The $15 capacitor
A run capacitor costs $9–30 wholesale. Quotes of $300–600 to swap one, including a reported $580 in Phoenix, are common.
HVAC
$15 capacitor charged $580? Get the fair price in 30 seconds.
Most no-cool calls are a capacitor or contactor, not a new system. Upload the tech's quote and see what each part really costs.
Drop a photo, PDF or video of your quote
A photo or PDF of the tech's quote or invoice.
COOL-RITE AIR & HEAT
Invoice 20417 · Phoenix, AZ
- Service call$129.00
- Run capacitor 45/5 µF$580.00
- Coil rinse$95.00
Total$804.00
What people get quoted vs. what's fair
| Job | Quoted | Fair range |
|---|---|---|
| Run capacitor replacement | $580 | $113–$323 |
| Full system replacement pitched instead of a repair | $8,500 | $850–$1,500 |
| Three replacement quotes for a repairable system | $9,700 | $1,500 |
Fair labor: $75–$150 an hour. After-hours work can fairly cost up to 1.5x. Your audit uses the numbers on your own quote.
Common HVAC repair tricks
Replace, don't repair
An $8,500 replacement pitched when an $850 repair would fix it. Ask for the failed component by name and a repair price before discussing a new system.
Refrigerant top-off forever
Charging refrigerant every summer without finding the leak. A system that needs refrigerant has a leak.