Furnace Replacement Cost in Burnaby: 2026 Price Guide

Need a licensed gas fitter for your gas furnace? Call CANRO at (604) 359-1081 — residential natural-gas heating and hot water across Metro Vancouver since 1999.

The short answer for a Burnaby homeowner

If your gas furnace in Burnaby has failed or is failing, the working budget for a replacement in 2026 is $4,500 to $9,500+. This is a ballpark, not a quote. It covers a typical swap of one natural gas furnace for another in a single-family house, and it is confirmed by the CANRO office after a short assessment because the details of your house, not the average of everyone's, decide the price.

The plus sign is there on purpose. A furnace in an open basement with a modern side-wall vent is at the lower end of the picture. A furnace in a cramped closet, vented through a chimney that needs relining, with a gas line that has to be upgraded and ducts that need work, is at the other end and sometimes beyond it. This page explains where those differences come from, so that you can read a quote with some confidence.

What Burnaby furnaces are usually replacing

Burnaby is one of the more forced-air cities in Metro Vancouver. The post-war bungalows near Burnaby Heights, the 1950s and 60s family homes around Capitol Hill and Brentwood, and the 1970s and 80s split-levels up toward Burnaby Mountain were nearly all built with a gas furnace and ductwork, and many of those furnaces have been replaced once already, sometimes twice.

The furnace being removed is therefore often an older unit that vents up a masonry chimney or a metal flue, and a replacement with a modern sealed-combustion furnace changes the venting. The old flue may be left unused, capped or lined for another appliance such as a water heater. Where the furnace sits matters too. In many Burnaby houses it is in an unfinished basement with generous clearance. In others it is in a utility closet that was framed in during a basement suite renovation, with a louvred door and a few inches to spare. Those two situations can differ in labour by a good margin.

What the price normally includes

A clear quote for a furnace replacement should itemize or at least describe the following. If something is missing, ask whether it is not needed or just not included.

• Disconnection, removal and disposal of the existing furnace.
• The replacement furnace, sized to the real heat loss of the house, not simply to the old unit's rating.
• Gas connection with a shut-off and a leak test.
• Venting and combustion air, built to the manufacturer's instructions and the BC gas code.
• Condensate drain and a safe place for it to terminate.
• Connection to the existing supply and return ducts, with transitions and sealing.
• A new thermostat connection, or a compatible one where the old thermostat is reused.
• The gas permit and inspection arranged through Technical Safety BC.
• Start-up, combustion check and an explanation of filters and maintenance.

Manufacturer warranty terms differ, and they are written by the manufacturer. Verify your certificate on registration; we do not state terms for any brand on this page.

What raises or lowers the price in this city

The size and features of the furnace come first. A single-stage furnace is a simpler machine than a modulating one with a variable-speed blower, and each added capability changes the equipment cost. Size matters just as much: a house that has been insulated, re-windowed or enlarged may need a different capacity than it did when the original furnace was installed, and oversizing is a classic mistake that costs comfort and wears equipment. A proper heat-loss calculation is worth asking for.

Venting is the next big variable. Moving from an old chimney vent to a plastic side-wall vent is common in Burnaby, and the route to an exterior wall has to meet clearance rules from windows, doors and neighbouring property lines. In tight lots with neighbours close beside the house, finding a compliant spot can take thought and sometimes a longer run.

Then there are the ducts. A furnace that has been starved by undersized or leaky ducts will not perform well just because it is new. In some Burnaby homes, sections of the duct system were altered during renovations and the return air to the furnace is restricted. Fixing that is not always part of the base quote, but a sensible technician will point it out. The gas line and the electrical supply to the furnace are checked as well; an older house sometimes needs a line resized or a better connection. And the home's drainage matters, because a condensing furnace needs somewhere to send condensate that is not a failing floor drain.

Cost factors at a glance

Repair or replace: where the line sits

A furnace repair makes sense when one component has failed and the rest of the furnace is sound. Replacement makes sense when the heat exchanger is cracked, when a repair would cost a large share of the price of a replacement, when failures keep coming back, or when the furnace is old enough that parts are hard to find. A cracked heat exchanger is a safety matter as well as a cost one, and a furnace in that condition should stay off.

We do not give a lifespan in years, because condition, filter habits, the house and the furnace itself all vary. What we can give you is an honest assessment of the furnace in front of us, and a repair price that is quoted before work starts, so that you can see how it compares with the replacement ballpark above.

Comparing quotes and timing in October

When you compare two furnace quotes, compare scope first and price second. Ask whether the quote includes the permit, the venting, the condensate drain, duct modifications and disposal, whether it is based on a heat-loss calculation, and who will be doing the gas work. CANRO holds gas licence LGA0043870, and you should expect any contractor to be able to show theirs. A quote that is very low often leaves something out, and one that cannot be explained line by line is not helping you.

October is the start of the heating season in Burnaby, with colder nights on and near the Mountain and damp, cooler weather everywhere. If your furnace is already struggling, a replacement planned now can be scheduled with time to choose and install properly. A furnace that dies in the first cold week leaves you with whatever is available. Programs from FortisBC, CleanBC and the federal government change over time, so confirm what applies before you commit.

Frequently asked questions