96 head gasket

My car kept overheating and losing coolant.I have a 4.6 L Northstar engine. I was told by a mechanic that it failed a block pressure test,and it would cost $2400 to pull out the engine and replace the head gasket.Is that a reasonable price? Do they have to take out the engine to do that?

Both head gaskets, correct, that seems somewhat high. Here the job is about 1800.00

Make sure they fix the threads in the headbolt holes. They pull out causing the gasket to go bad.