Conditioning an RV Garage or Oversized Detached Garage Bay
Updated September 2026
If you have a detached garage, a workshop bay, or an RV garage in Central Texas, you already know the problem. In July that metal roof turns the space into a pizza oven. In January it is cold enough to keep you from working out there. The standard solution most local HVAC contractors offer is a custom quote with an in-home sales visit, and those quotes for a single zone in Austin commonly run $3,000 to $6,000 per zone. That is before they find an "unforeseen" issue and tack on trip fees.
Old West Minisplits does it differently. We post a flat installed price for ductless mini splits: $2,000 for one zone, $3,700 for two zones, $5,400 for three zones. That price includes equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical (up to the disconnect), refrigerant, testing, cleanup, and a run to Home Depot for touch-up paint if needed. No trip fees. No surprise add-ons. And mini splits are heat pumps, so they handle our brutal Austin summers and mild winters without a separate furnace. The same flat pricing applies along the I-35 corridor from Waco and Killeen down to San Antonio.
Why Ductless Works for a Garage or Workshop
A ductless mini split is essentially a heat pump mounted high on the wall or ceiling, connected to an outdoor compressor by a small refrigerant line. It does not need ductwork, so it can be installed in a detached structure without tearing up walls or running bulky metal ducts. For a 2-car garage bay or a 40-foot RV bay, a single 12,000 BTU zone is usually enough. For a larger workshop or a bay with high ceilings, two zones give you even temperature across the space. Because mini splits are inverter-driven, they ramp up and down based on demand instead of cycling on and off like a window unit. That means they hold a steady temperature without the loud rattle of a window AC or the drip pan issues that come with portable units.
What the Flat Price Actually Covers
A lot of people assume a low advertised price leaves out important items. Ours does not. The $2,000 for a single zone includes everything: the indoor head, the outdoor condenser, up to 25 feet of line set, standard electrical hookup to a disconnect within sight of the unit, refrigerant charge, pressure testing, startup, and a thorough cleanup. If we need to patch a small hole or touch up paint where we ran the line set, we take care of it. If you want a third zone in a separate bay or a loft area, the price is $5,400 total. The honest exceptions we tell you about up front are a longer line set over 25 feet (rare in a garage), a panel upgrade your house already needed anyway, or an unusually difficult mount like a solid poured concrete wall or a ceiling installation requiring structural bracing. You will know about those before we start, not when the bill comes.
Comparing to the Alternatives (Window Units and Portables)
Window units and portable ACs are cheap at the hardware store, but they are not a permanent solution for a garage or workshop. A window unit blocks natural light, leaks conditioned air around the frame, and drips condensate that has to drain somewhere. In a detached garage with no window, you are cutting a hole anyway. Portable units take up floor space, need a hose vented out a door or wall, and are notoriously inefficient because the exhaust hose radiates heat back into the room. They also struggle to keep up in a space with high ceilings or poor insulation. A properly sized mini split uses roughly half the electricity of a portable unit for the same cooling output and does not block your view, take up floor space, or create a tripping hazard. Over a 10-year lifespan in Austin, the energy savings alone often offset the upfront difference, and you get heat in the winter without a space heater.
How we compare
| Factor | Old West Minisplits | The usual |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat $2,000 per zone installed. No surprises. | Custom quote $3,000-$6,000 per zone plus potential trip fees and add-ons. |
| Sales process | Online quote form, no in-home sales visit required. | In-home consultation, pressure to sign same day. |
| Heating ability | Heat pump included. Cools 100F summers and handles mild winters. | Many window or portable ACs cool only; separate heater needed. |
| Installation mess | Clean install with touch-up paint included. | Varies by contractor; may leave holes or charge extra for patching. |
| Service area flexibility | Same flat price from Waco to San Antonio. | Often zoned pricing; out-of-city trips may add $100-$300. |
Straight answers
Can a mini split really cool a whole garage bay in Austin summer?
Yes, if properly sized. A 12,000 BTU (1 ton) unit handles roughly 500-600 square feet with 8-9 foot ceilings. For a taller RV bay or a larger shop, we often suggest two zones to avoid hot spots. Our quote form asks for ceiling height and insulation type to recommend the right setup.
What if I already have a window AC or portable unit that broke?
If the unit is older than a few years, replacing it with a window unit of similar capacity often costs $400-$800 and still leaves you without heat. A mini split will outlast two or three window units and has better dehumidification. If your unit is under warranty, check with the manufacturer for repair options. If it is a failing older system, a flat-price new install is often the most cost-effective long-term move.
Do I need to add a subpanel or upgrade my main panel for a garage install?
Not always. A typical 1-zone mini split draws 15-20 amps at 240 volts. If your garage already has a subpanel with an open breaker spot, we can usually connect to that. If your home service is already maxed out, you may need a panel upgrade. That is one of the few honest exceptions we call out before quoting, and we will tell you what it takes without inflating the install price.
Do you install in a metal building or pole barn garage?
Yes, we install in metal buildings and pole barns. These often require careful mounting to avoid damaging the metal skin or causing leaks. That can count as an unusually difficult mount depending on the framing and wall thickness, so we evaluate it on a case-by-case basis. Submit the quick quote form with a note about the construction type and we will give a straight answer.
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