Before selling my Richmond townhouse, is a new furnace worth it?

A furnace replacement before a sale rarely pays back dollar-for-dollar, but the right answer depends on how old the current unit is and what condition it is in. In Metro Vancouver's 2025-2026 market, a high-efficiency gas furnace replacement in a Richmond townhouse typically runs $5,500 to $11,000 installed, permits included.

Is It Worth Replacing Before You List?

The honest answer is: probably not, unless the furnace is visibly failing or a home inspector is likely to flag it. Buyers and their inspectors notice age and condition, but they rarely pay a premium equal to the full replacement cost. What they do respond to is a furnace that is clearly near end-of-life, because it gives them a negotiating point or a reason to walk away. A unit that is 20-plus years old, has a cracked heat exchanger, or has had repeated repairs in the last two seasons is a liability. A unit that is 12-15 years old and running cleanly is usually fine to leave.

A few things that shift the calculation for a Richmond townhouse specifically. First, townhouse strata rules may already restrict what work you can do without council approval, so confirm with your strata before committing to anything. Second, Richmond is in BC Hydro territory, and the BC Hydro Home Renovation Rebate for a heat pump only applies when you are replacing all-electric heat, so if the townhouse has a gas furnace now, that rebate is not available to you or the buyer. For a household that heats with gas and is not income-qualified, there is currently no general CleanBC fuel-switching rebate in Metro Vancouver either, so do not factor a rebate into the math unless you have confirmed eligibility.

If the furnace is genuinely at end-of-life, replacing it before listing can remove a negotiating chip from a buyer's hand and let you market the home with a new system. In that case, a mid-range 96% AFUE condensing furnace is the practical choice: efficient enough to satisfy a buyer, not so expensive that you overspend on a home you are leaving.

On the permit side: in Richmond, the gas permit for the furnace replacement is issued by the City of Richmond, not Technical Safety BC. The electrical permit for any new circuit work comes from Technical Safety BC. A licensed gas contractor will pull both; make sure permits are included in the quote and that the work is inspected and closed before you list, because a buyer's lawyer or inspector may ask.

What a fair quote should include: a heat loss calculation to confirm sizing (do not let a contractor simply match the old unit's capacity), the exact model and efficiency rating, all gas and electrical permit fees, removal and disposal of the old unit, and a labour warranty of at least one year. Ask the contractor for their Technical Safety BC gas contractor licence number and confirm WorkSafeBC coverage before signing anything.

If the furnace is mid-life and running, a $150-$250 tune-up and a fresh filter will do more for your sale than a full replacement. If it is genuinely failing, replacing it is the cleaner move than leaving it for a buyer to negotiate against you.

The core decision comes down to one question: would a home inspector flag this furnace as a material defect? If yes, replacing it before listing is likely worth it; if you would like a quote to weigh the cost, Vancouver HVAC Pro can connect you with a local Richmond HVAC contractor at no charge.