A new central air conditioner in Greenville costs $4,000 to $8,000 installed when only the AC is replaced, and $8,000 to $18,000 when the furnace or air handler is replaced with it. Where your home lands in that range comes down to the size of the system, the efficiency tier you pick, and how hard the install is to reach. We give you the number in writing after we look at your home, and that flat-rate quote is the price you pay.
We install Rheem most often and Goodman when the budget calls for it. Every new system we put in runs on R-454B, the refrigerant that replaced R-410A in new equipment. From January through mid-October 2026 we completed 42 system and equipment installs across Spartanburg, Inman, Greer, Greenville, Simpsonville and the towns around them.
Upstate air conditioners work hard. Greenville's design temperature is 92 degrees with high humidity, and a system here runs 8 to 12 hours a day from June through September. That is why sizing matters more than the brand name on the box.
What a new AC costs in Greenville
These are the ranges most of our installs fall into. Some land outside them.
AC only: $4,000 to $8,000
A new outdoor condenser and a matching indoor coil, set on the furnace you already have. This works when the indoor equipment is young and healthy.
Full system: $8,000 to $18,000
A new AC with a new furnace, or a heat pump with a new air handler. Most homes with equipment over 15 years old end up here, because the indoor and outdoor halves wear out together.
Variable-speed systems: top of the range
A 19 SEER2 variable-speed system typically lands near $18,000 or above it. You pay more up front for quieter running, tighter humidity control and lower summer bills.
Four things move the number on your quote: system size (a 5-ton costs more than a 3-ton), the efficiency tier, the condition of your ductwork, and access. An attic a tech has to crawl through takes longer than a garage or a closet, and that time shows up in the price.
Four tiers, one install crew
Every quote shows you up to four options side by side, so you can see what each step up buys. The install crew, the warranty and the standards are the same on all four.
Economy
Single-stage, builder grade, 13.8 to 15.2 SEER2. It cools the house and costs the least. The right pick for a rental or a home you plan to sell soon.
Premium Economy
Single-stage at the next efficiency step, 14.3 to 16 SEER2. A small price step for a lower power bill.
Business Class
Two-stage or entry inverter, 15.2 to 16 SEER2. It runs on low most of the day, which is quieter and pulls more moisture out of the air. This is where most Upstate homeowners land.
First Class
Full inverter or variable speed with communicating controls, 16 to 21 SEER2. The quietest and most efficient system we install, and the best at humidity.
SEER2 is the efficiency rating on every new system (the 2 means it is measured under the newer, tougher 2023 test). Higher means less power for the same cooling.
We size every system with a load calculation
A load calculation (the industry term is a Manual J) is the math that tells us how much cooling your home actually needs. It looks at square footage, insulation, windows, which way the house faces, and ceiling height. We run one on every install. Matching the size of the old unit is the shortcut, and if the old unit was the wrong size, the new one will be too.
An oversized AC cools the air fast and shuts off before it pulls the moisture out, so the house feels clammy at 72 degrees. An undersized one runs all afternoon and never catches up. Both cost more to run.
Housing age changes the answer. The median home in Spartanburg was built in 1968, in Greenville in 1985, and in Greer in 2001 (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2018 to 2022). An older home with leaky ducts and thin attic insulation needs a different system than a 2015 build of the same size.
What install day looks like
Most AC replacements take one day. A crew of two or three is on site for 6 to 9 hours on a typical swap. Before we arrive, clear a path to the attic access or equipment closet and keep pets away from the work area and open doors. Here is the order we do it in.
Old system out
We recover the refrigerant from the old equipment and haul it away.
New equipment set
New condenser on a level pad, new indoor coil or air handler, and new supply and return plenums (the boxes that connect the system to your ductwork).
Lines and drain
We replace or modify the condensate drain and connect the refrigerant lines.
Pressure test and vacuum
We pressure test the lines with nitrogen to find leaks before any refrigerant goes in, then pull a vacuum down to 500 microns to get moisture out. Moisture left in the lines shortens the life of a new compressor.
Charge, test, walk through
We charge the system, check airflow and temperature, set the thermostat, and show you how it works before we leave.
We pull the permit on every install, the permit fee is already in your quote, and we schedule the county or city inspection.
Warranty included on every install
Every install includes our 3 Year First Class Labor Warranty at no charge. If a part fails under the manufacturer warranty in those three years, the labor, diagnostic and trip charge are on us.
The manufacturer covers parts for 10 years when the system is registered. We register it for you within 60 days of install.
If you want longer labor coverage, we offer 5-year and 10-year extensions. No warranty we sell requires you to buy a maintenance plan to keep it.
Repair or replace?
Multiply the system's age by the repair cost. Over $5,000, replacement usually makes more sense. A 14-year-old system with a $400 repair comes out at $5,600, so it is time to start pricing a new one. A 6-year-old system with the same repair comes out at $2,400, so fix it.
If your system still runs on R-22, that refrigerant is no longer made, and a leak repair can cost more than it is worth.
If a repair makes more sense than a replacement, we will tell you. It costs us an install sometimes. We are fine with that.
Rebates and tax credits in 2026
The federal 25C tax credit for high-efficiency AC and heat pump installs expired on December 31, 2025. Systems installed in 2026 do not qualify.
Duke Energy offers South Carolina customers rebates on qualifying high-efficiency systems. Duke sets the amounts and the rules, not us. We are a participating Duke contractor, so we will tell you on the quote whether the system you pick qualifies and file the rebate paperwork for you.
South Carolina's state home energy rebates (the HEAR program) are not available yet. The SC Energy Office says they are expected to launch in 2026.
Where we install
We install systems across Greenville and Spartanburg counties from our shop at 33 Market Point Dr in Greenville: Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Taylors, Mauldin, Easley, Piedmont, Travelers Rest, Spartanburg, Inman, Boiling Springs and the towns between.
What We Offer
What it costs
A new central air conditioner is $4,000 to $8,000 installed. A full heating and cooling replacement is $8,000 to $18,000. A 5-ton or 19 SEER2 variable-speed system lands at the top of that range or above it. Your price depends on system size, efficiency tier, and the condition of your existing duct. Estimates on replacements are free.
These are our own prices, not a national average. They are typical, not caps: size, efficiency tier, and access move the number. Your flat-rate quote comes before any work starts, and estimates on replacements are free.
See the full pricing guideWhat Greenville homeowners say
"Installation was very professional. Tech was very knowledgeable. I would recommend First class to everyone. Exceptional work was completed in one day"
"First Class Heating and Air replaced our Split HVAC System after patiently attempting to repair our original one. Jonathan Pepper was knowledgeable, courteous, and very efficient."
"5 quotes from other companies that said I had to replace my whole $15k HVAC + ductwork system and these guys were the only ones to tell me they could figure out how to set me right with some repairs to the system I already had."
"They conducted a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of our entire home to ensure the new system was perfectly tailored to our current needs. They installed a long-overdue dual-zone system, which immediately lowered the upstairs temperature by 10 degrees..."
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