Ductwork Cost

New runs, replacement and the cost of a full redesign.

3 articles

City

Duct length (linear feet)

How much does 125 linear feet of ductwork cost in Federal Way, WA?

A ductwork replacement in Federal Way, WA

$5,281

125 linear feet of duct · typical range $3,320 – $8,751

Typical total$42 per linear feet of duct	$5,281
Range you should see in bidsthree bids on the same scope normally land inside this	$3,320 – $8,751
Labor portion65% of the job — this is the part that moves by city	$3,433
Material portion35% — bought at national prices	$1,848
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers pay near Federal Wayabout $41/hr · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro	$85,420/yr
U.S. mean for the same tradeSOC 49-9021	$64,780/yr
Versus the national pricetrade pay here runs +31.9% against the U.S. mean	+$906
Design temperatures86°F summer and 25°F winter at Seattle-Tacoma Airport — the two numbers a Manual J starts from, and the reason equipment sized for one city is wrong in another	—

Notes

Where the number comes from. The national price for a ductwork replacement is $35 per linear feet of duct — residential duct replacement pricing published for 2026, $22–$58 per linear foot installed. Labor is about 65% of that. Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers near Federal Way, WA average $85,420 a year against a U.S. mean of $64,780 — a factor of 1.319 — so the labor half is scaled by that and the material half is not. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, SOC 49-9021.
Why the city matters, not just the state. Trade pay moves inside a state as much as it does between states. Crews do not commute across a state to bid a job, and materials ship at national prices either way — so a metro wage is the honest input here and a state average quietly rounds four different cities into one number.
Design temperatures. 86°F summer and 25°F winter at Seattle-Tacoma Airport — the two numbers a Manual J starts from, and the reason equipment sized for one city is wrong in another.
What is in the price: trunk and branch duct, fittings, hangers, mastic sealing, registers and grilles, and labor.
What is not: the air handler or furnace, a new return path where none exists, asbestos abatement on old duct wrap, and any drywall work. These are the lines that turn a $5,281 quote into a $6,601 invoice, so ask about each one before signing.
Use this as a bid check, not a quote. It prices an average job in average condition. Difficult access, the state of what is being replaced, the season, and a crew booked out three months all move the real number, and none of them are in a per-unit average.

Ductwork replacement cost by city

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Ductwork replacement cost by state

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Adding a Return — Usually the Cheapest Real Improvement to a Duct System
Of everything that can be done to an existing duct system, this is the one with the best return per dollar, and it is rarely quoted.
Repair the Ducts or Replace Them
Most duct systems do not need replacing. They need sealing, supporting, and one more return.
Ductwork Replacement Cost by State — 150 Linear Feet, All 51
Before pricing a replacement, measure static pressure. Re-ducting to the same layout that failed is the most expensive way to keep a comfort problem.