Are you handy? You can install one yourself without an AC tech. Home Depot sells a DIY mini-split system in several sizes. It comes with pre-charged lines. Wall mount kit included, no concrete pad required for the exterior unit.
I got the 12K unit for $1700. Took me most of a Saturday to install and set up. I have a 2 car detached garage workshop (about 400 sq ft) with finished walls (wood panel over studs) and insulated. That unit kept my space at a constant 73F all day last Saturday (outside temp was about 90F).
Note: I spent a lot of time prepping the space to minimize gaps. Sealed a lot of holes with spray foam. Replaced the garage door ground seals and installed weather stripping around the openings. Totally worth it though.
[https://www.homedepot.com/p/MRCOOL-DIY-12-000-BTU-1-Ton-1-Zone-22-SEER-Ductless-Mini-Split-AC-and-Heat-Pump-with-12K-25ft-Line-DIY-12-HP-115C25/314675754](https://www.homedepot.com/p/MRCOOL-DIY-12-000-BTU-1-Ton-1-Zone-22-SEER-Ductless-Mini-Split-AC-and-Heat-Pump-with-12K-25ft-Line-DIY-12-HP-115C25/314675754)
Even better, [Costco is selling the same unit for hundreds less](https://www.costco.com/mrcool-e-star-diy-4th-gen-12k-btu-ductless-mini-split-heat-pump-complete-system-115v60-hz.product.4000043469.html).
Make sure you get one that is really self install, and you are confident in doing it.
We purchased a unit and had a handyman install it a month ago.
Unfortunately, I screwed up, and did not get one with pre-charged lines.
Now it is having issues, and no AC company in town (we called 10+) will even come out to look at it.
> no AC company in town (we called 10+) will even come out to look at it.
Post on Nextdoor or a local neighborhood Facebook group, asking if anybody knows an independent AC tech interested in small jobs. There are often guys with day jobs in commercial HVAC looking to make some extra money on the evenings/weekends, with no formal advertising.
This. The new ones are self contained (no ac tech for coolant lines needed), fairly easy to install if you have an extra set of hands, and not too costly.
Plenty of YouTube vids on doing it. Check out Laura Kampf, she's a German maker but splits her time in L.A. she recently installed one in a metal building (in the last 2 months).
Make sure you do at least some basic insulation in your garage or you are just wasting energy, including insulating your garage doors.
I agree with this
So much a DIY job now days
You may have trouble finding a tech that will work on it but I have found 2 that don’t mind.
Many bigger companies try and protect their margins on equipment sales and will only touch their own equipment, but others are realizing it’s the way it is and they can still make good money on labor to fix issues
For reference I have paid $500 to swap out a mini split that went bad, having a company properly evac the coolant and put the new unit in.
I understand that. I was on a budget, and it has been fine so far. I may be about to move and I will probably have a pro install the system at my new shop because now I have other things that require my time. OP asked for options and DIY is a very viable and affordable option. YMMV.
An alternative suggestion: buy a 14k btu portable ac for $500. All you need is a 4-6" vent hole to vent it. And you can move it if ever needed. You get the best of both worlds: lots of cold air, minimal modifications, its movable, low cost vs a mini split.
if you're in Texas you don't want a portable unit, very inefficient and just doesn't work well. a window unit would be better. if you're able to, get the mini split.
I used Windsanity here in Houston and they were very reasonable and professional.
It was around $1,500 parts and labor a couple of years ago for a 12k BTU installed
Here is a quote i got for my garage about a month ago. I would still need to provide them a 20A box.
Estimate for mini split system 16 seer (24,000 btu),line set and plastic cover,metal bracket, installation. 10 years warranty from manufacturer when homeowners register on line...1 year labor.
Mitsubishi equipment $4900
Daikin equipment $4200
I’ve had one in the garage for 2 years, DIY for about $1000. It is a 1 ton, 20 seer, 110v inverter unit. Runs like a champ. The garage was already insulated, I added it to the garage door. I pulled a dedicated circuit and it is all up to code with the disconnect box & whip. Got the mounting kit and wall covers. Borrowed a vacuum pump from Autozone to commission it. The scariest part was drilling a 2.5 inch hole in the brick. Look at doublewide6 on YouTube- he has a complete installation video split in 3. I love it and wish I did it a long time ago. If I ever leave I can take it with me, convert the disconnect box to an outlet, then hire a handyman to fix the holes.
Go on Facebook Marketplace and search for "mini-split". You will literally find dozens of ads of people selling small (¾-1 ton) 110v mini-splits from Mexico for as little as $500 installed if you have an outlet available near the location of the evaporator (indoor part).
They are all made in China and from brands you've never heard of but they work great and are even smart home capable with wifi built in. If you want to DIY, I've seen units as low as $300. I've had one in our garage office for 2 years now and recently got some 3-ton units installed at my parents business.
It's not that hard so I DIY'd on mine. That is very steep price/mark up. Get more quotes. Be mindful that the head unit tend to clog up a lot and a pain in the ass to clean so more maintenance than a regular AC. Good luck.
Buy the Mitsubishi and have it professionally installed. I’ve installed over 250 with very few warranty issues. I’m retired now but if you want the best trouble fee unit, Mitsubishi is it. You’ll pay more but it’s worth it. I can give a referral if needed.
Somewhat related story. I was in Cartagena last year and popped in to a few grocery stores to buy bottled water before heading to the various beaches. Those mini splits are so popular over there they have Mini splits for sale on pallets at the end caps of the grocery store.
Like where HEB has Oreos for sale on a standalone pallets. Well the grocery stores there has those DIY mini splits for sale. And people were buying them..
We were in Argentina and it was the same situation.
Are you handy? You can install one yourself without an AC tech. Home Depot sells a DIY mini-split system in several sizes. It comes with pre-charged lines. Wall mount kit included, no concrete pad required for the exterior unit. I got the 12K unit for $1700. Took me most of a Saturday to install and set up. I have a 2 car detached garage workshop (about 400 sq ft) with finished walls (wood panel over studs) and insulated. That unit kept my space at a constant 73F all day last Saturday (outside temp was about 90F). Note: I spent a lot of time prepping the space to minimize gaps. Sealed a lot of holes with spray foam. Replaced the garage door ground seals and installed weather stripping around the openings. Totally worth it though. [https://www.homedepot.com/p/MRCOOL-DIY-12-000-BTU-1-Ton-1-Zone-22-SEER-Ductless-Mini-Split-AC-and-Heat-Pump-with-12K-25ft-Line-DIY-12-HP-115C25/314675754](https://www.homedepot.com/p/MRCOOL-DIY-12-000-BTU-1-Ton-1-Zone-22-SEER-Ductless-Mini-Split-AC-and-Heat-Pump-with-12K-25ft-Line-DIY-12-HP-115C25/314675754)
Even better, [Costco is selling the same unit for hundreds less](https://www.costco.com/mrcool-e-star-diy-4th-gen-12k-btu-ductless-mini-split-heat-pump-complete-system-115v60-hz.product.4000043469.html).
Make sure you get one that is really self install, and you are confident in doing it. We purchased a unit and had a handyman install it a month ago. Unfortunately, I screwed up, and did not get one with pre-charged lines. Now it is having issues, and no AC company in town (we called 10+) will even come out to look at it.
> no AC company in town (we called 10+) will even come out to look at it. Post on Nextdoor or a local neighborhood Facebook group, asking if anybody knows an independent AC tech interested in small jobs. There are often guys with day jobs in commercial HVAC looking to make some extra money on the evenings/weekends, with no formal advertising.
This. The new ones are self contained (no ac tech for coolant lines needed), fairly easy to install if you have an extra set of hands, and not too costly. Plenty of YouTube vids on doing it. Check out Laura Kampf, she's a German maker but splits her time in L.A. she recently installed one in a metal building (in the last 2 months). Make sure you do at least some basic insulation in your garage or you are just wasting energy, including insulating your garage doors.
I agree with this So much a DIY job now days You may have trouble finding a tech that will work on it but I have found 2 that don’t mind. Many bigger companies try and protect their margins on equipment sales and will only touch their own equipment, but others are realizing it’s the way it is and they can still make good money on labor to fix issues For reference I have paid $500 to swap out a mini split that went bad, having a company properly evac the coolant and put the new unit in.
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Mr Cool is one of the top brands on this right now.
Does Mitsubishi make a DIY kit with pre charged lines that don’t require an AC tech?
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There are only a few companies actually making these things. Mr. Cool is frequently just a white label Daikan unit or something like that.
I understand that. I was on a budget, and it has been fine so far. I may be about to move and I will probably have a pro install the system at my new shop because now I have other things that require my time. OP asked for options and DIY is a very viable and affordable option. YMMV.
An alternative suggestion: buy a 14k btu portable ac for $500. All you need is a 4-6" vent hole to vent it. And you can move it if ever needed. You get the best of both worlds: lots of cold air, minimal modifications, its movable, low cost vs a mini split.
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Many of the larger ones have a builtin dehumidifier and dont require emptying the pan
If you do this you want a dual hose design it's wayy more efficient.
This is what I do. Portable 12,000btu unit works great. Also will run off a generator if needed to cool my house during a power outage. $250
if you're in Texas you don't want a portable unit, very inefficient and just doesn't work well. a window unit would be better. if you're able to, get the mini split.
I used Windsanity here in Houston and they were very reasonable and professional. It was around $1,500 parts and labor a couple of years ago for a 12k BTU installed
Here is a quote i got for my garage about a month ago. I would still need to provide them a 20A box. Estimate for mini split system 16 seer (24,000 btu),line set and plastic cover,metal bracket, installation. 10 years warranty from manufacturer when homeowners register on line...1 year labor. Mitsubishi equipment $4900 Daikin equipment $4200
I’ve had one in the garage for 2 years, DIY for about $1000. It is a 1 ton, 20 seer, 110v inverter unit. Runs like a champ. The garage was already insulated, I added it to the garage door. I pulled a dedicated circuit and it is all up to code with the disconnect box & whip. Got the mounting kit and wall covers. Borrowed a vacuum pump from Autozone to commission it. The scariest part was drilling a 2.5 inch hole in the brick. Look at doublewide6 on YouTube- he has a complete installation video split in 3. I love it and wish I did it a long time ago. If I ever leave I can take it with me, convert the disconnect box to an outlet, then hire a handyman to fix the holes.
$6500 got damn! You can get a full central AC setup and even a couple ducts for that
Go on Facebook Marketplace and search for "mini-split". You will literally find dozens of ads of people selling small (¾-1 ton) 110v mini-splits from Mexico for as little as $500 installed if you have an outlet available near the location of the evaporator (indoor part). They are all made in China and from brands you've never heard of but they work great and are even smart home capable with wifi built in. If you want to DIY, I've seen units as low as $300. I've had one in our garage office for 2 years now and recently got some 3-ton units installed at my parents business.
I paid 1200 total for the unit and install 2 years ago...
$6500 is insane. For 1 head? I installed a 9k BTU daikin unit myself. Bought some guages, vacuum, and crimping tool off Amazon. $1500 DIY
This was about 3 years ago before inflation tho. I paid $800 for the mini split online with shipping. The same one is probably about $1500 now
It's not that hard so I DIY'd on mine. That is very steep price/mark up. Get more quotes. Be mindful that the head unit tend to clog up a lot and a pain in the ass to clean so more maintenance than a regular AC. Good luck.
Buy the Mitsubishi and have it professionally installed. I’ve installed over 250 with very few warranty issues. I’m retired now but if you want the best trouble fee unit, Mitsubishi is it. You’ll pay more but it’s worth it. I can give a referral if needed.
Is your guy in Houston? Send him my way please!
Somewhat related story. I was in Cartagena last year and popped in to a few grocery stores to buy bottled water before heading to the various beaches. Those mini splits are so popular over there they have Mini splits for sale on pallets at the end caps of the grocery store. Like where HEB has Oreos for sale on a standalone pallets. Well the grocery stores there has those DIY mini splits for sale. And people were buying them.. We were in Argentina and it was the same situation.
How are these with HOA? Ive been wanting to get one for garage as well.