The garage apartment gets a posted price, not a standoff
A garage apartment in Belton is a separate climate, even when it sits on the same lot as the house. Heat stacks over an unconditioned bay all summer, and a window unit in the sash tells every renter on the I-35 corridor what the place is worth.
Old West Minisplits posts the number before a ladder goes up. 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 for new installs only, never repairs or service calls, and they include equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and a Home Depot run for touch-up paint.
The house system was never meant to serve the apartment
A trunk run from the main air handler across a driveway or up a garage stair is a different trade, and it still leaves the apartment tied to someone else's thermostat. A ductless heat pump puts a head in the living space and a condenser outside, so the garage apartment cools and heats on its own clock.
Central Texas summers are brutal, and Belton sits in that same long heat as the rest of the I-35 north corridor. Mini splits are heat pumps. They cool through those summers and handle the mild winter without a furnace in the apartment.
What the posted price covers, and the three exceptions
Licensed contractors do the install. The flat price covers equipment, labor, the line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and touch-up paint from that Home Depot run. There are no trip fees and no add-ons on a standard mounting.
Honest exceptions sit up front, not in the fine print. A very long line set, a panel upgrade the house already needed, or unusually difficult mounting can change the number. Panel work beyond standard connections is arranged separately with a licensed electrician. Use the quote form at /#quote and we will say so if any of those apply.
One open room is usually one zone
Most garage apartments in a smaller Central Texas town are a single open room plus a bath. One indoor head is often enough, which is the $2,000 one-zone price. A loft, a closed bedroom, or a bath that stays muggy is when a second head at $3,700 for two zones starts to make sense.
Ductless installs in Central Texas commonly run $3,000-$6,000 per zone on a custom quote, and most of those contractors want an in-home visit before they name a number. Old West Minisplits posts the price so there is no standoff. Submit photos of the apartment and the outside wall on the quote form at /#quote. Insulation, plumbing, and finish carpentry stay with the trades you already hired for the conversion.
How we compare
| Factor | Old West Minisplits | The usual contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | 1 zone $2,000, 2 zones $3,700, 3 zones $5,400, posted for a new install | Ductless jobs in Central Texas commonly run $3,000-$6,000 per zone on a custom quote |
| When you hear the number | The price is posted before anyone sets a ladder | An in-home visit first, then a quote |
| What is in the figure | Equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and touch-up paint | Often a base equipment number, with line set and electrical treated as extras |
| How the apartment is cooled | Its own wall head and outdoor condenser, no duct chase from the house | A long duct run from the main system, or a window unit in the listing photo |
Straight answers
Is the $2,000 garage apartment price a repair or service call?
No. These flat prices are for new installs only, never a repair or a service call. If a head already hangs in the apartment and it is broken, this page does not price that work.
Is one zone enough for a Belton garage apartment?
Often yes, if it is one open room. A closed bedroom, a loft, or a second living area is when two zones at $3,700 start to fit. Describe the layout on the quote form at /#quote.
What if the apartment is detached and the line set is long?
A very long line set is one of the honest exceptions, stated up front. A standard line set is already in the flat price. If the run is unusually long, that shows on the quote instead of showing up later.
Does the flat price include a new electrical panel for a converted garage?
Standard electrical is included. A panel upgrade the house already needed is an exception. That upgrade is handled by a licensed electrician you arrange separately. If rebates or tax credits matter to the project, verify current numbers with the utility, that electrician, or the IRS.
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