Installation & Replacement
New AC installation in Miami, sized for the house you have
A first system, an addition or a new build starts with the right size. We measure the house, design the duct, pull the permit and install a system that dehumidifies as well as it cools.
Miami service office on SW 117th Ave · We answer 24/7
- Answered 24/7
- Miami service office
- Load calculation first
Updated October 2026
New AC installation in Miami typically runs $4,500 to $12,000 in published 2026 guides, depending on size, efficiency and how much duct has to be built. Our SW 117th Ave office starts every install with a room-by-room load calculation, designs the duct to match, pulls the Miami-Dade mechanical permit, and installs equipment at or above the Southeast SEER2 minimum.
The job
What a new install needs that a replacement doesn't
A replacement inherits a pad, a line set, a drain and a duct system. A new install has none of those, so every one of them is a design decision: where the condenser sits and how it is anchored, where the air handler goes, how the condensate drains, and how the duct reaches each room without running through the hottest part of the attic.
Getting the size right matters more here than anywhere. An oversized system on a new addition cools the room in minutes and leaves it clammy; an undersized one runs all afternoon in August and never catches up.
Your options
Ducted central air or ductless for a first system
| Ducted central air | Ductless mini splits | |
|---|---|---|
| Best when | Attic space for duct, whole-house cooling | Duct would be invasive, room-by-room control |
| Look | Hidden supply and return grilles | Wall or ceiling indoor heads |
| Humidity control | Good with correct sizing | Good with inverter compressors |
We price both when a house could go either way, so the choice is made on real numbers.
What moves the price
What decides the price of a new install
Planning range: New AC installation in Miami: $4,500-$12,000 in published 2026 guides. A market range, not our quote.
System size
Tonnage from the load calculation.
Duct needed
New duct is often the largest line item.
Efficiency
Higher SEER2 and variable speed cost more up front.
Air handler location
Closet, attic or garage installs differ in labor.
Electrical
A new circuit or panel work when capacity is short.
Permit and anchoring
Miami-Dade permit and wind-rated pad hardware.
Structure
Coring block or framing access adds time.
What we see on this job
First-time central air
Some older Miami homes still run on window units or a patchwork of wall units. Adding central air means finding a closet or attic space for the air handler, routing supply and return duct to every room, running a line set and drain to an outside wall, and adding a dedicated circuit at the panel. We look at the attic, the panel capacity and the room layout before quoting, and if duct would be invasive, we'll show you a ductless layout priced beside it so you can compare.
Additions and new construction
An addition can sometimes be served by the existing system, but only when the load calculation says it has capacity to spare; most Miami systems don't. More often a separate small system or a mini split is the better answer, because it avoids starving the rest of the house of air it already needs. On new construction we work from the plans and the energy calculation, coordinate rough-in with the other trades, and schedule the mechanical inspection so it doesn't hold up the build.
Load calculation and sizing
A Manual J style load calculation adds up the heat each room gains through its walls, windows, roof and people, and it is the only honest way to size a system. Rules of thumb like one ton per 500 square feet ignore window area, insulation and which way the house faces, and they are the main reason Miami houses end up oversized and humid. We do the calculation room by room and use it to size the equipment and each duct run, and you get a copy of it.
What is included
What a new installation from us includes
- Room-by-room load calculation
- Duct design sized to each room
- Matched condenser and air handler
- Miami-Dade mechanical permit
- Wind-rated pad and anchoring
- Line set, drain and float switch
- Dedicated electrical circuit where needed
- Airflow balanced at start-up
- County inspection scheduled
Local conditions
Installing into Miami-Dade housing stock
Miami-Dade's housing has a median build year of 1980, and most homes are concrete block, so a first-time install usually means routing duct through a shallow attic and coring block for the line set rather than running it through framed walls. Every new system must also meet the Southeast SEER2 floor of 14.3 for split systems under 45,000 BTU, and a unit that doesn't can't legally be installed, whatever its build date.
Step by step
How a new installation runs
- 1
Site visit and measurements
Rooms, windows, attic, panel and pad location.
- 2
Load calculation
Room by room, with a copy for you.
- 3
Design and quote
Equipment, duct layout and options priced.
- 4
Permit applied for
Equipment specs and AHRI numbers submitted.
- 5
Rough-in
Duct, line set, drain and electrical run.
- 6
Equipment set and started
Anchored, charged and airflow balanced.
- 7
Inspection
County inspection scheduled and passed.
Brands we service and install
FAQ
Questions Miami customers ask about new AC installation
Published 2026 Miami guides put it at $4,500 to $12,000, with new duct the biggest variable.
Only if the load calculation shows spare capacity. Most Miami systems don't have enough.
Yes. Miami-Dade requires a mechanical permit for every new AC installation, and we pull it.
Ducted suits whole-house cooling with attic access; ductless suits homes where duct would be invasive.
Two to four days for most homes, longer when a lot of duct is built.
Only a load calculation can say. Square-foot rules of thumb usually oversize Miami homes.
Same category
Related installation work we handle in Miami
AC Replacement
Full system replacement, SEER2 upgrade.
Air Handler Replacement
Closet air handlers, heat kit sizing.
AC Line Set Replacement
Line set flush or replace, refrigerant changeover to R-454B.
Start a new system with the right size
Call the Miami office to book a site visit and a room-by-room load calculation.
