Gas furnace replacement cost in Nashville, TN
Installed, 80,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency
A typical furnace (80,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency) costs about $4,850 installed in the Nashville area, about the same as the national figure, because HVAC technicians here earn a median $29 an hour against $29 nationally.
Prices by size in Nashville
| Size | Low | Typical | High | National typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60,000 BTU, 80% efficiency | $3,650 | $4,100 | $5,300 | $4,100 |
| 60,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency | $4,350 | $4,750 | $5,600 | $4,750 |
| 80,000 BTU, 80% efficiency | $3,750 | $4,050 | $4,900 | $4,050 |
| 80,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency | $4,450 | $4,850 | $5,750 | $4,850 |
| 100,000 BTU, 80% efficiency | $3,900 | $4,250 | $5,350 | $4,250 |
| 100,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency | $4,550 | $4,950 | $5,850 | $4,950 |
Local labor: what HVAC technicians earn here
| Hourly wage | Nashville metro | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $23 | $23 |
| Median | $29 | $29 |
| 75th percentile | $34 | $37 |
The Nashville market
Metro Nashville's Department of Codes and Building Safety prices a hot water heater under both plumbing permits ($43) and gas/mechanical permits ($21), with a $75 minimum per permit. Furnaces, AC units and package units are gas/mechanical appliances, with each residential appliance beyond the first at $11 and a charge of $32 per 100,000 Btuh. Reinspections cost $50. Licensed contractors apply online; anyone else applies in person, and the owner-occupant self-permit affidavit covers building work only, with separate plumbing and gas/mechanical permits still required. Electricity dominates in Tennessee: EIA's 2020 survey found 60% of homes heat with electricity and 35% with a central heat pump, 86% have central air, and 74% heat water electrically. TVA's EnergyRight program offers equipment rebates through its Quality Contractor Network.
Heat pumps nearly match furnaces in Tennessee, where 52% of homes heat with a furnace. Ask your contractor to explain why a furnace suits your house better than a heat pump with electric or gas backup. When the furnace and AC share a coil, ask whether both should be replaced together. Get the AFUE, the venting plan and the coil model on every quote so the bids line up.
Permits in Nashville
| Permit for this job | Yes (gas/mechanical trade permit; furnace, AC, package unit each counted as an appliance in the fee schedule) (source) |
|---|---|
| Fee | Plumbing: minimum $75 per permit; hot water heater $43. Gas/mechanical: minimum $75 per permit; hot water heater $21; each residential appliance beyond the first $11; HVAC also charged 'at the rate of thirty-two dollars ($32.00) per one hundred thousand Btuh or fraction thereof'; reinspection $50. |
| Who can pull it | Unclear for homeowners; licensed contractors apply online, others apply in person |
| Inspection | Yes (reinspection fees and inspection requests apply to plumbing and gas/mechanical permits) |
Rebates in Tennessee
HEAR: announced, not open yet. HOMES: announced, not open yet. Source: TDEC Office of Energy Programs, checked October 13, 2026.
- TVA EnergyRight rebates: Heat pump $500-$800, central AC $200-$400, HPWH $900 via Quality Contractor Network
What these programs cover, and other states
Other systems in Nashville
- Gas tank water heater
- Gas tankless water heater
- Central air conditioner
- Heat pump (ducted, outdoor unit + air handler)
Gas furnace cost in other metros
Sources
- Nashville, TN permit source (water heater permit)
- Nashville, TN permit source (who can pull)
- Nashville, TN permit source (notable local rule)
- Nashville, TN permit source: Lists Metro Mechanical, Gas and Appliance and Plumbing exam
- TVA EnergyRight: residential rebates
- Tennessee Dept. of Environment and Conservation: IRA home energy rebates
- EIA RECS 2020: Highlights for space heating fuel in U.S. homes by state
- EIA RECS 2020: Highlights for space heating in U.S. homes by state
- EIA RECS 2020: Highlights for air conditioning in U.S. homes by state
- EIA RECS 2020: Highlights for water heating in U.S. homes by state
- BLS OEWS May 2025, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (49-9021 HVAC mechanics and installers)
- DOE Consumer Furnaces Final Rule TSD (Sep 2023), Table 8.2.12 (2022$); labor share from App. 8D (11.97 person-hours, $705 of $2,527)