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AfterHow Much Does Heat Pump Installation Cost in Marietta?
Heat pump installation in Marietta typically runs $6,200 to $11,800 for a complete system replacement in 2026, with most mid-range installations landing around $8,400. That price includes the outdoor unit, indoor air handler, refrigerant line set, electrical work, and labor. If you’re replacing an existing heat pump and the ductwork is in good shape, you’ll likely fall toward the lower end of that range.
The exact figure depends on your home’s square footage, the efficiency rating you choose, and whether your ductwork needs any modification. Homes in older Marietta neighborhoods like Whitlock Heights or Forrest Hills sometimes need electrical panel upgrades or duct sealing, which adds to the bottom line. We’ll walk through every line item below so you can see exactly where your money goes.
Heat Pump Installation Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s what a complete heat pump installation looks like in the Marietta market, priced line by line. These ranges reflect what we quote in Cobb County as of 2026:
| Line Item | Typical Cost Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heat pump outdoor unit (14-15 SEER2) | $2,800 – $4,200 | Entry to mid-tier efficiency |
| Heat pump outdoor unit (16-18 SEER2) | $4,300 – $6,800 | Mid to high efficiency, quieter operation |
| Heat pump outdoor unit (19+ SEER2, variable speed) | $6,900 – $9,500 | Top-tier efficiency, best humidity control |
| Indoor air handler | $1,400 – $2,600 | Matched to outdoor unit capacity |
| Refrigerant line set (copper lines) | $180 – $450 | Longer runs cost more |
| Electrical work (disconnect, whip, breaker) | $250 – $700 | Higher if panel upgrade needed |
| Condensate drain and overflow safety switch | $80 – $200 | Required by Georgia code for attic installs |
| Thermostat (if upgrading to smart) | $150 – $400 | Basic programmable units may already be included |
| Ductwork modification (if needed) | $300 – $1,800 | Transition fittings, sealing, minor rework |
| Labor and installation | $900 – $1,700 | Typically 4-8 hours for a crew of two |
| Permit and inspection | $75 – $200 | Marietta requires mechanical permits for heat pump swaps |
| Total, typical range | $6,200 – $11,800 | Most homes land between $7,000 and $9,500 |
What pushes a quote toward the higher end? The biggest driver is efficiency. A 14 SEER2 single-stage heat pump costs thousands less than a 20 SEER2 variable-speed unit, and both will heat and cool your home. The difference shows up in your monthly Georgia Power bill and in how evenly the temperature holds. The second big driver is capacity. A 1.5-ton unit for a small ranch on Allgood Road costs less than a 5-ton unit for a two-story colonial in West Cobb. Third is access. If your air handler sits in a low-clearance attic or a crawl space, the crew works slower, and that labor time adds up.
Our pricing at Cold Harbour Heating and Air follows the Kingswell Way: the written price is handed to you before a single tool comes out, and that number does not change at the door. You’ll see the line items, not just a bottom-line figure.
What Affects Heat Pump Installation Pricing in Marietta
- Home size and heat pump capacity. A 1,200-square-foot ranch in Sherwood Forest needs a 1.5 or 2-ton unit. A 3,200-square-foot home in Indian Hills needs a 4 or 5-ton system. Bigger capacity means a bigger outdoor unit and a bigger air handler, and the price steps up accordingly. Our technicians calculate the load based on square footage, ceiling height, window area, and insulation, not a rule of thumb.
- Efficiency rating (SEER2). SEER2 is the current federally mandated efficiency metric, and it directly affects cost. Entry-level units sit around 14.3 SEER2, which meets the January 2023 minimum. Mid-range units run 15-16 SEER2. High-efficiency variable-speed units hit 19-21 SEER2 and carry a premium price. For Marietta’s climate, where your heat pump runs for both heating and cooling much of the year, the mid-range sweet spot usually pays for itself inside a decade through lower utility bills.
- Ductwork condition. Many Marietta homes built in the 1970s and 1980s have duct systems that leak 20 to 30 percent of conditioned air into unconditioned space. If your ducts need sealing, mastic work, or partial replacement, that’s added cost. New heat pumps are picky about airflow. A restricted duct system on an old furnace might have been tolerable; on a new heat pump, it shortens the compressor’s life and kills efficiency. We’ll tell you honestly if your ducts are fine or if they’re a problem you should address now.
- Electrical panel capacity. Heat pumps need dedicated circuits, typically 240V. If your breaker panel is full or undersized, which we occasionally see in older East Marietta homes with original panels, a subpanel or service upgrade adds $800 to $2,500 to the job. We’ll check this during the estimate so it’s in your written quote from day one, not sprung on you mid-install.
- Attic access and air handler location. The air handler for most Marietta heat pump systems lives in the attic, and attic work in a Georgia summer is slow, hot, physical work. If your attic has low clearance, blown-in insulation that needs to be moved aside, or tight scuttle access, installation takes longer. Crawl-space installs face similar challenges. These are labor-line items, and they’re real.
- Permit requirements. The City of Marietta requires a mechanical permit for heat pump replacement, and the inspection happens after the job is done. The permit itself is modest, usually $75 to $200, but it adds an inspection stop to the schedule. We pull the permit, schedule the inspection, and stand for it. That’s included in our quote. Some companies quote without the permit and then add it later, which is exactly the kind of surprise the Kingswell Way is built to eliminate.
Heat Pump Installation Cost by System Type
Not all heat pumps are the same machine. Here’s how the three main configurations price out in Marietta:
- Standard split system heat pump (air-source). The most common setup: an outdoor unit and an indoor air handler connected by refrigerant lines. Installed cost typically runs $6,200 to $10,500. This is the default choice for most Cobb County homes and what we install most often.
- Ductless mini-split heat pump. If you’re adding heating and cooling to a garage, a sunroom, a finished basement, or a single room that never gets comfortable, a ductless mini-split avoids ductwork entirely. A single-zone system runs $3,800 to $6,500 installed. Multi-zone systems for two or three rooms run $7,500 to $14,000. Mini-splits shine in Marietta’s older homes where adding ductwork isn’t practical.
- Dual fuel system (heat pump plus gas furnace). In this setup, a heat pump handles mild-weather heating and cooling, and a gas furnace takes over when temperatures dip into the 20s. Some Marietta homeowners with existing natural gas lines choose this route. Installed cost runs $9,000 to $15,500, but it gives you the best of both systems and strong cold-weather performance without running electric heat strips.
Heat Pump vs. Traditional AC: What’s the Difference in Cost?
If you’re replacing a central air conditioner and weighing a heat pump instead, here’s the honest comparison. A traditional AC unit plus air handler in Marietta runs $3,500 to $7,500 per our market pricing. A heat pump for the same home runs $6,200 to $11,800. That’s a real premium, usually $2,000 to $3,500 more at the time of installation.
What does that extra money buy you? A heat pump is a reversible air conditioner. In summer, it moves heat out of your home, same as an AC. In winter, it reverses and pulls heat from outdoor air into your home, even when it’s cold outside. If your home currently has a gas furnace paired with the AC, the heat pump replaces both in a single unit. That’s why the comparison isn’t quite apples to apples. When you’re replacing an AC and a furnace together, which often happens at the same time in 20-year-old systems, a heat pump often comes out cheaper than buying both a new furnace and a new AC.
Marietta’s winters are mild enough that a modern heat pump handles the heating load without backup heat strips for most of the season. Below about 25 degrees, the system needs occasional help, which is why Georgia installs include heat strip backup in the air handler. Our team installs heat pumps in Marietta year-round, and we’ll walk you through whether the swap makes financial sense for your home. For a deeper dive, see our Heat Pump Installation in Marietta page.
How to Save on Heat Pump Installation
Heat pump installation is a major purchase, but there are legitimate ways to bring the price down without cutting corners that matter:
- Right-size the unit. Oversizing wastes money twice: once at installation, once every month on your power bill. A load calculation tells you exactly what capacity your home needs. Guesswork costs you.
- Choose the right efficiency tier for your plans. If you’re planning to stay in the home for eight or more years, a 16-17 SEER2 unit often pays for its premium. If you’re selling in two years, the 14.3 SEER2 minimum is the financially sane choice. We’ll show you the payback math on your actual quote, not a generic chart.
- Check for utility rebates. Georgia Power and Cobb EMC periodically offer rebates on qualifying high-efficiency heat pumps, typically $200 to $600 depending on the program cycle. Your installer should know what’s active. We track these and apply eligible rebates to your quote when they’re available.
- Federal tax credit. The Inflation Reduction Act’s Section 25C credit covers up to 30 percent of qualifying heat pump installation costs, capped at $2,000 per year, through 2032. Eligibility depends on the unit’s efficiency tier and your tax situation. Ask your tax preparer; ask us for the efficiency certification.
- Time it right. Spring and fall are our slower seasons in Marietta, and manufacturers sometimes run seasonal rebates. If your system hasn’t failed outright, you have the flexibility to schedule during a promotional window.
The simplest way to save is to get a real quote with itemized pricing. Cold Harbour Heating and Air Marietta provides free estimates with a written price before any work begins. Call (762) 240-5599 to schedule yours.
Heat Pump Installation Process in Marietta: What to Expect
Here’s how a typical heat pump installation goes, step by step, so you know exactly what’s coming:
- On-site estimate and load calculation. We measure your home, check the existing ductwork, examine the electrical panel, and calculate the correct capacity. You get a written quote with line-item pricing, and that price holds. The estimate takes 45 to 90 minutes depending on the property.
- Permit pull. Once you approve the quote, we file for the mechanical permit with the City of Marietta. This step takes one to three business days depending on the planning office’s workload.
- Installation day. A crew of two or three uniformed, background-checked technicians arrives in the window you were given. They remove the old equipment, install the new outdoor unit on a pad or wall bracket, set the air handler, run and braze the refrigerant lines, wire the electrical connections, and set up the thermostat. Most installs take four to eight hours.
- System startup and testing. We pull a vacuum on the refrigerant lines to remove moisture, charge the system to the manufacturer’s exact specification, and run the heat pump in both heating and cooling modes to verify operation. Thermometer readings at the supply and return vents confirm performance.
- Cleanup and walkthrough. The work area is left cleaner than we found it, including the attic if that’s where the air handler lives. We walk you through the thermostat, explain filter access, and hand you the written paperwork for your system registration and warranty.
- Inspection. The city inspector verifies the installation meets code. We schedule and stand for this inspection so you don’t have to take time off work.
Every installation is backed by our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something isn’t right within a full year, we come back and correct it at no charge. That promise is in writing before our technicians leave your home.
FAQs – Heat Pump Installation Cost
How much does a heat pump cost for a 1,500 square foot home in Marietta?
For a 1,500-square-foot home in Marietta, expect to pay $6,500 to $9,500 installed, depending on the efficiency tier and the condition of your ductwork. A 2-ton or 2.5-ton system is typical for homes this size in Cobb County. Call (762) 240-5599 for an exact quote; estimates are free.
Is it cheaper to replace my AC with a heat pump or buy a new AC and furnace separately?
Replacing both an AC and a furnace with separate units runs $7,500 to $14,000 total in Marietta, while a single heat pump does both jobs for $6,200 to $11,800. If both your AC and furnace are at end of life, the heat pump is usually the lower-cost option, and you’ll only have one system to maintain going forward.
How long does heat pump installation take?
Most heat pump installations in Marietta take four to eight hours, with the crew finishing in a single day. Complicated jobs involving ductwork modification or electrical panel upgrades can extend to a second day. Our scheduling gives you a firm arrival window, not an all-day wait.
Does a heat pump work in Marietta’s winters?
Yes. Modern cold-climate heat pumps produce full-rated heat down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, which covers even Marietta’s coldest nights comfortably. Our winters average lows in the 30s, well within a heat pump’s efficient operating range. Below about 25 degrees, the system uses electric backup heat strips, which is what the air handler includes for those rare stretches.
What does it cost to replace just the outdoor heat pump unit?
Replacing only the outdoor unit, when the indoor air handler is compatible, runs $3,200 to $5,500. However, mismatched indoor and outdoor units reduce efficiency and shorten equipment life, so we only recommend this route when the air handler is relatively new and the pairing is supported by the manufacturer. The honest answer is that most 10+ year old systems should be replaced as a matched pair.
Can I install a heat pump myself?
We strongly advise against it. Heat pump installation involves high-voltage electrical work, refrigerant handling under EPA Section 608 certification, and brazing copper lines under nitrogen purge. A mistake in any of these areas risks electrical shock, refrigerant burns, or a system that fails within months. This is a job for trained professionals. A poor DIY install voids the manufacturer’s warranty, which costs you far more than the labor you saved.
Why Marietta Homeowners Choose Cold Harbour Heating and Air
Cold Harbour Heating and Air has served Marietta since 2003 as an independently owned and operated member of the Kingswell network. The name comes from an old idea: a cold harbour was a roadside shelter where travelers waited out rough weather. Comfort in any season is the job, and that’s what we’ve built the company around.
Victor Mancini leads our team, and he holds every job to the Kingswell Way: say the price before the work, show up in the window given, leave the place cleaner than found, put the guarantee in writing, and come back if it fails. Our technicians are background-checked and uniformed, trained to service nine major residential HVAC brands including Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, York, Daikin, Bryant, and American Standard. If there’s an existing system in your home, whoever we send can work on it.
A live person answers our phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No voicemail trees, no after-hours runaround. When your heat pump fails on a Saturday evening in July, you reach a human being who can help. When you need a new system, you get a written quote with line-item pricing, and that number is final.
Ready for a heat pump installation quote in Marietta? Call (762) 240-5599 today. The estimate is free, the price is in writing before any work starts, and the installation is backed for a full year. We’ll also help you check for active Georgia Power or Cobb EMC rebates and federal tax credit eligibility on qualifying systems. For more on what we do, visit our home page.
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, serving Marietta 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