Mini Splits for Landlords Who Are Done Guessing at HVAC Bills
Updated September 2026
Owning rentals in Killeen, Temple, Belton or Waco means every August is a coin flip. A tenant calls about a hot bedroom, a contractor comes out, and the number you get back has nothing to do with the number you got on the last property. You cannot budget a portfolio on quotes that change house to house.
Old West Minisplits posts the price before anyone sets foot on your property. One zone is $2,000. Two zones are $3,700. Three zones are $5,400. Four or more zones get quoted individually, because that is honest work and we will not pretend otherwise. Send the property details through the quote form at /#quote and you will have a number you can put in a spreadsheet.
Why Ductless Fits a Rental Better Than a Retrofit
Rental stock along I-35 north is a mix of older frame houses, converted garages, duplexes and additions that never got tied into the original duct run. Chasing ducts into those spaces means opening walls and ceilings, which means a longer vacancy and a bigger scope than you agreed to. A ductless mini split hangs on the wall, runs a small line set through one penetration, and leaves the rest of the structure alone.
Mini splits are heat pumps, so the same equipment cools through a brutal Central Texas summer and covers a mild winter without a furnace. That means no gas appliance in the unit, no combustion to worry over, and one system to think about instead of two. If a property needs insulation work, duct removal, or anything beyond the standard electrical we include, you arrange that separately with the appropriate licensed trade.
A Posted Price Is a Capital Plan
Most ductless installs in Central Texas run somewhere between $3,000 and $6,000 per zone on a custom quote, and most contractors want an in-home visit before they will say a word about cost. That works fine for one homeowner. It does not work when you are trying to decide whether to condition four units this year or two units this year and two next year.
Our flat prices cover equipment, labor, the line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and a Home Depot run for touch-up paint so the wall looks right when the tenant walks in. No trip fees, no upcharges. Three honest exceptions get stated before you sign, never buried: a very long line set, a panel upgrade the house already needed, or unusually difficult mounting. Everything is installed by licensed contractors.
What Your Tenant Actually Has to Do
The maintenance a tenant can handle is short and worth putting in the lease. Rinse the washable filters on the indoor head every month or two and let them dry before sliding them back. Keep the outdoor unit clear of weeds, fence pickets, trash bins and stacked furniture so it can breathe. That is the whole tenant list.
On your side, keep an eye on the condensate line so it drains clean, and have the system looked at between seasons the way you would any equipment. One note so nobody is confused later: our flat prices are for new installs only. They are not repair pricing and not service-call pricing. If an existing system in one of your units quits, that is a different conversation with a service company, not a $2,000 install.
How we compare
| Factor | Old West Minisplits mini splits | Window units and portable heaters |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | $2,000 for one zone, $3,700 for two, $5,400 for three. Posted before anyone visits. | A few hundred dollars per window, replaced every few seasons, with no line item that ever ends. |
| Turnover Time | Clean wall-mounted head, painted touch-up, nothing to haul in or out between tenants. | Storage, hauling, reinstalling, and the missing unit nobody can account for at move-out. |
| Tenant Experience | Quiet heating and cooling from one system, room by room, with the window left free. | Loud compressor in the bedroom, blocked window, and a separate space heater for January. |
| Liability and Wear | Sealed penetration, licensed install, secured outdoor unit, no open window all summer. | Sagging sills, water damage under the frame, security concerns, and cords running across floors. |
Straight answers
Do the flat prices of $2,000, $3,700 and $5,400 apply to every unit in my portfolio?
Yes, the price is per install and it does not change because you own the building instead of living in it. One zone is $2,000, two zones are $3,700, three zones are $5,400. Four or more zones in one property get quoted individually. Submit each address through /#quote and you will get numbers you can plan around.
Can I get pricing without scheduling a walkthrough at an occupied unit?
That is the point of posting the price. You do not need to coordinate access with a tenant just to learn what the job costs. Send the property details through the quote form and we will confirm the scope, including whether any of the honest exceptions apply, before we ever need to be inside.
Who pays the electric bill, and does this affect how I bill tenants?
A mini split runs on the unit's own electrical service, so a tenant with their own meter pays for their own comfort. That removes the argument you get with shared central systems. Any rebate or tax credit tied to heat pump equipment should be verified directly with your utility provider or the IRS, since those numbers change and we will not quote them for you.
What if one of my properties needs an electrical panel upgrade?
Standard electrical is included in the flat price. If the house already needed a panel upgrade before we showed up, that is one of the exceptions we state up front, and the panel work itself is arranged separately with a licensed electrician. We will tell you that during quoting, not on install day.
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