Typical ranges by job
These are Firlands Portland Mini Splits’ typical ranges for Portland and Vancouver, installed: equipment, labor, the line set, the circuit and the city permits.
| Job | What it covers | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Single-zone, standard | One wall head, short line run, pad or bracket, new circuit, permits | $4,000 to $8,500 |
| Single-zone, complex | Long or multi-story line run, high bracket or roof, condensate pump, line-hide, larger cold-climate unit | $8,500 to $12,000+ |
| Two heads, one outdoor unit | Multi-zone with straightforward routing | $6,500 to $12,000 |
| Three or four heads | Multi-zone, routing through more than one floor | $9,000 to $18,000+ |
| Whole house, five or more heads | Often two outdoor units, replacing the main heat | $15,000 to $30,000+ |
| Ducted mini split | A concealed air handler serving two or three rooms | $8,500 to $16,000+ |
| Each added head | On a new multi-zone install | $2,000 to $4,000 |
| ADU, addition or garage | One or two heads sized to the space | $5,000 to $12,000+ |
| Replacement, like for like | Old line set passes the pressure and vacuum test | $4,000 to $8,000+ |
| Replacement with more work | New line set, relocation, new circuit, or a multi-zone | $8,000 to $18,000+ |
A “+” means the range is open at the top. Compare single and multi-zone before you choose. An unusually long route, roof access or panel work can take a job past the range.
What moves the price
Two jobs with the same label can price thousands of dollars apart. These are the things we look at on the visit:
- How many heads, and which kind. A wall head is the least expensive. A ceiling cassette or a ducted air handler costs more to buy and to install, and almost always needs a pump.
- The line-set route. A head on an outside wall with the outdoor unit right below it is the shortest run. A head on an inside wall, a run up two floors, or a route through a closet chase adds hours and line-hide.
- Drains. Gravity drains are simple (condensate drain guide). A head on an inside wall needs a condensate pump with a float switch, typically $150 to $500 more.
- The outdoor unit’s spot. A pad on level ground is the simplest (placement guide). A wall bracket, a stand to lift it above ice, or a roof mount adds labor and hardware.
- The panel. Most installs need one new 240-volt circuit (electrical requirements). A full 100-amp panel may need a service upgrade first, typically $2,500 to $6,000 as separate electrical work.
- Cold-climate equipment. Models that hold their heating output at low temperatures cost more, and they’re the ones we choose when the system has to heat through a Portland January.
What’s inside a Portland mini split price
Some parts of the price have public figures behind them; others depend on your house.
| Part of the price | What sets it | Local figure |
|---|---|---|
| Labor | Hours on site, which the route and the head count decide | HVAC mechanics in the Portland metro earn a mean wage about 12% above the U.S. mean for the trade (Bureau of Labor Statistics); electricians about 44% above |
| City of Portland permits | A mechanical permit for the heat pump, an electrical permit for the circuit, plus the state surcharge | $187 to $382 for a typical single-zone install (City of Portland fee schedules) |
| Equipment | Capacity, efficiency and cold-climate rating | Itemized on your estimate |
| Line set, line-hide and drain | Length, number of floors, pump or gravity | Measured at the visit |
| Wall and finish repair | Usually small: one three-inch hole per head | Scope to check at the visit |
A wage isn’t a billing rate. The price of a job also carries the contractor’s license and insurance, vehicles, tools, the permit time and the time to come back for inspections.
Permit fees in Portland
A typical single-zone install in Portland pays about $380 in city permit fees, and we include them in the price.
| Permit | Fee for one- and two-family homes |
|---|---|
| Mechanical: one heat pump | $167 minimum fee |
| Electrical: first new circuit | $174 |
| State surcharge | 12% |
| Typical single-zone total | about $380 |
A straight replacement can often go on the city’s minor label program instead. Gresham, Oregon City, Lake Oswego, Vancouver and other cities set their own fees. Mini split permits in Portland covers who needs what.
Rebates and incentives
In Oregon the main incentive is Energy Trust’s, for replacing electric resistance heat; in Vancouver it’s Clark Public Utilities’.
| Program | Amount | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Trust of Oregon, ductless heat pump | $800 single-family; $1,800 rentals, attached homes and income-qualified | PGE or Pacific Power customers in Oregon, when the system replaces electric resistance heat in the main living space; apply within 60 days |
| Clark Public Utilities, ductless heat pump | $900 | Vancouver and Clark County homes with permanently installed electric resistance heat; Washington-licensed network contractor |
| City of Portland, Energy Friendly Homes | No-cost or low-cost upgrades | Income-qualified Portland households, through the program’s own contractors |
| Federal 25C tax credit | Ended | Applied to heat pumps placed in service through December 31, 2025 |
Oregon’s state heat pump programs open and close as their funding allows; we check what’s open for your address before you sign. Gas-heated homes don’t qualify for Energy Trust’s ductless offer, because it pays for replacing electric resistance heat. Mini split rebates in Oregon has the details.
Typical budgets
These show how the ranges play out on three common Portland jobs.
One attic bedroom in a Sellwood bungalow
A 12,000 BTU cold-climate head on the gable wall, 18 feet of line-hide to a wall bracket in a narrow side yard, a gravity drain, and a new circuit from the basement panel: $7,240 with permits, one day on site.
Four rooms upstairs in a Rose City Park two-story
Three 9,000 BTU heads and one 12,000 on a 36,000 BTU outdoor unit, line sets through a closet chase, two gravity drains and two pumps, one new circuit: $15,850 with permits, three days on site.
Baseboards out in a Powellhurst-Gilbert split-level
A 15,000 BTU head in the living space and two 9,000s in the bedrooms, the outdoor unit on a wall bracket: $13,400 with permits, two days on site, with Energy Trust’s incentive to apply for afterward.
What it costs to run
The other half of the cost is the electric bill, and it depends on what the heads replace.
Against baseboard heat, a heat pump lowers the cost of every unit of heat. Against gas it depends on your utility’s rate, which differs between PGE and Pacific Power. The electric bill guide works through the numbers, and how many mini splits do I need? helps you count heads before you price them.