We install and replace range hoods, bathroom exhaust fans and over-the-range microwaves for homes in Cedar Mill, Beaverton, Bethany and nearby. Most Portland-area range hood installs run $300-$1,200, about $600 typical, labor only (market data, November 2026) . Hooking up to the old duct keeps it low; a new duct route raises it. Every row is on our price list.
What does range hood installation include?
Most kitchens have one of three kinds. An under-cabinet hood hangs below the cabinet over the range. A wall-mount chimney hood bolts to bare wall, with a cover up to the ceiling. An insert is the fan and filters alone, built into a wood or plaster shell.
The usual job is a swap: the old hood comes down, the new one goes up on the same duct and the same wiring. A hood where none hung before means cutting the cabinet, routing a duct and fitting a cap outside . We do residential hoods only and don't touch gas lines or make-up air systems; the list of jobs we don't take says who to call. The range stays hooked up as it is.
How much does it cost to install a range hood, a bath fan or an over-the-range microwave?
| Job | Portland-area range | Typical | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Range hood installation | $300-$1,200 | $600 | labor only, per job |
| Bathroom exhaust fan replacement | $300-$1,000 | $550 | labor only, per job |
| Over-the-range microwave, existing outlet | $200-$450 | $300 | labor only, per job |
Market ranges, November 2026. The unit, duct, cap and tape are extra .
A job climbs the range when the duct size changes, when a new route goes through a cabinet, wall or roof, or when a wood hood cover needs building or rework . A unit of a different size can leave a gap or an old outline, and we patch the ceiling or wall afterward.
Ducted or recirculating: which hood works in your kitchen?
A ducted hood pushes smoke, heat, grease and steam outdoors. A recirculating (ductless) one traps grease and odor in metal and charcoal filters, then blows the air back into the kitchen, moisture and all. The charcoal filters need replacing on the maker's schedule.
From fall to spring most west-side houses keep their windows closed. Steam from a pot of pasta stays inside unless a fan sends it out, so ducted wins wherever a route exists: out the wall behind or above the range, or up through the roof. Shorter and straighter pulls better.
Recirculating is the honest pick for an inside wall with no way out, a condo that forbids new exterior openings, or a rental where the owner says no to a hole.
Can an over-the-range microwave replace a range hood?
It can, as a weaker one. An OTR microwave has a small exhaust blower and a cooktop light, and it sits closer to the burners. Many ship set to recirculate; the manual shows how to turn the blower to vent out through the old hood's duct, which is worth doing when the duct is there.
Mounting it means a wall plate screwed to studs, bolts up through the cabinet above, and the cord plugged into the outlet already in that cabinet. It takes two people to lift. Over a gas range with big burners, check the manual for the clearance it asks for above the cooktop .
When should a bathroom exhaust fan be replaced?
Signs: it got louder or rattles; the mirror stays fogged long after the shower; a square of tissue won't cling to the grille; dark spots or peeling paint appear overhead; the motor hums while the blades barely turn.
Sometimes only the motor needs changing. More often the whole fan goes, and a retrofit housing made to fit the old ceiling hole saves cutting a bigger one. A same-size swap from below is simple; a new duct or a larger housing is not. We don't cut into popcorn ceilings . Original fans in Cedar Hills and Cedar Mill houses from the 1960s are often loud and weak . Once the fan works, the mildew around the tub is part of a bathroom refresh with new caulk.
Where should a bathroom fan vent to?
Outside, through a roof or wall cap with a flap that closes. Not into the attic or toward a soffit gap where the air drifts back in. Warm wet air in a cold attic turns to water on the underside of the roof boards.
In winter, west-side attics are cold and the outdoor air is already damp, so a fan that ends in the attic leaves stains and mildew up there . The duct through a cold attic should be insulated, or the moisture condenses inside it and drips back through the grille. A short run of smooth duct moves more air than a long, crushed flex one . Dryer ducts are a separate job, on the dryer vent page.
What size and noise level should a bath fan be?
Airflow is rated in CFM, noise in sones. Fan makers size by room volume (length times width times ceiling height), so a 5-by-8 bathroom needs a modest fan and a big main bath with a soaking tub a stronger one.
A loud fan gets switched off early. One major fan maker calls anything under 1.0 sone quiet and under 2.0 comfortable for daily use. The fan also has to keep running for a while after the shower ends; a timer or humidity switch handles that .
How long does the job take, and what should be ready?
A bath fan swap or a microwave usually fits into part of a day. A hood with a new duct route can take a full day . We connect to the wiring or outlet already there .
Before we come, have the new unit on site with the box opened to check its size and parts, empty the cabinet above the range, and clear the way to the attic hatch and the breaker panel.
For a price, text a photo of the old unit, the new one's model number, a shot into the cabinet over the range or the attic over the bathroom, and say if the range is gas or electric.