Guided Planner · Plan
New-System Project Planner
Three guided steps to plan a new HVAC system for your Leander-area home: size it, price it, and decide whether to repair or replace. Every number here is an honest planning estimate — your real, flat-rate price comes from a free in-home assessment at the end.
Step 01 · Size it
What size system does your home need?
Size drives everything else — comfort, efficiency, and price. Start here, then carry the tonnage into the cost step. A typical Leander-area home needs roughly one ton of cooling per ~600 sq ft, but ceilings, sun, insulation, and people all move it.
Bigger isn’t better. In Central Texas an oversized AC cools the air fast but shuts off before it wrings out humidity — leaving rooms cold and clammy and short-cycling the compressor. A right-sized system runs longer, dries the air, and lasts longer. This is a planning estimate; a free Manual J load calculation is the only way to size it exactly.
Estimate only · free, no-pressure load calculation before any install quote.
Step 02 · Price it
What will a new system cost to install?
Plug in the size from Step 1 and your efficiency tier for an industry-typical Central Texas range — clearly labeled as a planning range, never an MLD quote. Want the full breakdown of what moves the number? See What a New AC Costs.
The cheapest quote isn’t the best value. A low number often skips the load calculation or the permit, or installs an oversized unit “to be safe” — which means higher bills, humidity problems, and a shorter system life. Compare the same scope, not just the bottom line.
Estimate only · flat-rate written pricing, financing available, no obligation.
Step 03 · Decide
Should you repair what you have, or replace it?
If you're on the fence, run the numbers. This weighs your system's age, the repair you were quoted, repeat repairs, and old refrigerant into an honest, repair-first verdict. Go deeper in Repair or Replace? or compare every option in Evaluate & Compare.
Leaning replace — get both numbers first
The age and cost are tilting toward replacement, but it's close. Have someone you trust put the repair price and a replacement price side by side before you spend — sometimes a repair still buys you a few good years.
Age × repair = 12 × $800 = $9,600. The $5,000 rule: clear $5,000 and replacement usually wins the long game; stay under it and repair usually does. We weigh it against the system’s age, repeat repairs, and refrigerant — never a single number alone.
“One more patch” isn’t always cheaper. On an old system, small repairs stack up fast — and once R-22 or a worn compressor is involved, the next bill can dwarf the last. The honest move is to add up what you’ve already spent before you spend again.
A guideline, not a diagnosis — repair-first, with a flat written price either way.
Step 04 · Get your real number
Turn your plan into a flat, written price.
You've got a size, a planning range, and a repair-vs-replace read. The last step is the one no tool can do: a free in-home assessment where we run a real Manual J, inspect your ducts and electrical, and put a flat, written price in your hand — with zero pressure. Already holding a quote? Send it over for a free second opinion.
Wondering why a website can't just give you the final price? Read Why AI Can't Price Your HVAC.