Size a workshop, then read the posted cooling price
A detached shop on the I-35 north corridor cooks for a different reason than a house. Metal walls, a tall bay, a west sun load, and a roll-up door dump heat every time the door goes up. Window boxes and portable units rattle, steal an opening, and quit when the humidity sits heavy over Killeen, Temple, or Waco.
The price is posted up front, no standoffs. One zone is $2,000, two zones are $3,700, and three zones are $5,400. Four or more zones are quoted individually. Those figures are new installs only, never repairs or service calls, so send the shop facts to /#quote.
Size a shop by how it is built, not by house rules
Square footage is a start, not the verdict. A metal building with a high ridge and a bare slab soaks heat that a stick-framed garage never sees. Tools, compressors, and welders add load that no bedroom calculator counts.
A single closed bay often takes one indoor head. A small office plus a dirty work floor is a two-zone job so the office stays cleaner and each space can set its own temperature. Put the length, width, ceiling height, and door count in the form at /#quote and we size from that, not from a guess.
The posted price on a new workshop install
The flat price covers equipment, labor, the line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and a Home Depot run for touch-up paint. Licensed contractors do the work. There are no trip fees and no quiet upcharges.
Mini splits are heat pumps. They cool through brutal Central Texas summers and handle mild winters without a furnace, which matters when you actually work in the shop in January. This page is not a repair menu. It is the new-install number.
Long runs, tight mounts, and work we do not do
A very long line set, a panel upgrade the shop already needed, or unusually difficult mounting can sit outside the flat number. We name those exceptions up front, never after the bracket is on the wall. Metal ribs, tall eaves, and a condenser that has to live a long walk from the head are the usual shop versions of that list.
Old West Minisplits does not pull a new service, insulate a metal roof, or hang dust collection. A licensed electrician handles a panel the building already needed, and you arrange insulation or exhaust on your own. Other contractors in Central Texas commonly run $3,000-$6,000 per zone on a custom quote after a visit. Read our number here, then send the shop facts to /#quote.
How we compare
| Factor | Old West Minisplits | The usual contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | 1 zone $2,000, 2 zones $3,700, 3 zones $5,400 for a new shop install | $3,000-$6,000 per zone on a custom quote after a visit |
| When you learn the number | Posted on this page before a truck rolls | Held until someone walks the shop |
| Trip fees and extras | None. Paint run included. Long line sets, needed panel upgrades, and hard mounts named up front. | Line items that appear after the walkthrough |
| Winter in the bay | Heat pump heat for a mild Central Texas winter, no furnace | A cooling-only plan, or a separate heater you still have to buy |
Straight answers
Is the $2,000 workshop price for a repair or a service call?
No. The posted figures of $2,000, $3,700, and $5,400 are for new mini split installs only. We do not price repairs or service calls on this page. If the shop has no system yet, use /#quote.
How do I know if a detached shop needs one zone or two?
One zone fits a single bay you can close up. Two zones fit an office plus a work floor, or a long shop you want held at two temperatures. Three zones cover a larger layout. Four or more are quoted individually. Send dimensions at /#quote.
What if the shop sits far from the electrical panel?
A very long line set is an honest exception, named up front. Standard electrical is in the flat price. A panel upgrade the building already needed is also an exception, and a licensed electrician handles that work. Describe the run and the panel at /#quote.
Will a mini split heat a workshop in winter around Temple or Waco?
Yes. These units are heat pumps, so they cool in summer and heat through a mild Central Texas winter without a furnace. They are not a repair for a dead wall heater, and an uninsulated wide-open bay on the coldest nights still needs a closed door and honest sizing. New install pricing is on the form at /#quote.
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