an upscale Lake County suburb of newer, larger homes. Full-system furnace-and-AC replacements ...
Long Grove is a semi-rural Lake County village of large estate homes. Multi-zone furnace-and-AC replacements a...
Mettawa is a rural Lake County village of large estates. Multi-zone replacements and boiler modernization in s...
Buffalo Grove is a big family suburb straddling Cook and Lake counties, built largely from the 1970s on. Match...
Vernon Hills is a newer Lake County suburb of planned neighborhoods. Full-system furnace-and-AC replacements a...
Knollwood is a small unincorporated Lake County community of postwar ranch homes. Furnace-and-AC changeouts, p...
Green Oaks is a wooded Lake County village of large homes on acreage, most running zoned multi-system heating ...
Libertyville pairs a pre-war downtown core still on boilers with 1990s-and-later subdivisions now reaching the...