Free tool
Mini split cost calculator
A mini split cost calculator for Portland and Vancouver: answer a few questions about the rooms and the house and see our typical range, line by line. Nothing is sent unless you choose to.
Describe the job
Firlands' typical range for your answers
$4,000 to $8,500
- Single-zone installOne head, a short line run, a pad or low bracket and a new circuit.$4,000 to $8,500
What moves it within the range
- Heads that heat get cold-climate models rated to keep heating through a hard freeze. They cost more than cooling-first models and push the price toward the upper half of the range.
- A pad on the ground is the simplest place for the outdoor unit.
Rebates and permits
Energy Trust of Oregon currently lists $800 for a ductless heat pump that replaces electric resistance heat in the main living space, and $1,800 for attached and rental homes and income-qualified households. We sign the application with you. Amounts and rules change, so we confirm them before you sign; the rebate is never taken off this range.
City of Portland permit fees for a typical single-zone install run $187 to $382, and more for multi-zone systems or a service upgrade. We include them in our price.
These are Firlands' typical ranges, not a quote. We set the price in a written estimate after the site visit, once we've measured each room, checked the panel and walked the line routes.
How do we work out your range?
This calculator from Firlands Portland Mini Splits picks one of our typical ranges from the number of heads and the kind of job. Pumps and a panel upgrade go on as lines of their own.
| Job | What it means | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| One head | Short line run, pad or low bracket, new circuit | $4,000 to $8,500 |
| One head, harder job | Lines that climb floors, or a high wall or roof mount | $8,500 to $12,000 and up |
| Two heads | One outdoor unit, two rooms | $6,500 to $12,000 |
| Three or four heads | One outdoor unit, usually | $9,000 to $18,000 and up |
| Five or more heads | Whole home, often two outdoor units | $15,000 to $30,000 and up |
| Concealed ducted unit | One air handler with short ducts | $8,500 to $16,000 and up |
| Each added head | Additional indoor head on a multi-zone system | $2,000 to $4,000 |
| ADU, addition or garage | One or two heads | $5,000 to $12,000 and up |
| Replacement, like for like | Same spot, lines pass the test | $4,000 to $8,000 and up |
| Replacement with more work | New lines, a new spot or several heads | $8,000 to $18,000 and up |
| Condensate pump | Per head that cannot drain downhill | $150 to $500 |
| Panel or service upgrade | 100 amps to 200 amps | $2,500 to $6,000 |
Nothing is scaled or stretched. Every number the calculator shows is one of these ranges, a whole number of them or a sum, so you can check each line against the table.
Which answers move the price?
The number of heads matters most. After that, how far the lines travel and where the outdoor unit sits decide whether a one-room job stays in our standard range.
- Heads and head type. Each room with its own head adds equipment, lines and a drain. Ceiling cassettes and ducted units add framing and ceiling work.
- Line run and outdoor unit. Lines that climb floors, and a high bracket or roof mount, push the price up. A pad on the ground is simplest.
- Drains. A head that can't drain downhill to the outside needs a condensate pump.
- The panel. Most houses only need a new breaker. A full panel or an older 100-amp service may need an upgrade first.
- Cold-climate equipment. Heads that heat through a hard freeze cost more than cooling-first models.
The Portland cost guide explains each driver, and the size calculator gives a planning size for each room.
How do we set your actual price?
In a written estimate after the site visit. We measure each room, size each head from a load calculation, check the panel and walk the line routes and the outdoor spot.
The estimate lists each head and its capacity, the outdoor unit, the line route, the drains, the circuit, the permits, the price and what's excluded. The installation process guide walks through the day itself.
What about permits and rebates?
Every install gets a mechanical permit, and most need an electrical one. In the City of Portland the fees for a typical single-zone install run $187 to $382, and we include them in our price.
| Program | Who it's for | Amount listed |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Trust of Oregon | Detached house replacing electric resistance heat | $800 |
| Energy Trust of Oregon | Duplex to fourplex, townhome, rental or income-qualified | $1,800 |
| Clark Public Utilities | Vancouver or Clark County home with permanent electric heat | $900 |
Amounts and rules change, and gas-heated homes don't qualify for either ductless offer. The Oregon rebates guide covers the paperwork, and the Portland permit guide covers the inspections.
Questions about the calculator
Why does a long line run move a one-room job into a higher range?
Because the work around the head grows. Lines that climb a floor or cross the house take longer to route, need more cover outside and more refrigerant line, and a high bracket or roof stand adds a ladder or lift. That is why a one-head job with either uses our $8,500 to $12,000 and up range.
Does the calculator take the Energy Trust incentive off the total?
No. It shows the amount beside the range, because it depends on the equipment, the heat it replaces and the program's rules on the day. For a detached house that replaces electric resistance heat, Energy Trust of Oregon currently lists $800, and we sign the application with you.
Are Portland permit fees on top of the calculator range?
No. We include the permit fees in our price. In the City of Portland they run $187 to $382 for a typical single-zone install, and more for a multi-zone system or a service upgrade.
What happens to my calculator answers when I send the form?
We add them to your request, so the first call starts from what you already entered. If you don't send the form, the answers stay in your browser and in the page address.
Get an estimate for your house
Send the house details and we'll set up the visit. We add your calculator answers to the request.