Cost guide
AC Repair Cost in Killeen, TX (2026)
Most AC repairs cost $150 to $650, with a national average near $360 (HomeGuide, read November 11, 2026). A diagnostic visit is usually $75 to $200. These are national figures to check a Killeen quote against, not Killeen prices.
Published November 11, 2026 · Figures and rules checked against the sources listed at the end of this page.
What common AC repairs cost
The table lists common repairs. Each range is the installed price, part plus labor, from the source named under the table.
| Repair | Typical range | When it comes up |
|---|---|---|
| Service call / diagnostic | $75 to $200 | Finding the fault. Ask whether it is credited toward the repair. |
| Capacitor replacement | $100 to $250 | Hums but won’t start; fan not spinning. |
| Contactor replacement | $200 to $450 | Outdoor unit won’t come on, or won’t shut off. |
| Hard start kit | $100 to $270 | Older compressor struggling to start. |
| Condenser fan motor | $200 to $700 | Outdoor fan dead or noisy. |
| Blower motor repair | $300 to $900 | Weak or no airflow from the vents. |
| Circuit board | $150 to $700 | Erratic behaviour, no response to the thermostat. |
| Thermostat replacement | $140 to $350 | Blank screen, wrong readings. |
| Fuse or breaker | $75 to $300 | No power to the unit. |
| Drain line flush | $75 to $250 | Water in the pan or on the floor. |
| Drain pan replacement | $200 to $600 | Cracked or rusted pan. |
| Coil cleaning | $100 to $400 | Poor cooling with a dirty coil. |
| Refrigerant leak repair | $200 to $1,500 | Ice on the lines, slow loss of cooling. |
| Refrigerant recharge | $100 to $600 | After a leak is found and fixed. |
Source: HomeGuide, “How Much Does AC Repair Cost? (2026)”. National ranges, not quotes from Killeen companies.
A capacitor is a common one, and the symptom is distinctive enough to recognise before anyone arrives: the capacitor replacement page covers the signs of a failed one, what else it could be and what the swap should cost.
The big-ticket repairs
These four are where a repair bill starts to approach the price of new equipment. If you are quoted one of them on an older system, read the repair-or-replace guide before you agree.
| Repair | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Compressor replacement | $600 to $2,500 |
| Evaporator coil replacement | $1,000 to $4,500 |
| Condenser replacement | $300 to $4,200 |
| Air handler replacement | $1,500 to $3,400 |
How the visit itself is priced
- Diagnostic or service call: $75 to $200. Some companies credit it toward the repair; ask before they come out.
- Standard labor: $75 to $150 an hour where a company bills hourly rather than by flat rate.
- After-hours and emergency labor: $160 to $250 an hour. See emergency AC repair for what can safely wait until morning.
- Tune-up: $70 to $200, often the cheapest way to catch a weak capacitor or a clogging drain before it fails.
The City of Killeen permit fee
The City of Killeen’s permit handout lists “changing the HVAC equipment (such as the furnace, evaporator, condenser and/or duct work)” among the projects that need a mechanical permit. The City’s 2026-2027 fee schedule lists the residential mechanical permit, which it says includes condenser and furnace replacement, at $50 per unit. A plan review fee of $90 applies when two or more permit types are requested at the same time.
The fee is small next to the job, so the useful question is who pulls the permit. The Killeen HVAC permit guide covers who can apply and how long approval usually takes.
What moves a quote up or down
- The refrigerant. A recharge is priced by the pound, and a recharge without a leak repair only buys time.
- Access. An air handler in a tight attic takes longer than one in a garage closet.
- Brand-specific parts. Boards and motors made for one brand cost more than universal parts.
- Warranty. A part still under the manufacturer’s warranty can cut the bill to labor only. Have the model and serial number ready.
- Timing. Nights, weekends and the first hot week of the year all cost more.
Before you approve the work
- Get the diagnosis, the part, the labor and any after-hours charge in writing.
- Ask for the company’s Texas air conditioning contractor license number and look it up with TDLR.
- Ask what warranty covers the part and the labor, and for how long.
- If the repair is one of the big four above, get a second price.
How these figures were gathered. The repair ranges are national figures from one named cost guide, read on the date shown, and are stored in one file so every page on this site shows the same number. The permit fees come from the City of Killeen’s own fee schedule. No local company’s price list was used, and a written quote for your system always outranks a published range.
Sources and dates
Every figure and rule above names where it came from and the date it was read. Price ranges are national guides; a written quote for your own system is the real number. For permit and license rules, the City and TDLR have the last word. Prices are rechecked at least every six months.
- HomeGuide, “How Much Does AC Repair Cost? (2026)” — read November 11, 2026. National ranges, not Killeen quotes
- City of Killeen, “2026-2027 Permit Fees” (FY 27 Fee Schedule) — read November 11, 2026
- City of Killeen, “Projects That Require a Permit” (handout dated September 19, 2024) — read November 11, 2026