Whether you need to replace an old fume hood or add more to your lab, you’re likely in search of a ballpark price. Even if you know the size and features of your ideal hood, finding an exact price may still prove difficult.
Like a steering wheel is one component in a car, fume hoods are one piece of the much larger laboratory puzzle. More times than not, there are extras that are also purchased, like cabinets, storage, and vents. Many firms offer a lump sum price, and the customer has no idea what they paid for each individual item.
With the lump sum pricing approach, knowing the individual cost of a fume hood remains a mystery. There are companies that do provide pricing for fume hoods, but you may have to search for it.
Data collection
We contacted 34 fume hood distributors for pricing information on 4, 6, and 8 foot fume hoods. These are the most common sizes.
Of the 34 companies, only three had pricing information available on their website. Six others provided pricing information.
Many manufacturers were resistant to sharing pricing information.
Fume hood pricing will differ
Many factors go into consideration when pricing a fume hood. Special features and add-ons will drive the price up or down. For instance, a hood made to handle explosions is going to be more expensive than one for spills.
The Rule of Thumb, according to industry professionals, is anywhere from $1,200 to $2,500 per square foot. That means the cost of a six-foot hood would be anywhere from $7,200 to $15,000.
How much does a fume hood cost?
Of the pricing data obtained, there was a “low” price for each fume hood size (i.e. 4’, 6’, and 8’); and there was a ”high” price. Then, we averaged both the high and low prices.
It’s difficult to gather accurate pricing information without the details of each hood. As one can imagine, the descriptions of the lowest priced hoods differed from the highest. This led to a large price range for a similar product.
We publish our fume hood and laboratory furniture prices online. If you need a custom hood or laboratory cabinets, our custom configurations service will provide an exact price.