AC Repair & Installation in Costa Mesa, CA

One Contractor for AC and Electrical in Costa Mesa

Smartchoice Air Conditioning, Heating & Electrical holds both California licenses a Costa Mesa home usually needs: HVAC (CSLB C-20 #1120994) and electrical (CSLB C-10 #1120145). Many homes here were built without central air and with a 100-amp panel. Adding cooling, a heat pump or an EV charger means both trades, and with us that is one visit, one quote and one warranty.

$65 HVAC service call, applied to your repair · electrical repairs from $149 first hour · free estimates on new systems, panels and EV chargers · same-day when you call by noon: (949) 229-6766

What Makes Costa Mesa Homes Different

• Built in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. About 69% of Costa Mesa’s housing dates from those three decades. Original furnaces, ducts and panels in these homes are past their design life.
• More shared walls than most of Orange County. Only about four in ten homes are detached houses. Condos, duplexes and apartment buildings mean closet furnaces, small patios and tight condenser locations.
• A mile or two from the ocean. The south end of the city is about a mile from the coast. Summer highs average around 80°F, and the hottest days come in September and October, so many older homes never had central AC and now want it.
• City rules for outdoor units. Costa Mesa limits noise at the neighbor’s property to 55 dB(A) by day and 50 dB(A) at night (Municipal Code § 13-280) and requires outdoor equipment to be screened, with extra conditions when it sits within 8 feet of a neighbor’s window or door (§ 13-74). We pick a quiet unit and a location that meets both.

AC Repair in Costa Mesa

Call by noon, Monday to Saturday, and a technician can usually be at your door the same day. The $65 service call pays for the diagnosis and comes off the repair. You approve a flat price before we touch anything.

• AC running but not cooling: often a capacitor (from $250) or a contactor (from $239). Start with our no-cold-air checklist.
• The outdoor fan won’t spin: a condenser fan motor, from $389.
• The breaker trips when the AC starts: we check the breaker, the wiring and the compressor, because we are licensed for all three.
• A closet air handler leaking water: a blocked drain line; cleaning with an overflow switch starts from $375.
• An older system low on refrigerant: we find the leak first and give you the repair-or-replace numbers side by side.

More on our AC repair page.

Adding or Replacing AC in Costa Mesa

For a home that never had central air, we look at three routes at the free visit: a central system on the existing furnace ducts, a heat pump that replaces the furnace too, or a ductless mini-split for homes without ducts and for additions and garages.

• Central AC: from $5,950 for 2 tons to about $8,450 for 5 tons, installed.
• AC and furnace together: from $7,500 to about $12,000.
• Ductless mini-split, one zone: from $3,750.

Every installation includes the load calculation, the city permit, the HERS test and inspection, removal of the old equipment, a 5-year labor warranty, a 10-year parts warranty and a year of our maintenance membership. The site plan the city asks for, showing where the condenser goes, is part of our permit work. See your starting price in 60 seconds. Financing available on approved credit.

Heating, Heat Pumps & Tune-Ups in Costa Mesa

Mild coastal winters make a heat pump a good fit here: $6,500–$10,000 installed for 2.5–3 tons, $9,500–$13,500+ for 4–5 tons, and we check which heat pump rebates apply before you decide. Staying with gas? Furnace repair starts with the $65 service call, and a new furnace runs $4,500 to about $7,250. An AC tune-up is $79: a 25-point inspection with an outdoor coil rinse, which matters more this close to salt air. The membership covers two visits a year for $239.

Electrician in Costa Mesa

• Panel upgrades: 100 to 200 amps for $4,500–$5,000. For single-family homes Costa Mesa issues panel permits through its online Insta-Permit system, and we coordinate the shutoff with Southern California Edison.
• EV charger installation: $350–$1,250 for labor and materials (charger and permit not included), including Tesla Wall Connectors. Condo or townhome? See EV chargers and HOA approval.
• Breakers from $275 and dedicated circuits from $650.
• Electrical repairs: $149 for the first hour, then a flat quote. All services are on our Orange County electrician page.

Apartments, Duplexes and Condos

With so many rentals and shared buildings in Costa Mesa, we work with owners and property managers as well as homeowners. The HVAC service call for apartment buildings and commercial properties is $95, credited to the repair. Details for managers and HOA boards are on our multifamily page.

Costa Mesa Neighborhoods We Serve

Eastside Costa Mesa, the Westside, Mesa Verde, Mesa del Mar, Halecrest and the neighborhoods around Bristol Street and Paularino Avenue, across 92626 and 92627. We also serve nearby Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana and Irvine.

What We Charge in Costa Mesa: Transparent Pricing

Costa Mesa AC, HVAC & Electrical FAQs

Book AC or Electrical Service in Costa Mesa

Family-owned since 2017, licensed and insured. CSLB C-20 #1120994 + C-10 #1120145. Call (949) 229-6766, book online, or check your starting price for a new system.