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AfterHow Much Does AC Installation Cost in Marietta?
AC installation in Marietta typically runs $3,500 to $7,500 for a complete system replacement in a standard single-family home. That range covers the equipment, labor, permits, and removal of your old unit. Where your job lands depends on the size of your home, the efficiency rating you choose, and how much ductwork modification is needed.
We’ve been installing air conditioners in Cobb County since 2003, and most Marietta homeowners we work with fall between $4,200 and $6,800 for a mid-range system that makes sense for our Georgia summers. Below, we’ll break down exactly where those dollars go and why two similar-looking quotes can differ by a few thousand.
AC Installation Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s what a typical full-system AC installation in Marietta looks like line by line. These are real numbers from jobs we’ve quoted in neighborhoods like East Cobb, West Cobb, Kennesaw Mountain, and Powder Springs.
| Line Item | Typical Cost Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Condensing unit (outdoor) | $1,400 – $3,200 | Depends on tonnage and SEER rating |
| Evaporator coil (indoor) | $600 – $1,400 | Matched to the outdoor unit |
| Furnace or air handler | $800 – $2,200 | Only if replaced at the same time |
| Labor & installation | $900 – $1,800 | Typically 1 – 2 days for a full swap |
| Refrigerant lines & electrical | $200 – $600 | New line sets when switching refrigerants |
| Permits & disposal | $100 – $300 | City of Marietta permit plus old unit haul-away |
| Thermostat (optional upgrade) | $0 – $350 | Basic included; smart thermostats added cost |
Those numbers assume a standard 3-ton system for a home around 1,600 to 2,200 square feet. A smaller condo or townhouse in the Marietta Square area might come in closer to $3,500. A larger five-bedroom in Indian Hills or a two-story in Whitlock Heights could push toward $7,500 or slightly beyond if ductwork needs attention.
What drives the price up or down
Three things move your quote more than anything else. First, efficiency rating. A 14 SEER unit (the current federal minimum) costs the least up front. A 17 SEER or higher unit with a variable-speed compressor can add $1,500 to $3,000 but cuts summer electric bills meaningfully in a climate where your AC runs from April through October. Second, ductwork condition. Homes built before 1990 in East Cobb often have ducts that leak 20 to 30 percent of cooled air into the attic. Sealing or replacing those adds cost but changes what the new system actually feels like. Third, access. If your air handler is in a tight crawlspace or a finished attic, labor goes up.
What Affects AC Installation Pricing in Marietta
Beyond equipment and labor, several factors specific to this market shape your final price:
- Home size and cooling load. A manual J load calculation tells us how many tons your house actually needs. We run this on every install, not a rule of thumb based on square footage alone. Marietta’s humidity means an oversized unit will short-cycle and leave upstairs rooms clammy, so sizing matters more here than in drier climates.
- SEER rating and equipment tier. Single-stage, two-stage, and variable-speed systems each carry different price points. A variable-speed system from Carrier or Trane will land at the higher end of the range but run at lower capacity most of the time, which suits Marietta’s long shoulder seasons.
- Ductwork condition. In older Marietta neighborhoods like Whitlock Heights and Historic Marietta, original ducts are often 30 to 50 years old. If they’re undersized, leaking, or full of dust, the new system won’t perform. We’ll tell you honestly whether you need duct sealing or replacement, and that line item is separate from the AC itself.
- Existing equipment age and refrigerant type. If your old system ran on R-22 refrigerant (phased out in 2020), the existing copper lines often can’t be reused with new R-410A or R-454B systems. Running new line sets adds $200 to $600.
- Local permit requirements. Marietta and unincorporated Cobb County both require permits for HVAC replacements. The city inspection costs $50 – $150 depending on job scope, and it’s included in our written quote. We handle the paperwork, and the inspection is scheduled before we close out the job.
- Seasonal timing. Demand in Marietta peaks from May through August. If you can schedule a planned replacement in a shoulder month like March or October, you’ll sometimes find better equipment pricing from manufacturers and faster scheduling. Emergency mid-July replacements cost what they cost, but planned swaps can be timed.
How Much Does a New AC Unit Cost in Marietta by Home Size?
Here’s a quick reference for what you should expect based on the size of your home. These are installed prices, not just equipment costs:
- 1,000 – 1,400 sq ft (condo, townhome, small ranch): $3,500 – $5,200 for a 2-ton system. Common in Marietta Square lofts and Vinings-area townhomes.
- 1,400 – 1,800 sq ft (3-bed ranch or split-level): $4,000 – $5,800 for a 2.5-ton system. Typical for East Cobb ranches and homes off Sandy Plains Road.
- 1,800 – 2,400 sq ft (4-bed traditional): $4,500 – $6,500 for a 3-ton system. The most common configuration we install in West Cobb and near Kennesaw Mountain.
- 2,400 – 3,200 sq ft (5-bed or two-story): $5,500 – $7,500 for a 3.5- to 4-ton system, sometimes with zoning if the upstairs runs hot.
- 3,200+ sq ft (large custom home): $6,500 – $9,000+ for dual systems or a single high-capacity unit with zoning. Homes off Paper Mill Road and in Indian Hills commonly need this.
These ranges assume existing ductwork is in usable condition. If your ducts need major work, add $1,500 to $4,000 depending on the home’s layout and accessibility.
How to Save on AC Installation
Our AC Installation services are a big purchase, but there are legitimate ways to bring the number down without cutting corners on the things that matter. Here’s what we actually tell Marietta homeowners:
- Buy in the off-season. October through March is slower for HVAC companies in Cobb County. Manufacturers run rebates during these months, and scheduling is flexible. You’ll sometimes save $300 – $800 versus a peak-season July install.
- Choose the right efficiency, not the highest. A 16 SEER system is the sweet spot for most Marietta homes. You get meaningful savings over the 14 SEER minimum without paying the premium for variable-speed equipment that may not pay back if you plan to move within five years.
- Check for manufacturer rebates. Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, and Rheem all run seasonal rebates, especially in spring and fall. When we quote your system, we include any active rebates we can find and subtract them from your written price before you sign anything.
- Look at federal and Georgia Power incentives. The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit can cover up to 30 percent of qualifying equipment costs, capped at $600 for a qualifying AC unit. Georgia Power also occasionally offers rebates for high-efficiency installs. Ask us what’s active right now.
- Don’t skip the load calculation. An oversized system costs more up front and more to run. A proper load calc ensures you’re not paying for 4 tons when 3 tons does the job. It also keeps humidity in check, which matters every day in a Marietta July.
- Get a written quote and compare line by line. Not all quotes include the same things. Ours shows permits, disposal, new line sets, electrical work, and thermostat. If another company’s quote is significantly lower, look for what’s missing before assuming it’s a better deal.
The single best way to know your actual price is to have us come out, look at the house, and put a number in writing. Estimates are free, and the price we hand you before the work starts is the price you’ll pay. Call (762) 240-5599 to schedule a visit. We’ll give you a written quote for your home, not a ballpark.
Why Cold Harbour Heating and Air Marietta For Your AC Installation
Every company says they do good work. We’d rather show you what we put in writing before the technician ever picks up a tool. Victor Mancini, who leads our Marietta crew, has held the team to a simple set of standards since 2003, and they’re written down, not implied.
Our AC installs follow The Kingswell Way, a set of five promises we make on every job:
- We say the price before the work starts. You get a written quote with the equipment model numbers, labor, permits, and anything else the job needs. That number is the number. It doesn’t change at the door.
- We show up in the window we gave you. If we say we’ll be there between 8 and 10, we’re there between 8 and 10. No ghosting, no “sorry, running late” at 4 p.m.
- We leave the place cleaner than we found it. Shoe covers go on before we enter. Drop cloths protect your floors. The old unit leaves with us, not in your driveway for a week.
- We hand you the guarantee in writing. Your installation is covered by our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something isn’t right within a year, we come back and fix it at no charge. That’s the full guarantee, on paper, before we leave.
- We come back if it fails. Not a prorated warranty with fine print. Not “we’ll send someone in a week.” If the repair we made or the system we installed isn’t working right, we return and make it right.
The name Cold Harbour comes from an old roadside shelter, the kind where travelers waited out bad weather before continuing on. That’s the job: comfort in any season. A cold harbour was never fancy. It was dependable. It was there when you needed it. That’s the standard we hold our AC installations to, and it’s been working for Marietta homeowners for over 20 years.
We’re trained to install and service nine major residential HVAC brands, including Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, York, Daikin, Bryant, and American Standard. That means the technician who comes to your house can work on whatever system is already there and install whatever brand makes the most sense for your home and budget.
What’s Included in a Cold harbour AC Installation
When you get an installed price from us, here’s what’s in the number. No surprises, no “that’ll be extra” mid-job:
- Full system replacement: outdoor condensing unit, indoor evaporator coil, and (if needed) furnace or air handler, all matched for efficiency and properly sized.
- New refrigerant line set when switching refrigerants or when the old copper is undersized.
- Electrical connections brought up to current code, including a new disconnect box if yours is outdated.
- Condensate drain line with a safety switch that shuts the system down if the drain clogs, which saves Marietta ceilings from water damage during our humid summers.
- Permit and city inspection filed with Marietta or Cobb County, whichever applies. We schedule it, we’re there for it, and it’s in your price.
- Old equipment removal and disposal. Your old unit, coil, and any associated debris leave with our truck.
- System start-up and testing. We run the system, check refrigerant charge, measure airflow, and verify the temperature drop before we call the job done.
- Written guarantee. Your 365-Day Done Right Promise document is handed to you before we leave.
Everything above is in the written quote. If it’s not in the quote, you don’t pay for it. That’s how The Kingswell Way works.
Ductwork and AC Installation: What Marietta Homeowners Need to Know
In a perfect world, your existing ducts work fine and you only pay for the AC. In older Marietta homes, that’s often not the case. Here’s what we look for during an installation estimate and what it means for your price.
Leaking ducts. In crawlspaces and attics, duct joints separate over time. Homes built in the 1970s and 1980s in East Cobb and around Marietta Country Club commonly lose 20 to 30 percent of conditioned air before it reaches a single vent. Sealing those joints with mastic (a paste that hardens over the seam) costs a few hundred dollars and can improve system efficiency more than upgrading to a higher SEER unit would.
Undersized ducts. Some older homes have duct trunks that were sized for a smaller system. If you’re going from a 2-ton to a 3-ton unit and the ducts can’t move that much air, the system will be loud, inefficient, and will trip limit switches. We’ll tell you during the estimate if this applies, and we’ll give you a line item for the duct work separately from the AC itself.
Dirty ducts. Ducts that have never been cleaned can hold dust, pet hair, and allergens. It’s not a bad idea to have them cleaned before a new system goes in, and it’s a few hundred dollars well spent if anyone in the house has allergies.
We don’t markup duct work or push it when it’s not needed. If your ducts are fine, we’ll say so. If they’re not, you’ll know before any number gets quoted.
Permits, Code, and Inspections in Marietta
Any legitimate AC installation in Marietta requires a mechanical permit. The City of Marietta’s building department issues permits for work inside city limits, while Cobb County handles unincorporated areas. The permit covers the equipment change-out and the electrical connection, and an inspector verifies the work before the job is closed.
This isn’t an optional add-on. If a contractor offers to skip the permit to save you money, walk away. An unpermitted install can complicate a home sale, and if there’s a fire or an electrical issue, your insurance company will ask questions you don’t want to answer. We pull the permit on every job. It’s in your written quote, and you’ll see the inspection scheduled before we leave.
Marietta’s climate adds one more code consideration: condensate drainage. Our humid summers mean your AC pulls gallons of water out of the air every day. Code requires a secondary drain or a float switch, which shuts the system off if the primary drain clogs. We install a float switch on every job, and it’s saved more than a few Marietta ceilings from water damage.
How the Installation Process Works
Here’s what to expect when you call us for an AC installation in Marietta, from first call to inspection:
- You call (762) 240-5599. A live person answers. You tell us what’s going on, and we schedule an estimate at a time that works for you.
- We visit your home. One of our technicians walks the property, checks the existing equipment, runs a load calculation, and looks at your ducts, electrical panel, and access points. This takes about an hour.
- You get a written quote. Before we leave or within a day, you’ll have a written price with equipment models, the scope of work, permits, and the full schedule. That’s the price. It doesn’t change unless you decide to change the scope.
- We install the system. On install day, our crew arrives in the window we promised. Most single-system replacements take one day. Two-story homes with attic units or significant duct work can take two.
- We test everything. Refrigerant charge, airflow, thermostat operation, drain lines, electrical draw. We run the system until we’re satisfied it’s doing what it should.
- We hand you the guarantee. Before we leave, you get your 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If anything about the install isn’t right in the next year, we come back at no charge. No arguing, no “that’s not covered.”
- The city inspects. We schedule the inspection, we’re there for it, and we handle anything the inspector flags. You don’t need to be there if you have other things going on.
FAQs – AC Installation Cost
How much does AC installation cost in Marietta, GA?
AC installation in Marietta typically costs $3,500 to $7,500 for a full system replacement in a standard single-family home. Most of our Marietta customers fall between $4,200 and $6,800 for a mid-range system. Your exact price depends on home size, efficiency rating, and ductwork condition. Call (762) 240-5599 for a free written estimate, and you’ll have your exact number before any work begins.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace my AC in Marietta?
As a rule of thumb, if a repair costs more than 30 percent of the price of a new system and your AC is over 10 years old, replacement usually makes more sense. A compressor replacement on a 12-year-old R-22 system can run $1,800 to $2,800, while a full new system starts around $3,500. We’ll give you an honest recommendation either way. The Kingswell Way means telling you when a repair is throwing good money after bad, even if we’d profit from the repair.
Can you install an AC in Marietta the same day?
In an emergency during a Marietta heat wave, we can sometimes complete an installation the same day or next day if we have the equipment in stock and the system isn’t too specialized. During peak season (May through August), the realistic answer is next-day or within 48 hours. Call us at (762) 240-5599 and a live person will tell you exactly what’s possible for your situation.
Do you finance AC installations?
Most homeowners pay for an AC installation through a combination of savings, financing offered by the equipment manufacturer, or a home equity line. We can walk you through the financing options our manufacturers offer, including promotional interest periods on qualifying systems. The total installed price is the same whether you pay cash or finance; the financing arrangement is between you and the lender.
What size AC do I need for my Marietta home?
The right size depends on your home’s square footage, ceiling height, insulation, window count, orientation, and even how much tree shade you have. A typical 1,800 to 2,400 square foot Marietta home needs 2.5 to 3 tons. We run a manual J load calculation on every install to determine the exact right size. Guessing at tonnage leads to humidity problems and short-cycling, which Marietta summers punish.
What does a tune-up cost, and do I need one after installation?
A tune-up in Marietta runs $80 to $200. After installation, we recommend a maintenance visit once a year, ideally in spring before the cooling season starts. It keeps the manufacturer’s warranty valid on most systems and catches small issues before they become summer breakdowns. Your new system’s first tune-up is usually due about 12 months after installation.
Ready for a Written AC Installation Quote?
If your AC is at the end of its life or you’re tired of spending money on repairs, we’ll give you a written quote for a new system, no obligation and no pressure. Victor Mancini and our Marietta team have been serving Cobb County since 2003, and we’d be glad to walk your home, run the numbers, and put a price in writing that doesn’t change.
Call (762) 240-5599 to schedule your free estimate. A live person answers, day or night. If you’d rather get a feel for costs first, the ranges on this page are current for Marietta in 2026 and will get you in the right ballpark.
You can also learn more about our AC installation process in Marietta or head back to our home page to see everything we do.
Pricing reflects the Marietta market as of 2026. Cold Harbour Heating and Air Marietta offers free estimates – call (762) 240-5599.
Written by Victor Mancini, Owner at Cold Harbour Heating and Air Marietta, serving Marietta and Cobb County since 2003.
What Our Customers Say
"AC quit on the hottest day of the year of course. Coldharbour had a tech out that evening, found a bad capacitor, and had us cool again within the hour. Charged the quote, not a penny more."
- Doug Feeney"Furnace was short cycling all winter. They diagnosed a bad sensor instead of condemning the whole unit like I feared. Cheap fix, honest call."
- Russ Tiedemann"Signed up for a tune up before summer. He found a part starting to fail and showed me the reading, didn't just tell me to trust him. Fixed it then so we wouldn't get stuck in July."
- Sophia Tran