This is our most-asked pricing question after furnace repair, and the least-answered one online — because the answer depends on your house. Here's the honest version: the typical range for a swamp-cooler-to-central-AC conversion in Aurora in 2026, line by line, plus the three things that move your specific quote and how financing changes the monthly math.
On this page
The typical range
For a standard 1,200–1,800 sq ft Aurora ranch converting from a ducted swamp cooler to central AC (keeping the existing furnace and ductwork), the installed total typically lands at [TBD]. That covers:
- Outdoor condenser unit (sized to your home's load calculation, not a guess)
- Indoor evaporator coil installed at the furnace
- Refrigerant lineset between the two
- Electrical: dedicated 220V circuit, disconnect, and whip
- Condensate drain for the indoor coil
- Thermostat upgrade if yours can't run cooling properly
- Permits, startup, commissioning, and refrigerant charge verification
- Removal or decommissioning of the old swamp cooler
That's the whole job in most 80011 homes. The reason the range is wide: equipment efficiency tier and the three variables below.
The three things that move your quote
1. Electrical panel capacity. The AC needs a dedicated 220V circuit. If your panel has space and capacity, it's a half-day electrician visit rolled into the job. If your 1960s panel is full or the service is undersized, a panel upgrade adds [TBD]. We check this during the free assessment so it's never a surprise mid-install.
2. Ductwork condition. Most cooler-era ducts work fine for AC, but we find crushed returns, disconnected attic runs, and undersized trunk lines in about a third of conversions. Minor duct repair adds [TBD]; it's also the highest-ROI part of the job because bad ducts waste 20–30% of the cooling you just paid for.
3. Equipment tier. A solid single-stage 14-SEER2 system is the value pick and what most of our conversions get. Two-stage or variable-speed units cost more upfront and deliver better humidity control and quieter operation — worth it if you're sensitive to noise or run the system constantly. We'll quote both and let the math decide.
What's NOT in the quote (so nobody surprises you)
Furnace replacement, if your furnace is also at end of life — though bundling furnace + AC in one project saves on labor versus doing them separately, and we'll price both so you can compare. Drywall repair beyond the immediate work area. And roof work: if your swamp cooler is roof-mounted, we cap and seal the curb properly; if the roof itself needs attention around the old unit, that's a roofer's scope and we'll tell you straight.
The payback math, honestly
Conversion doesn't “pay for itself” in energy savings — AC costs more to run than a swamp cooler, so there's no utility-bill payback to promise, and any company that promises one is lying. The return comes three other ways:
- Comfort value: 3–6 weeks a year you're currently miserable become comfortable. That's the actual product.
- Avoided cooler costs: pads, pumps, motors, and the eventual full cooler replacement ([TBD] installed) — money you stop spending.
- Home value: central AC is a listing feature in Aurora; swamp-cooler-only is a negotiation point against you.
Financed at typical HVAC terms, the monthly payment often lands near what you'd spend on a summer of cooler maintenance plus the extra water — except you get actual air conditioning. Run your numbers on our financing page.
How to get quotes without getting burned
Get two or three quotes, and make each company do a Manual J load calculation — the engineering math that sizes the system to your house. Any quote based on “your neighbor got a 3-ton” or square-footage rules of thumb is a guess, and oversized AC short-cycles, under-dehumidifies, and dies early.
Ask each bidder: what's the SEER2 rating, what's the warranty (parts AND labor), who's pulling the permit, and what happens to the old cooler. Then compare installed totals. The cheapest condenser with the worst install is the most expensive system you'll ever own.
Timeline: from quote to cold air
What the project actually looks like, week by week:
- Week 1: assessment (45 min). Load calculation, duct inspection, electrical panel check, roof/curb evaluation. Written quote within 48 hours.
- Week 1–2: permits and equipment. We pull the Aurora permit; equipment is ordered. Standard systems arrive in days, not weeks.
- Install day(s): 1–2 days. Day one: condenser pad and unit set, coil installed at the furnace, lineset run, electrical wired. Day two (if needed): commissioning — vacuum, charge, airflow verification, thermostat setup, full test.
- Inspection: city inspection scheduled by us. You don't need to be home for most of it.
- First summer: we recommend a spring checkup after the first cooling season — verifies the charge settled correctly and catches anything the break-in period revealed.
Total elapsed: typically 2–3 weeks from signed quote to cold air, most of it waiting on nothing but the calendar. Winter installs move fastest — which is why the smart money converts in January, not June.
Get your free conversion assessment
Load calculation, duct check, electrical check, written quote — 45 minutes at your house, zero pressure.
Frequently asked questions
Can you convert in winter, or do I have to wait for spring?
Winter is actually ideal — our install calendar is open, you'll get faster scheduling, and the system is commissioned and ready before the first hot week. The AC gets test-run on a mild day; no problem.
Do I need a new furnace too?
Not necessarily. If your furnace is under 12 years old and healthy, it stays — AC bolts onto it. If the furnace is 15+ and tired, bundling both saves labor and you'll get one warranty covering the matched system.
What happens to the old swamp cooler?
We remove it, cap the duct opening or roof curb properly, and haul it away. Roof-mounted units get a sealed curb cap so you don't inherit a leak.
Will conversion require tearing up my house?
No. The coil goes in at the furnace, the condenser sits outside on a pad, and the lineset runs along the exterior or through a chase. Most conversions involve zero drywall work.
Do you offer $0-down financing for conversions?
Yes — approved in minutes, monthly payments, terms that fit the project size. See our financing page for the fine print we actually want you to read.
Can I finance the conversion with $0 down?
Yes — same financing as any HVAC project: $0 down, approved in minutes, monthly payments. Many customers time the conversion for winter when schedules are open and pay it off before the first hot week.
PROUDLY SERVING AURORA, CO 80011