You’ve either started building a new home, or have a home already. Either way you’re thinking about installing a central vacuum system and wonder what the cost may be. In today’s blog for www.centralvacuumdirect.com, we’re going to go in to the proper billing of a central vacuum and what we would charge our local customers in the Chicago land area. This will give some representation of how much an estimate for your new system should be, and help clarify the components of that estimate.

First, we will break down the different components of the estimate:

1)      The Central Vacuum Unit

2)      The Attachment Set

3)      Additional Accessories

4)      Pipe & Fittings

5)      Labor

Now, what should each of these reasonably cost? This will of course depend on the size of the home, and how many inlet valves are being installed. Here, we’ll go through 3 different sized homes and what a reasonable range for a fully complete system cost should be.

Estimate #1 – Home Size: up to 2000 Sq. Ft. – 3 Valve System

• The Central Vacuum Unit: $400-$600
• Electric Attachment Set:    $400-$500
• Additional Accessories       $0-$200
• Pipe & Fittings                     $180-$270                 $60-$90/valve depending on type
• Installation Labor                $240-$300                 $80-$100/valve

Total:                                            $1,220-$1870 + Tax

Estimate #2 – Home Size: up to 3000 sq. ft. – 5 Valve System

• The Central Vacuum Unit: $600-$800
• Electric Attachment Set:    $400-$500
• Additional Accessories       $0-$200
• Pipe & Fittings                     $300-$400                 $60-$90/valve depending on type
• Installation Labor                $400-$500                 $80-$100/valve

Total:                                            $1,700-$2400 + Tax

Estimate #3 – Home Size: up to 5000 Sq. Ft. – 8 valve System

• The Central Vacuum Unit: $800-$1100
• Electric Attachment Set:    $400-$500
• Additional Accessories       $0-$200
• Pipe & Fittings                     $480-$720                 $60-$90/valve depending on type
• Installation Labor                $640-$800                 $80-$100/valve

Total:                                            $2,320-$3320 + Tax

So why is there a range of prices for each of the different size homes? Well, this can be compared to the range of prices you have when purchasing a car. There are lower and higher quality central vacuum systems, with the higher priced units having better quality motors, warranties, and overall better construction. Also, it is important to note that some installers may charge higher prices for labor. This is where the “you pay for what you get” saying also comes into context. Those who know how to properly install the system so that it works for years without clogs and mishaps, will demand higher prices. Those that are new to the business and may not have this knowledge, may undercut pricing by charging lower labor. One this is for sure though, YOU DO PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET in the central vacuum installation process. If you want a system that’s going to last for 20 years with no problems, they are available.

If you have any questions feel free to contact us on our website!

Thanks for reading & happy cleaning!

The Central Vacuum Direct Team