The cost to install a thermostat is $182 on average, but you could pay between $113 and $264.
Thermostats play an important role in our daily lives, cooling us down during the sweltering summer heat and keeping us warm and cozy during winter. While the average cost to install a thermostat is $182, pricing can vary.
Depending on the type of thermostat you get, these handy devices can even learn your habits and preferences to offer personalized comfort and monthly savings on your energy bills. Here, find out everything you need to know about the cost to replace a thermostat—or install a new one—based on factors like type, features, and installation method.
From the type to the installation location, several factors affect thermostat installation costs. It's helpful to give each factor some thought so you can find the right thermostat for your household's needs.
Labor costs account for a large percentage of what you’ll pay to install a thermostat. Professional electricians charge $65 to $100 per hour, and thermostat installation takes anywhere from one to three hours. Keep in mind that electrical complications can drastically increase this time frame, as can installing smart thermostats with complicated wiring.
You’ll pay between $15 and $300 for the unit in addition to labor ($65 to $100 per hour) to replace an old thermostat with a new one. However, installing a brand-new thermostat is more involved and, therefore, more expensive.
A new thermostat installation warrants cutting open a wall and installing brand-new wiring. So, not only are you looking at the base cost of the thermostat and standard labor, but you’re also looking at additional labor costs (up to two hours extra, so $130 to $200) for the complex process of installing wiring.
| Number of Thermostats | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 | $15–$300 |
| 2 | $30–$600 |
| 3 | $45–$900 |
| 4 | $60–$1,200 |
Obviously, adding more thermostats into the mix increases installation costs, though some contractors offer discounts for putting in multiple units at the same time, particularly if the wiring is already in place.
For regular setups, one thermostat does the trick, but multiple units placed throughout the home are beneficial when putting in a multi-zone HVAC system. There are many benefits to installing an HVAC zoning system, such as increased per-room temperature regulation and decreased energy bills. These units are on the expensive side, however, at $2,000 to $12,500.
If you’re building a home from the ground up or installing a thermostat in a brand-new location, new wires are part of the deal. It costs $90 to $135 to run a new thermostat C-wire, which is the modern electrical standard for newly manufactured thermostats.
The thermostat's location increases this cost if it’s far away from any viable access points. The above price estimate does include some light drywall cutting, but more intensive excavation drives the price up. You will also pay to run wires to any newly installed sensors, such as furnace temperature sensors.
Moving a thermostat costs $65 to $450, depending on if there is wiring already in place at the new location. If wiring already exists, it’s just a matter of patching up the hole at its previous location and affixing the thermostat to its new home. Keep in mind that cutting out the drywall at the new location and patching up the hole at the old location costs $75 to $150.
If no wiring exists, your pro needs to run the wire from the old location to the new one, which costs $6 to $10 per linear foot.
Why move your thermostat in the first place? Keeping the sensors in a temperature-stable part of the home ensures the HVAC system is not accidentally triggered, saving money on energy bills.
There are several types of thermostats, and the kind you buy significantly affects the overall cost of installing them.
| Type of Thermostat | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Manual | $15–$35 |
| Non-programmable electronic | $20–$50 |
| Programmable electronic | $20–$150 |
| Smart | $130–$300 |
Manual thermostats are generally the most budget-friendly thermostats, ranging from $15 to $35 per unit. As the name implies, manual thermostats are set manually by moving a small needle to your desired temperature. You also need to turn it on and off manually.
These thermostats only have basic features, which is why they come at the lowest price point. It's worth noting that many manual thermostats are also being phased out because they may contain mercury, which can be harmful if the thermometer breaks.
Non-programmable electronic thermostats are similar to manual thermostats, except that they have a digital display that makes it easier to set specific temperatures.
Like manual thermostats, these thermostats usually have very basic features, and you have to turn them on and off manually. However, they're quite affordable at around $20 to $50.
Prior to the relatively recent invention of smart thermostats, electronic programmable thermostats were the most advanced thermostats on the market. They feature a digital face that makes it easy to set specific temperatures, and you can use them to program temperatures for various days and times.
Since you can program them to automatically shut off or adjust the temperature on a schedule, they can also help you save money on energy costs. These thermostats typically range from $20 to $150.
Smart thermostats are the most expensive, costing about $130 to $300 or more, but they also have the most features. Not only can you program a smart thermostat to start cooling down before you get home from work, for example, but you can do it right from your phone.
Many smart thermostats can also "learn" your preferences, automatically reaching your desired temperature during a given time or day based on your habits. These added features can result in energy and monetary savings each month.
Replacing a thermostat is a DIY-friendly task if you’re replacing a pre-existing thermostat with a similar model in an area with the appropriate wiring already in place. In these cases, it is essentially a plug-and-play task since you won’t have to cut holes in the wall or deal with any troublesome wiring. However, you should still exercise caution, as with any electrical task. Doing this task yourself saves you an hour of labor costs, at $65 to $100 per hour.
For more difficult setups, you should call in a local electrician to ensure everything goes smoothly since electrical systems are unpredictable and rewiring requires plenty of experience. Some thermostats, like smart thermostats, also need to communicate with other systems in your home. Because of this factor, they may require additional wiring that takes longer to install and increases your labor costs by an hour or two.
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Yes, depending on the type of thermostat you buy. Both smart and programmable thermostats make it easy to adjust your home's temperature so you're not blasting the heat or air conditioning when you don't need it.
While these thermostat types cost more upfront than manual and non-programmable thermostats, they can save you as much as $180 per year on your energy bills.
Additionally, some states, like California and Florida, have pilot programs that allow smart thermostats to receive wireless signals from utility companies. These signals allow the thermostat to adjust the temperature according to the price of electricity at various times per day, which can make the long-term savings of smart thermostats worth the initial cost.
The number of thermostats you need depends on your home's size and HVAC systems. Very large homes or homes with multiple floors might have separate heating and cooling systems for different spaces or floors, often called "dual- or multi-zoned systems." These systems typically require you to have one thermostat for each zone.
In a best-case scenario, replacing a thermostat is a quick job, taking an hour or even less. However, this means changing out a pre-existing thermostat with a replacement model of a similar type that requires the exact same wiring. For more complex installation jobs, expect three hours or more, especially if extending wiring and cutting into the drywall are needed.
