“I need a new AC unit installed in Austin, TX. Who should I get quotes from, and roughly what will it cost?” What AI assistants recommend

Where they agreed

McCullough Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing
picked by Grok, shortlisted by Instinct

Picked
Shortlisted
Looked at, passed

Grok

United States · xAI Grok Bot, a cloud agent with its own browser · asked 2026-09-28 10:30 UTC

searched new AC unit cost Austin TX 2026
searched AC replacement cost Austin 2026 price guide
searched reddit Austin HVAC replacement recommend
searched reddit r/Austin new AC quote HVAC company recommendation
searched site:reddit.com Austin AC replacement quote HVAC
searched Austin HVAC company AC replacement price list TACLA upfront pricing
searched McCullough Heating Air Conditioning Austin AC replacement warranty TACLA
searched Service Wizard Austin AC replacement price warranty
searched A-Plus Air Conditioning Austin aplusac.com AC replacement warranty license
searched Service Wizard Heating Air Conditioning BBB Austin profile
searched A-Plus Air Conditioning Home Solutions BBB Austin profile
searched Stan's Heating Air Plumbing Electrical Austin BBB profile
searched ABA Heating and Cooling Austin BBB TACLA license
searched SALT Plumbing Air Electric Austin BBB profile
searched Alamo Air Conditioning Austin AC replacement warranty BBB
searched reddit Austin "ABA Heating" OR "A-Plus" air conditioning replacement experience
searched reddit Austin McCullough HVAC install review price
searched Efficient A/C Austin HVAC replacement reddit
searched Koala Cooling Round Rock BBB TACLA license
searched Eco Air Conditioning Austin TX AC replacement
searched Patriot heating air conditioning Austin TX owner operator AC replacement quote online
read 44 pages
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1ks7ehq/trying_to_find_an_honest_hvac_company/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1ks7ehq/trying_to_find_an_honest_hvac_company/.json
- https://old.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1ks7ehq/trying_to_find_an_honest_hvac_company/
- https://api.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1t4vhuh
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1t4vhuh/which_austin_hvac_companies_are_still_locally/.rss
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1ks7ehq/trying_to_find_an_honest_hvac_company/.rss
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1spufbw/whats_a_reasonable_price_of_replacing_a_whole/.rss
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1mj58y6/new_ac_costs_and_recommendations_for_austin_area/.rss
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1svmw4p/residential_hvac_system_replacement_and_austin/.rss
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1o1hi14/new_hvac_unit_cost_pulse_check/.rss
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1m7ij32/cost_of_35_ton_ac/.rss
- https://coolmenow.com/
- https://coolmenow.com/sitemap_index.xml
- https://coolmenow.com/page-sitemap.xml
- https://coolmenow.com/ac-installation-austin-tx/
- https://coolmenow.com/shop-online/
- https://coolmenow.com/hvac-replacement/
- https://coolmenow.com/about-us/
- https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/austin/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/mccullough-heating-air-conditioning-0825-42228
- https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/hutto/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/service-wizard-inc-0825-56480
- https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/austin/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/a-plus-air-conditioning-home-solutions-0825-39557
- https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/austin/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/stans-heating-air-and-plumbing-0825-48113
- https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/austin/profile/commercial-air-conditioning-contractors/aba-heating-and-cooling-0825-1000107949
- https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/hutto/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/salt-service-co-0825-1000205837
- https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/bee-caves/profile/air-conditioning-repair/alamo-austin-air-0825-1000132967
- https://texasbree.com/austin/ac-replacement-austin/
- https://hvacatx.com/blog/new-ac-unit-cost/
- https://hvacatx.com/
- https://thechillbrothers.com/ac-installation-cost-austin-tx/
- https://servicewizardac.com/air-conditioning/ac-installation/
- https://www.aplusac.com/service-terms-and-conditions/
- https://www.aplusac.com/air-conditioning/
- https://www.aplusac.com/faq/
- https://www.aplusac.com/
- https://www.stansac.com/ac-services
- https://stansac.com/
- https://callsalt.com/hvac-replacement/
- https://www.onehouraustin.com/blog/ac-installation-replacement-cost-guide/
- https://abaaustin.com/ac-installation/
- https://abaaustin.com/
- https://koalacooling.com/ac-replacement-cost/
- https://www.alamoaustinair.com/residential/air-conditioning/
- https://ecoacaustin.com/ac-replacement/
- https://austinenergy.com/energy-efficiency/rebates-incentives/residential/cooling-heating/ac

Picked

McCullough Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

coolmenow.com

“McCullough is a central Austin Carrier dealer operating since 1977 that does load calculations and free estimates, holds a BBB A+ with accreditation since 1988 and zero complaints in 3 years, and is the installer r/Austin recommends most, with owners reporting roughly $10,000 for 3-ton systems and about $12,500 to $16,000 for other systems (in line with the $10,000 to $15,000 most Austin homeowners report for a standard full system), though it posts no prices or labor-warranty terms and some Redditors call it pricey and say it pushes financing.”

Shortlisted #2

ABA Heating & Cooling

abaaustin.com

“ABA is a family-owned central Austin Bryant dealer that publishes the best install warranty I found (up to 7 years labor and 10 years parts), includes load calculations and permits in its prices, offers free written estimates, and holds a BBB A+ with accreditation since 2015 and zero complaints, though it posts only broad ranges ($4,000 to $12,000), shows no license number on its pages, and has little Reddit feedback.”

Shortlisted #3

Alamo Austin Air

alamoaustinair.com

“Alamo Austin Air is a small owner-run Carrier dealer in southwest Austin with license TACLB26354E, a BBB A+ with accreditation since 2016 and zero complaints, and steady r/Austin praise for honesty and not upselling, including one owner who reported about $12,115 net for a 3-ton two-stage Carrier, though it posts no prices or labor-warranty terms and is said to be a bit pricier.”

Looked at, passed

Service Wizard

servicewizardac.com

“It offers free estimates and a lifetime installation workmanship warranty, with Reddit-reported prices of about $10,150 to $14,500, but it is based in Hutto, its BBB reviews average 1.17 stars, and Redditors mention private-equity ownership and more upselling lately.”

Looked at, passed

A-Plus Air Conditioning & Home Solutions

aplusac.com

“It is a long-running central Austin company with a BBB A+ and accreditation since 1980, but it posts no install prices, its terms page returned a 404, and Reddit feedback on it is thin.”

Looked at, passed

Stan's Heating, Air, Plumbing & Electrical

stansac.com

“It is licensed and in Austin with some Reddit fans, but BBB shows 18 complaints in 3 years, it posts no install prices beyond promotions, and Redditors say it is private-equity owned.”

Looked at, passed

SALT Plumbing Air & Electric (SALT Service Co.)

callsalt.com

“It publishes a $7,000 to $15,000 replacement range and a license number, but BBB lists it in Hutto with a start date that conflicts with its own history claim and a 1.17-star review average, and Redditors call it pushy on upsells.”

Looked at, passed

Koala Cooling & Plumbing

koalacooling.com

“It has the clearest published price list I found (a 3-ton Carrier single-stage gas system for $13,947.64 installed, with tiers from about $12,673 to $29,362), but it is based in Round Rock and its license and BBB status came only from search snippets.”

Looked at, passed

Bree HVAC (MikeNeat LLC)

texasbree.com

“It shows a license and an $8,500 to $17,500 full-system range, but it is a small Cedar Park outfit with few reviews, and I did not check its BBB profile.”

Looked at, passed

HVAC ATX (hvacatx.com)

hvacatx.com

“Its cost guide comes from a site with no license number and a mailbox-style address, so I treated it as low-trust.”

Looked at, passed

The Chill Brothers

thechillbrothers.com

“It is a Houston-based multi-state company whose Austin price figures mirror national data rather than its own pricing.”

Looked at, passed

One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning of Northwest Austin

onehouraustin.com

“It is a Leander franchise whose cost guide is generic and still cites the expired federal tax credit.”

Looked at, passed

Eco Air Conditioning

ecoacaustin.com

“It is in Austin and Redditors praise it (one owner paid $7,850 for a 2.5-ton Lennox), but its site shows no license number, prices or warranty terms.”

Looked at, passed

Patriot (owner-operated HVAC shop mentioned on Reddit)

https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/1t4vhuh/which_austin_hvac_companies_are_still_locally/.rss

“Redditors praised its low honest quotes, but I could not tell which Patriot business they meant, so I could not verify it.”

Looked at, passed

Kimco (callkimco.com)

callkimco.com

“I saw it only in a search snippet with a statewide price guide and could not confirm an Austin location.”

Instinct

Europe · Instinct over iMessage · asked 2026-09-28 09:38 UTC

searched Austin TX AC replacement installation cost 2026 installed price HVAC free estimate
searched Austin TX AC installation replacement price published free estimate Manual J warranty 2026
searched Austin air conditioner installation best company reviews McCullough Stan Efficient AC ABC Home Commercial 2026
searched Austin central AC replacement cost installed 2026 company pricing
read 10 pages
- https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-installing-new-ac-cost/tx/austin
- https://allprohvacaustin.com/new-hvac-system-cost-2026/
- https://thechillbrothers.com/ac-installation-cost-austin-tx/
- https://www.abchomeandcommercial.com/austin/hvac-repair/hvac-replacement
- https://koalacooling.com/ac-replacement-cost/
- https://coolmenow.com/cooling-services/air-conditioning-installation/
- https://efficienttexas.com/air-conditioning-installation/
- https://stansac.com/ac-installation/
- https://infinityairco.com/austin/free-hvac-estimate/
- https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/austin/profile/air-conditioning-contractor/mccullough-heating-air-conditioning-0825-42228

Picked

Efficient AC, Electric & Plumbing

efficienttexas.com

“It publishes an Austin installed range of $8,000-$24,000 (typically $10,000-$12,000), with ductwork extra and up to a 10-year labor warranty; Angi reports a lower $4,135-$7,811 range, so compare scope.”

Shortlisted #2

McCullough Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

coolmenow.com

“It offers a free Austin installation estimate and checks the home load and ductwork before choosing a replacement, giving you a useful second quote.”

Shortlisted #3

Koala Cooling & Plumbing

koalacooling.com

“It posts all-in installed prices of $12,700-$29,400 across four system tiers without requiring a form, making it a transparent premium comparison quote.”

Looked at, passed

ABC Home & Commercial Services

abchomeandcommercial.com

“It describes a thorough load calculation and final-price guarantee, but does not publish a starting installed price on the checked page.”

Looked at, passed

Stan's Heating, Air, Plumbing & Electrical

stansac.com

“It describes Austin installation services but does not post a comparable installed price on the checked page.”

Looked at, passed

Infinity AC

infinityairco.com

“Its estimator says it includes labor and permits, but an actual quote would require entering home details and no price was visible on the page.”

Looked at, passed

All Pro HVAC Austin

allprohvacaustin.com

“It describes Manual J sizing and itemized quotes but gives no numeric installed-price range on the checked page.”

Looked at, passed

The Chill Brothers

thechillbrothers.com

“Its price guide gives a useful $6,000-$9,000 planning budget, but it gives less company-specific installation detail than the shortlisted providers.”

How we ran this

We sent each assistant this question as its own message, the way a homeowner would ask it. It searched the web and read business sites on its own. Each answer shows which assistant and version answered and when. We asked it to recommend up to three companies, best first, and to name every other company it looked at and why it passed. Reasons are quoted as given. Screenshots show each page as it looked when we checked it in September 2026. We ask again every month and keep every answer.

Picked by Agents is not affiliated with xAI, Meta, Instinct or any business named here. Recommended means the assistant recommended it. Nothing was booked.

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