FairReplace

Gas furnace replacement cost in Milwaukee, WI

Installed, 80,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency

Low$4,500
Typical$4,850
High$6,000

Metro area: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI. Wages: BLS, May 2025. Permit notes checked October 2026.

A typical furnace (80,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency) costs about $4,850 installed in the Milwaukee area, about the same as the national figure, because HVAC technicians here earn a median $30 an hour against $29 nationally.

Gas furnace (80,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency), installed

Prices for: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI

Low$4,500
Typical$4,850
High$6,000

Unit $1,700 (online list price, middle of 9 listings) plus installation about $3,150 for this area. Permit fees and code extras are listed below the table.

How this estimate is built

Prices by size in Milwaukee

SizeLowTypicalHighNational typical
60,000 BTU, 80% efficiency$3,700$4,150$5,450$4,100
60,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency$4,450$4,800$5,850$4,750
80,000 BTU, 80% efficiency$3,800$4,100$5,100$4,050
80,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency$4,500$4,850$6,000$4,850
100,000 BTU, 80% efficiency$3,950$4,250$5,550$4,250
100,000 BTU, 95%+ efficiency$4,650$5,000$6,050$4,950

Local labor: what HVAC technicians earn here

Hourly wageMilwaukee metroUnited States
25th percentile$26$23
Median$30$29
75th percentile$39$37

The Milwaukee market

Milwaukee's Department of Neighborhood Services lists furnaces and air conditioners as needing a permit (414-286-8210 for questions), and plumbing in an owner-occupied single-family home as permit work (414-286-8208), though water heaters are not named. Another city page lists replacing mechanical appliances, including air conditioners, as no-permit work, likely meaning room units; confirm before relying on it. Heating appliances cost $55 per unit up to 150,000 Btu input, boilers $60, and AC units $60 up to 3 tons plus $10 per extra ton. Plumbing is $20 per fixture with an $85 minimum for one fixture in a 1-2 family building. Owner-occupants can do their own plumbing and HVAC work; contractors must be licensed. Wisconsin leans gas: EIA's 2020 survey found 71% of homes heat with natural gas and 78% use a furnace. Focus on Energy runs statewide rebates.

Boilers heat 8% of Wisconsin homes, so confirm whether you have a furnace or a boiler before comparing bids. Focus on Energy offers furnace rebates statewide. Get the model's AFUE on the quote, since a long heating season makes efficiency count. A high-efficiency furnace vents through plastic pipe, so ask where it will exit and how it will stay clear of drifting snow. Ask how the contractor sized the new unit.

Permits in Milwaukee

Permit for this jobYes (furnace and air conditioner listed as needing a permit) (source)
FeeHVAC: heating appliances '$55 per unit (up to 150,000 BTUs of input)'; boilers installation or replacement $60 per unit; 'Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Units $60 per unit (not exceeding 3 tons)' + $10 each additional ton. Plumbing: $20 per fixture or appliance; 'The minimum permit fee for the installation of one plumbing fixture in a one or 2-family building shall be $85.'
Who can pull itPlumbing: homeowner in owner-occupied single-family home, otherwise licensed plumber. HVAC: owner-occupant not required to hold state credentials or city license; contractors must be licensed.
InspectionUnclear (inspection fees published; no page states inspection requirement for these replacements)

Rebates in Wisconsin

HEAR: open. HOMES: open. Source: PSC of Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation (delivered by Focus on Energy), checked October 13, 2026.

  • Focus on Energy: Statewide utility-funded rebates for heat pumps, furnaces, water heaters, insulation

What these programs cover, and other states

Other systems in Milwaukee

Gas furnace cost in other metros

Sources