Mini Split Installation for Student Rentals Near UT Austin, Flat Price from $2,000
Updated September 2026
If you own a rental house or duplex near the University of Texas, you already know the pattern: a lease turns over in August, a tenant complains about a struggling window unit in September, and by October you are deciding whether to patch the same problem again or actually fix it. Older housing stock near campus, the kind most student rentals sit in, was rarely built with central ducts. Window units get the job done in a mild spring, but they buckle under a full Central Texas summer, run up electric bills, and give tenants a real reason to leave a bad review or skip a lease renewal.
A ductless mini split is a permanent fix rather than another patch. Old West Minisplits installs at a flat price: $2,000 for one zone, $3,700 for two zones, $5,400 for three zones, covering equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, and cleanup. You get that price through the quote form on our homepage without scheduling a home visit around a tenant's class schedule, and there is no phone number to call, since we do not list one.
What the Flat Price Covers (and What It Doesn't)
The $2,000 per zone price is all-in for a standard installation, and it is the same price whether you own one rental or a dozen. It includes the mini split heat pump unit, indoor air handler, line set, wiring, breaker, refrigerant, a condensate pump if needed, testing, and cleanup. We also touch up paint where the line set runs so the unit does not look like an afterthought at the next showing or lease renewal. No trip fees, no hidden charges, and no sales visit required just to get a number.
Three honest exceptions apply, and we flag them before you commit, never after the crew is on site. A very long line set, over 50 feet, adds a materials charge. A panel upgrade the property already needed is not included. Unusually difficult mounting, such as brick or stone exteriors that need special anchors, may add a small fee. We do not offer repair or warranty service on existing systems, but if a unit is failing or was installed poorly by someone else, a flat-price new install is often the cheaper long-term call than another service ticket.
Typical Student Rental Jobs: Window Unit Replacement and Lease-Turnover Timing
The most common job is replacing a row of aging or failing window units with one properly sized system, often two zones covering the main living area and a primary bedroom, sometimes three zones for a larger house split among multiple tenants. Each tenant gets a unit that actually keeps up with a Texas summer instead of running around the clock and still falling short.
Timing matters for a rental. Most owners schedule the install during the gap between leases, typically in the summer before a new group of tenants moves in, so the unit is broken in and tested before anyone is living there. Because getting a quote does not require a home visit, you can plan that turnover-window installation well ahead of the move-in date.
Why Flat Pricing Works Better for Owners
A custom quote means scheduling a salesperson around a tenant's calendar, waiting on a bid, and hoping the number that comes back fits what you budgeted for the unit. Old West Minisplits skips the walkthrough. The price is posted, so you can pencil it into a renovation budget or a turnover schedule before you talk to anyone, and you never have to call anyone, because we do not publish a phone number. The quote form on our homepage is the only step between you and a scheduled install.
The price per zone holds whether the property sits blocks from campus or anywhere else along the I-35 corridor from Waco to San Antonio. One zone is $2,000, two zones is $3,700, three zones is $5,400, the same number for every unit in a portfolio, which makes budgeting across several properties simple.
How we compare
| Factor | Old West Minisplits | The usual |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat price posted online, no custom quote needed | Custom quote after in-home visit, price varies per job |
| Home visit required | No, you can get a quote online and schedule remotely | Yes, most require a salesperson to come measure |
| Price per zone | $2,000 for 1 zone, $3,700 for 2, $5,400 for 3 | $3,000 to $6,000 per zone on average for a custom install |
| Included items | Equipment, labor, line set, standard electrical, refrigerant, testing, cleanup, paint touch-up | Varies; some include line set and refrigerant, some add charges for electrical or disposal |
| Surprise fees | None, we list the three exceptions before you agree | Common: trip fees, after-hours surcharges, extra for long line set or difficult mounting |
Straight answers
How much does a mini split cost per unit?
Our flat installed price is $2,000 for one zone, $3,700 for two zones, and $5,400 for three zones, the same price whether it is your only property or one of several. That covers a standard installation from start to finish, no per-project sales visit required to get the number.
Do you require a home visit to give me a quote?
No. Fill out the form on our homepage with the property details and zone count, and we send back the price. That makes it easy to budget across a rental, a turnover schedule, or a small portfolio without coordinating a visit for every property.
How do I get in touch or schedule a job?
Through the quote form on our homepage. We do not list a phone number for the business, so there is no call to make, just the form and a confirmation once details are set.
What is not included in the flat price?
Three things: a very long line set over 50 feet, a panel upgrade the property already needed regardless of the mini split, and unusually difficult mounting like brick or stone that needs special anchors. We flag any of these before you agree, never after the job starts.
Will a mini split lower the electric bill tenants are paying, or that I'm covering?
Mini splits are heat pumps and generally run more efficiently than a struggling window unit trying to cool a room it was never sized for. We cannot promise a specific bill number since usage varies by tenant, but a properly sized system doing less work to hit the same temperature is the mechanism behind the improvement.
Can this be scheduled during the gap between leases so no tenant is home?
Yes, that is the most common timing for rental installs. Since a quote does not require an in-person visit, you can line up pricing and a schedule well before the turnover date arrives.
Get the number today
No walkthrough, no sales pitch, and nothing to schedule around a tenant. Tell us the units and we'll tell you the price.
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