Range Hood Install Vancouver 2026: CFM, Ducted vs Ductless, Real Costs

Quick Answer: Range Hood Install in Vancouver

A range hood install in Vancouver typically runs $380 to $4,500+ all-in (unit + ducting + electrical + carpentry).

• $380–$900 budget tier: under-cabinet OEM hood (350–500 CFM), simple existing-duct reuse — most condo kitchens and rental rebuilds we touch
• $1,100–$2,400 mid tier: 30"–36" stainless wall-mount or chimney hood (600–900 CFM), new short-run duct, a new circuit if needed — the bulk of our $25K–$35K Burnaby / Richmond / Surrey kitchens
• $2,800–$4,500+ custom tier: 36"–48" insert behind a custom plywood-and-veneer hood box (1,000–1,500 CFM), long ducted run, makeup-air interlock — what ships on our $35K+ premium kitchens with gas ranges

The single most important spec is CFM matched to the stovetop, not the cabinet width. Pick the duct route before pick the hood model. And in BC, anything 400+ CFM in an airtight envelope needs makeup air or your fireplace will start back-drafting.

Below: real budgets from 17 Reno Stars kitchen projects, what we install at each tier, and the four mistakes we get called to fix most often.

What a Range Hood Actually Does (and Where Vancouver Goes Wrong)

A range hood pulls grease vapor, water vapor, combustion gases (gas ranges), and odors out of your cooking zone. The two failure modes we see most in Vancouver homes:

1. Recirculating "ductless" hoods on gas ranges. A charcoal filter cleans nothing but smells. Grease and water vapor still hit your upper cabinets. We see this in Burnaby and Coquitlam condos where a previous reno hit a stratosphere ducting problem and gave up.
2. An oversized hood with no makeup air. A 1,200 CFM commercial-style hood in a tight West Vancouver townhouse pulls air out faster than your house can replace it. Result: gas fireplace and water heater back-draft (carbon monoxide risk), patio door whistles, the hood "doesn't work" because there's no air for it to move.

Both are fixable. Both are cheaper to prevent on day one of a renovation than to retrofit later.

CFM by Stovetop Type (Real Numbers, Not Marketing)

CFM (cubic feet per minute) is the volume of air a hood moves. The right number is set by your stovetop's heat output, not the hood width.

Stovetop	BTU / kW Output	Recommended CFM
Electric coil (rental / older condo)	~7,200 BTU max	200–300 CFM
Standard electric/induction 30" cooktop	11,000–17,000 BTU per element	300–450 CFM
Standard 30" gas range (4 burners)	35,000–45,000 BTU total	450–600 CFM
Pro-style 36" gas range (4 burners + griddle)	55,000–75,000 BTU total	700–900 CFM
36"–48" pro range (6 burners + grill)	90,000+ BTU total	1,000–1,500 CFM
Wok burner / specialty (any size)	30,000+ BTU single point	+300 CFM above category

Old rule of thumb (1 CFM per 100 BTU) is too conservative for tight Vancouver envelopes — actual delivered CFM at the cooktop is 60–75% of the rated CFM after duct losses. Bias up one tier if your duct run is longer than 12 feet or has more than one elbow.

Ducted vs Ductless — When Each Actually Works

Situation	Ducted	Ductless
Gas range	Required (BC 9.32 + safe practice)	Don't
Electric / induction, condo, no exterior wall	Best	Acceptable if no other option
Heritage house, no existing run	Sometimes ductless wins (less drywall damage)	Yes, if cooking is light
Heavy daily cooking (wok, Asian cuisine)	Required	No
Light cooking (boil water, microwave heavy)	Nice to have	Acceptable

Vancouver-specific gotchas:

• Strata condos often forbid new exterior penetrations — check your bylaws before you spec ducted. Renderall is a common workaround (return air to attic) but it's not as good as exterior venting.
• North Vancouver / West Van houses with shingle exteriors: budget +$300–$500 for proper roof-jack flashing on a new vent termination.
• East Vancouver heritage homes with knob-and-tube: a new 15A dedicated circuit for the hood is often the first electrical upgrade flagged in inspection.

BC Building Code & Makeup Air — The Rule Most Homeowners Miss

BC Building Code 9.32 + ASHRAE 62.2 require makeup air whenever the kitchen exhaust capacity exceeds what your envelope can replace passively. For most 1990s-and-newer Vancouver homes, that's roughly 400 CFM before you need a powered makeup air unit.

What this means in practice:

• 600 CFM hood + no makeup air in a 2010 Burnaby townhouse = backdraft on your fireplace insert, fan-assisted water heater interlock trips, and patio door rattles when you cook.
• The fix: either (a) downsize the hood to ≤400 CFM and pick high-efficiency motors, or (b) install a tempered makeup air unit (CMA-style damper + duct heater) — adds $1,800–$3,200 to the project.
• For our $35K+ Burnaby custom kitchens with gas ranges 700+ CFM, makeup air is non-negotiable. Budget it from day one.

Real Costs From 17 Reno Stars Kitchen Projects

These are actual hood line items from our budget breakdowns. Total project budget shown so you can see where the hood line falls.

Project	Total Budget	Hood Tier	Hood Line Item
Modern Kitchen, Langley	$20K–$23K	Under-cabinet 30" 400 CFM	~$520 (unit $280 + install $240)
Modern Kitchen, Richmond	$20K–$24K	Under-cabinet 30" 400 CFM ducted	~$580 (existing duct reused)
Minimalist Wood + Quartz, Richmond	$22K–$25K	Slim chimney 30" 600 CFM	~$840
Budget Coquitlam Kitchen	$25K–$27K	Under-cabinet 30" 400 CFM new duct	~$680 (new short duct run)
Surrey Kitchen Reno	$25K–$30K	Wall-mount chimney 30" 600 CFM	~$1,150
Minimalist Warm Kitchen, Richmond	$28K–$32K	Hidden insert behind custom panel 30" 700 CFM	~$1,680
Waterfall Island, Langley	$28K–$30K	Wall-mount chimney 36" 700 CFM	~$1,420
White + Gold Kitchen, West Van	$29K–$33K	Slim wall-mount 30" 600 CFM stainless	~$1,290
Wood Veins Custom, Burnaby	$30K–$35K	Insert behind matching veneer hood box 36" 900 CFM	~$2,180
Modern Quartz Kitchen, Langley	$32K–$35K	Wall-mount chimney 36" 900 CFM	~$1,560
Gold Fixtures Custom, Burnaby	$35K–$40K	Insert behind painted custom hood box 36" 1,000 CFM + makeup air	~$3,240
Modern Custom Cabinets, Surrey	$35K–$38K	Wall-mount 36" 900 CFM premium stainless	~$2,150
White Shaker, Vancouver	$70K–$72K	Pro insert 48" 1,500 CFM behind custom plaster hood + makeup air interlock	~$4,480

What you can take away:

• Up to $25K total budget → hood line is typically $500–$850 (under-cabinet or slim chimney)
• $25K–$32K → $1,000–$1,700 (chimney or basic custom box)
• $32K–$40K → $2,000–$3,200 (custom hood box, often with makeup air)
• $40K+ → $3,500–$4,500+ (pro insert behind architectural hood, makeup air interlock standard)

The hood line is roughly 2.5%–6.5% of total kitchen budget across our project mix. If you're seeing quotes outside that band, something is mis-spec'd.

Wall-Mount vs Island vs Under-Cabinet vs Insert — Quick Decision

• Under-cabinet hood — cheapest, lowest profile. Best when you keep upper cabinets and the existing run. $280–$680 unit, $200–$400 install.
• Wall-mount chimney hood — visible stainless or matte finish over a wall-installed cooktop. Statement piece. $650–$1,800 unit, $400–$700 install.
• Island hood — drops from the ceiling above a cooking island. Requires roof or vaulted-ceiling ducting + structural blocking. $900–$2,800 unit, $700–$1,400 install + duct work.
• Insert (built into custom hood box) — premium look, matches cabinetry. The insert itself is $750–$2,200; the custom hood box is $900–$2,800 carpentry on top. Total: $1,650–$5,000+ before makeup air.

Vancouver homes lean wall-mount in townhouses (open kitchens to dining), insert in custom premium ($30K+ budgets), under-cabinet in condos.

Four Mistakes We Get Called to Fix

1. The "we'll just go ductless" condo install. Then the upper cabinets get yellowed grease after 18 months. Fix: tear off the upper cabinet panel above the hood, run a new duct through the soffit to the building shaft, recore the existing hood for ducted operation. ~$1,400–$2,200 retrofit.
2. 400 CFM hood spec'd against a 60,000 BTU pro range. Smoke fills the kitchen, the alarm trips, the homeowner blames the contractor. Fix: replace hood with 700–900 CFM unit + add makeup air. ~$2,800–$4,200 retrofit (cabinet rework + ducting).
3. Duct termination dumped into the attic. Code violation, mold risk in the attic. Fix: extend duct to roof jack with insulated semi-rigid + proper flashing. ~$700–$1,300.
4. Hood installed too low or too high above cooktop. Manufacturer spec is usually 24"–30" above electric, 30"–36" above gas. Lower = grease on the filter housing; higher = capture failure. Fix is reinstall — ~$200–$400 if the hood and duct stub are reusable.

Stainless vs Black Stainless vs Painted Custom — Finish & Cleaning

• Polished stainless — easiest to clean, fingerprint magnet. Standard in 80% of our installs.
• Black stainless / fingerprint-resistant stainless — coordinates with dark-fixture kitchens. ~$200 premium over polished stainless. Solid choice for the Burnaby black-fixtures and gold-handles kitchens we ship.
• Custom painted hood box — paint matches cabinetry, hides the metal insert. +$600–$1,200 carpentry premium. Highest impact, most maintenance (touch-ups every 3–5 years).
• Wood veneer hood box — matches cabinetry grain. +$900–$2,000 premium. Beautiful but harder to keep clean above a gas range.

For dark-tone kitchens (we ship a lot of these in Burnaby), pair a black stainless insert with a wood or painted hood box rather than a polished-stainless chimney — the chimney finish never quite matches the cabinetry, and that disconnect cheapens the rest of the kitchen.

What We Spec on a $35K Burnaby Kitchen (Real Reno Stars Default)

For an average $30K–$35K Burnaby kitchen renovation with a standard gas range, this is our default range hood scope:

• Insert: 600–700 CFM 30" stainless (Broan PM390 or equivalent)
• Hood box: custom plywood + veneer or painted MDF to match upper cabinets, 30" wide × 24" deep × ~36" tall
• Duct: 6" galvanized rigid duct, ≤8 ft run, ≤2 elbows, exterior wall cap with backdraft damper
• Electrical: dedicated 15A circuit on its own breaker (a new run if the existing one is shared with the fridge — we see this constantly in 1980s Burnaby townhomes)
• Controls: push-button speed (2-speed minimum, 4-speed preferred), bright LED task light, dishwasher-safe baffle filters
• Line item budget: ~$1,800–$2,400 all-in

Above 700 CFM (which we recommend for any 4+ burner gas range), add a makeup air assessment — sometimes we can stay under 400 CFM with a high-efficiency hood and avoid the makeup-air cost, sometimes we need the unit.

How Long the Install Takes

• Like-for-like replacement (existing duct, existing circuit): half a day for the hood swap
• New ducted install on an interior wall (run a new duct to an exterior cap, new electrical): 1–2 days
• Custom hood box build + insert install: 2–3 days (cabinet build cures overnight, install + ducting day 2)
• Makeup air unit retrofit on an existing kitchen: 2–4 days (depends on where the supply duct can route)

Sequencing matters in a full kitchen renovation. We typically install the hood after uppers but before countertops — that way the hood box scribes to the actual installed cabinets and the duct cap location is final before backsplash tile.

FAQ

How much does a range hood install cost in Vancouver?

A typical install runs $500 to $4,500+ all-in. Budget condo replacements with existing ducting run $500–$900; mid-range wall-mount chimney installs run $1,100–$2,400; custom hood box installs with makeup air run $2,800–$4,500+. The single biggest swing is whether you need new ducting and makeup air.

Do I need a permit for a range hood install in Vancouver?

You don't need a building permit for hood replacement (like-for-like). You do need an electrical permit if you're running a new circuit, and a building permit if you're cutting a new exterior duct penetration on a single-family home. Strata condos almost always require strata approval for new exterior penetrations.

What CFM range hood do I need for a gas range?

450–600 CFM for a standard 30" 4-burner gas range (35,000–45,000 BTU total). Step up to 700–900 CFM for a 36" pro range, and 1,000+ CFM for a 48" pro range or wok-style cooking. Bias up one tier if your duct run exceeds 12 feet or has more than one elbow.

Can I use a ductless range hood on a gas range?

Not recommended. A ductless ("recirculating") hood only filters odor; it doesn't remove combustion byproducts, water vapor, or grease. For gas ranges, ducted exhaust is BC Building Code best practice and protects your indoor air quality. We've never installed a ductless hood on a gas range and we don't recommend it.

What is makeup air and do I need it?

Makeup air is fresh outside air supplied to your house to replace what the range hood exhausts. BC Building Code 9.32 requires it whenever your hood exceeds roughly 400 CFM in a typical 1990s-and-newer airtight Vancouver home. Without it, the hood pulls combustion air from your fireplace, water heater, and exterior cracks — risking back-draft and CO. Cost: $1,800–$3,200 for a tempered makeup air unit + ducting.

How high should a range hood be above the stovetop?

24"–30" above electric/induction cooktops, 30"–36" above gas ranges. Always check the manufacturer's spec sheet — pro-style hoods sometimes require higher mounting for capture geometry. Mounting too low gets grease on the filter housing; mounting too high lets smoke escape.

Can I install a range hood myself?

The hood unit itself can be DIY-installed, but the ducting and electrical should be permitted and inspected. Strata, insurance, and code all care about this. We don't recommend DIY on gas-range hoods or anything requiring makeup air — the design coordination with the building envelope is where DIYs fail.

How long does a range hood last?

8–15 years for the unit, depending on cook frequency and filter maintenance. The motor is usually the first failure. Stainless shells outlive the motor by decades. Custom hood boxes (cabinetry) last 20+ years if the kitchen runs are kept dry.

What about ductless retrofitted later to ducted?

Possible but $1,400–$2,200 retrofit cost. You need to add ducting through cabinet soffits or building shafts and re-core the hood for ducted operation. Cheaper to spec ducted from the start during a renovation.

Plan Your Vancouver Kitchen Renovation

If you're planning a kitchen renovation in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Coquitlam, or the North Shore, the range hood decision should happen before you sign on cabinets — duct route locks in a wall, makeup air locks in HVAC work, and both affect the cabinet layout.

• Cost reference: Kitchen Renovation Cost Vancouver 2026 — Real Pricing from 16 Projects
• Decision support: Kitchen Lighting Design Vancouver 2026
• Cabinet options: IKEA SEKTION vs Custom Kitchen Cabinets Vancouver 2026
• Style direction: Quartz vs Granite Countertops Vancouver 2026

Ready to spec your range hood and the rest of your kitchen? Contact Reno Stars for a free in-home consultation — we'll measure your stovetop, walk your duct routes, and bring a proper makeup-air assessment to your design decision.