Frisco, TX · Free load calculation and written quote
AC installation and replacement in Frisco
A complete air conditioning changeout — condenser, coil, lineset — quoted from a load calculation on your house rather than the tonnage stamped on the unit we are taking out.
Load calculation
We measure the house — square footage, orientation, glazing, insulation, duct capacity. Not the sticker on your old unit.
Fixed written quote
One number, itemised, valid for 30 days. No tier sheet, and nobody stays at your kitchen table until you sign something.
Install day
Most single-system changeouts are one day. We pull the permit, haul the old equipment, and register the warranty.
What is included in the quote
The number we quote is the number you pay. Here is what sits behind it, so you can compare it against anyone else’s quote line for line.
- Outdoor condenser — sized from the load calculation.
- Indoor evaporator coil — matched to the condenser. A mismatched coil is the most common way a high-efficiency system fails to deliver its rating.
- Refrigerant lineset — replaced, or flushed and pressure-tested where reuse is appropriate. On an R-22 changeout the lineset is replaced, not reused.
- New pad, whip and disconnect.
- Thermostat — a standard programmable unit. Smart thermostats are an option, not a markup.
- City of Frisco mechanical permit and inspection.
- Haul-away of the old equipment.
- Manufacturer’s warranty, registered — registration is what turns a 5-year warranty into a 10-year one on most brands, and it has to happen within 60 days. We do it and send you the confirmation.
Not included: ductwork replacement, electrical panel upgrades, attic platform or decking rebuilds, and abatement on the rare pre-1980 job. Any of those get identified at the quote, never on install day.
AC replacement in Frisco — what it costs
Ranges rather than single numbers, because the house sets the price. Four variables move it more than anything else.
- A free load calculation on site. About forty minutes. Square footage, orientation, glazing, insulation, ceiling heights and duct capacity.
- One fixed written quote, itemised, valid for 30 days. It does not move on install day unless you change the scope.
- No good / better / best tier sheet. Tiered pricing is a negotiating tactic dressed up as a choice.
- Permit, inspection and haul-away included in the quoted figure, not added afterwards.
- No presentation. Nobody stays at your kitchen table until you sign something. If the number does not work, that is a normal outcome.
Get my free quote or call (469) 555-0187
Efficiency (SEER2)
The federal minimum for the southern region is 14.3 SEER2. Stepping up to 16 or 17 adds to the equipment cost, and in Frisco, where the cooling season runs long, it pays back faster than it would further north.
Single-stage versus two-stage
A two-stage compressor runs at partial capacity most of the time: longer, gentler cycles, better humidity control, a quieter house. Costs more, and in a two-storey it is usually the upgrade worth having.
Accessibility
A coil in a cramped attic with a pull-down ladder costs more in labour than one in a garage closet. This is the most under-quoted variable in the trade, and it is why phone estimates are ranges.
Lineset condition and length
Long runs, damaged insulation, or an R-22 system all mean a replacement lineset rather than a flush.
How we size an air conditioner
The industry default is to read the tonnage off the unit being replaced and put back the same thing. It is fast, it is free, and it is wrong often enough to matter — because it assumes the original was right.
In Frisco’s 2000s build-out, systems were frequently sized generously. Bigger unit, faster cooling on the walkthrough, fewer callbacks in the first summer. The consequences show up later.
Short cycling
Too much capacity satisfies the thermostat in a few minutes and shuts down. More starts and stops, more wear, and the equipment never reaches its steady-state efficiency.
Humidity
This is the one homeowners feel. Pulling moisture out of the air takes run time. A system that hits temperature in eight minutes has not dehumidified — so the house reads cold and clammy at once.
Uneven rooms
Oversizing masks duct problems in the short term and never fixes them. The upstairs back bedroom that is always five degrees warm is a duct issue, and a bigger condenser will not touch it.
What a Manual J does
Works from the house: square footage, orientation, window area and glazing, insulation, ceiling height, infiltration, and the capacity of the existing ducts. About forty minutes on site.
Brands, and why we do not push one
The equipment in this trade is made by a handful of manufacturers under a lot of badge names. Within a tier, the difference between brands is far smaller than the difference between a good install and a bad one — a correctly sized, correctly charged, properly ducted mid-tier system will out-perform a premium unit installed carelessly, every time.
What we do care about: parts availability in DFW, warranty terms, and whether we can get a compressor for it in July without a two-week wait. We will tell you what we would fit and why, and if you have a brand preference we will quote it.
Heat pumps and mini-splits
Neither gets its own page here, because in Frisco they are a small share of replacements — but both are jobs we do.
Heat pumps move heat instead of generating it, which makes them efficient for the mild end of a North Texas winter. Below about 35°F they lean on auxiliary heat. For a house with no gas service they are usually the right answer; with gas already at the house the maths is closer.
Ductless mini-splits are for spaces the duct system never reached — a converted garage, a sunroom, a bonus room over the garage. They are not a replacement for a central system in a typical Frisco home, and we will say so rather than sell one.
Install day, hour by hour
- 7:30am — Walkthrough, floor protection, power isolated at the disconnect and breaker.
- 8:00am — Refrigerant recovered from the old system (EPA-required, not optional), old condenser and coil removed.
- 10:00am — New coil set and sealed, lineset run or flushed and pressure-tested, condenser placed on the new pad.
- 12:30pm — Electrical connections, whip and disconnect, thermostat wired.
- 2:00pm — Vacuum on the system to remove moisture and non-condensables, then charge to the manufacturer’s weight and verify by superheat or subcooling.
- 3:30pm — Airflow check, temperature split measured at supply and return, condensate drain and safety switch tested.
- 4:00pm — Walkthrough with you, thermostat set up, warranty registered, paperwork left with you.
Add a day for ductwork, an attic platform rebuild, or a dual-system home.
Should you be replacing at all?
We install; we do not repair. So the useful thing we can offer here is the case against buying from us.
Repair it if the system is under about ten years old, the failure is one component, and it is not the compressor or a coil leak. A capacitor, contactor or fan motor on a seven-year-old unit is a few hundred dollars against several thousand. Call a repair company.
Replace it if the compressor has failed, the evaporator coil is leaking out of warranty, the system runs R-22, or you are stacking a third repair onto equipment past fifteen years.
Frequently asked questions
How much does AC installation cost in Frisco?
It depends on the house — home size, efficiency, staging, whether the lineset can be reused, and how accessible the coil is. We can give you a ballpark over the phone from your square footage and system age, then confirm it with a free load calculation and one fixed written quote. Get my free quote.
How long does an AC replacement take?
One day for a standard single-system changeout — six to eight hours. Two days if ductwork is being replaced or it is a dual-system home. Hour by hour.
Do I need a permit to replace an AC unit in Frisco?
Yes — a City of Frisco mechanical permit plus inspection. We pull it and schedule the inspection.
Should I replace the furnace at the same time?
If it is a similar age, usually yes. Doing both at once costs less than two separate jobs, and a matched system delivers the efficiency rating on the box. If your furnace is significantly newer, we will say so. Complete HVAC system replacement.
What SEER2 rating do I need in Texas?
14.3 SEER2 is the federal minimum for the southern region. Most Frisco homeowners land between 15 and 17 SEER2 — the long cooling season makes the upgrade pay back faster here than it does further north. SEER2 explained.
Can I keep my existing ductwork?
Often, yes. We measure static pressure and check return capacity as part of the load calculation. If the ducts cannot carry the airflow the new system needs, we will tell you before you buy the unit rather than after it underperforms. Ductwork replacement.
Find out what your house actually needs
A load calculation, a fixed written quote, and a straight answer about whether you should be replacing at all. Free, with no sales presentation attached.