A Mini Split Cannot Invent an Envelope
A Central Texas garage in July is a metal box under a hot roof. A ductless mini split is a heat pump that can cool that box and take the edge off a mild winter. It cannot invent an envelope the building never had.
Old West Minisplits posts the new-install price before anyone rolls a truck. One zone is $2,000, two zones are $3,700, three zones are $5,400, and four or more zones are quoted individually. That figure covers equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and a Home Depot run for touch-up paint, with no trip fees and no standoffs. Insulation is a separate trade you arrange on your own.
The Envelope Sets the Load
A mini split is sized to the heat that leaks in and the heat that leaks out. An uninsulated garage door, empty stud bays, and a roof that soaks up afternoon sun all dump heat into the same room the indoor head is trying to hold. The unit will run long, the space will still feel uneven, and the compressor will work as if it is cooling the yard.
Insulate first, then size the system to the improved load. If you reverse that order, you either live with a machine that is too large for the tighter room, or you paid for capacity you no longer need. Old West Minisplits does not hang batts, blow cellulose, or spray foam. A homeowner hires an insulation contractor, or handles that work, before the new install.
Attics and Additions Follow the Same Law
An attic in this corridor can sit well above the outdoor air. A mini split head in a converted attic still needs a floor, walls, and a roof assembly that slow that heat. Air sealing around penetrations, kneewalls, and the hatch matters as much as the insulation itself. The heat pump will cool what you give it, but it will not make a sieve hold water.
Finished additions along I-35 often go up with thin walls, a slab edge that was never insulated, and windows chosen for price. A one-zone mini split at the posted $2,000 new-install price will condition that room if the shell is reasonable. If the shell is not, the head will run and the addition will still track the weather, so have the insulation trade close those gaps first, then request a quote at /#quote for the new install.
Cool Air on Bare Walls Has a Cost
Cooling an uninsulated garage or addition can pull interior surfaces below the dew point on a humid Central Texas day. Condensation shows up on metal doors, uninsulated corners, and the back of drywall. That is not a refrigerant problem. That is a building-envelope problem.
Old West Minisplits installs new ductless systems through licensed contractors, and the flat price does not include insulation, a panel upgrade the house already needed, a very long line set, or unusually difficult mounting. Those exceptions are stated up front, never buried. These figures are for new installs only, never repairs or service calls. Send the job through the quote form at /#quote.
How we compare
| Factor | Old West Minisplits | Unit first, insulation later |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | New install posted: 1 zone $2,000, 2 zones $3,700, 3 zones $5,400. Insulation is a separate bill you arrange. | Ductless jobs in Central Texas commonly run $3,000-$6,000 per zone on a custom quote after an in-home visit, and you still pay someone else to insulate. |
| How the system is sized | Sized after walls, ceiling, and the garage door are tighter, so the heat pump matches the real load. | Sized for a hot box, then left oversized once you finally insulate. |
| Summer runtime | The indoor head holds the set point without fighting the roof and the door all afternoon. | The compressor runs as if it is cooling the county, and the space still tracks the sun. |
| Moisture on bare surfaces | Insulated walls and an insulated door keep interior surfaces closer to room temperature. | Bare metal and thin drywall can sweat when the mini split is the only thing keeping the space cold. |
Straight answers
Does the $2,000 one-zone price include insulation?
No. Old West Minisplits does not perform insulation. The flat new-install price covers equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and a Home Depot run for touch-up paint. You hire an insulation contractor separately, or you handle that work yourself before the install.
Should I insulate a garage before the mini split goes in?
Yes. Insulate the walls, the ceiling or roof deck, and the garage door first so the heat pump is sized to the improved load. Adding insulation later can leave you with a unit that is larger than the room now needs.
What about an attic conversion or a new addition?
Same sequence. Air-seal and insulate the shell, then install the mini split. One, two, and three zone new installs stay at $2,000, $3,700, and $5,400 unless an honest exception applies. Four or more zones are quoted individually.
Are these prices for a service call if my garage unit is already in?
No. These flat prices are for new installs only, never repairs or service calls. If you need service on existing equipment, this page is not that offer. For a new garage, attic, or addition install, use the quote form at /#quote.
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