The following blog post talks about the cost of installing a Generac generator. Generac generator installation costs will vary greatly depending on the type of generator you buy, the amount of square footage needing to be powered, and the details of what your location will need before installing a generator. Massachusetts residents can talk to a Generator Installer for Free at (978) 753-8350.
We will explore the different types of generators that you can buy and teach you about the steps involved with installing a generator to help you make an informed decision as a buyer. Right about now, you’re probably sick and tired of dealing with power outages. It’s not fun going days without power, lights, TV, and air conditioning or heat. And it’s expensive watching all of your food go bad. But before you jump in and buy the first generator you can find available, take your time and shop around. Find a reputable electrician to help you assess the job and install the generator, rather than relying on Home Depot or Lowes generator installers.
The figures mentioned in this post are just estimates. The cost of installing a generator will vary depending on:
- The type of generator you buy: How many kilowatt (kW) or watts of power will you need? A 15-20kW rating is quite common for a whole-house generator (designed to power your entire home). Will you need a natural gas generator or prefer diesel?
- What generator installers you hire (e.g., Lowes or your local electrician)
- The details of the job (e.g., Do you need an electrical panel upgrade?)
Installing a generator requires the same basic steps. Before we start talking about the total cost to install a standby generator, first, let’s take a closer look at how a person would go about installing a Generac generator.
6 Steps to install a whole-house generator
- Contact your town to see if a permit is required to install the generator. Many towns have a checklist of generator building permit requirements. These requirements may include a plot plan (i.e., drawing illustrating the proposed location for the generator). Some towns require the electrical contractor’s information, including their certificates of insurance. You will have to pay a permit fee that can cost around $100. Different towns have different requirements.
- Set the generator on top of a flat concrete slab. A handyman can build this for you within a few hours by using concrete, a level, and a few pieces of wood to create the border that the concrete will be dumped into and used to help level the platform.
- Lock in the generator to the concrete platform using stainless-steel bolts so that nobody steals it.
- Call a plumber to connect a natural gas line to the generator. The plumber should submit a gas load inquiry pre-installation to your utility company to confirm your existing gas service and meter can handle the additional generator gas load.
- Have an electrician check your electrical capacity to ensure your home’s electrical panel is sufficient to run a whole house standby generator. In many cases, consumers will need an electrical panel upgrade to at least a 200 amp panel. A licensed electrician will need to run a line-voltage cable to the generator.
- Install a transfer switch beside the electrical meter. A transfer switch sends electricity into the house when the power goes out, and the generator kicks on automatically. If your generator is not being installed on the same day it is dropped off, be sure not to leave this transfer switch outside the house because it’s a hot item for criminals to steal.
Massachusetts residents can get a free estimate from a licensed electrician by calling 978-761-5978. Our licensed electricians can handle the entire job, from A to Z, giving you one flat fee.
How to get a Free Generac Generator Installation Estimate
Generator installers from Integrity Electrical Services will provide you a quote upfront that includes the total cost, so in the end, there are no surprises. This is a Free Estimate.
Talk to a licensed electrician at Integrity Electrical Services today at 978-761-5978.
You can get an honest assessment. And if we can help, you’ll get a total cost estimate today that includes the electrical panel upgrade, plumbing, and everything else needed to install your generator.
What’s the best option for having a generator installed?
At Integrity Electrical Services, a Wilmington, Massachusetts (MA) based electrical company, a licensed electrician can provide you with a Free Estimate for the job. A local electrician will first come to your location to assess the situation. You will then be provided with an estimate that includes all of the work.
Integrity Electrical Services takes pride in the fact that they give it to clients straight. You will get a detailed quote that includes everything, including the electrical and plumbing aspects of the job. You can count on the fact that this price won’t get marked up and end up being higher than what they originally quote you. If you need an electrical upgrade or any type of electrical rewiring, you will get the details up-front.
Only Hire Generator Installers That Have Positive Ratings and Reviews
If you end up using a local electrician, make sure they are highly rated by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and have high reviews on Google, Yelp, and HomeAdvisor. check an electrician’s online reviews, ratings, and credentials before hiring them to install your generator.
Make sure the electrician is licensed. Integrity Electrical Services was rated Best Electrical Company in MA for 2021 by Trusted Company Reviews, maintains an A+BBB rating, and top ratings on Yelp, HomeAdvisor, and Google.
Compare the Prices of Generators by Type (KW)
How many watts will your house need?
You can run the most critical household equipment with a generator rated at 5,000 to 7,500 watts. These include things like a well pump, refrigerator and freezer, and lighting circuits. A generator with around 7500 running watts can run all these appliances at once.
Some people may only need to power up their significant appliances, like refrigerators, heating, and lights. But many of us want to have peace of mind knowing our entire house gets powered up if the electricity goes out. Hence, virtually everything continues to work the same as if the electricity never went out.
So there’s a full range of generators that you can consider buying, depending on the size of your house and how much electricity you’ll need.
List of Appliance and Technology Wattage Needs
Source: Home Depot
Let’s start by considering the least expensive and most expensive options.
Low price Generator
Generac home backup generator cost: Starts at $2,049 for the PowerPact 7.5kW Home Backup Generator with 8-circuit Transfer Switch. This is the cheapest Generac generator.
Source: generac.com
Generac’s website states that:
“Installation costs vary by system size, installation considerations, and local building codes. Get a free assessment from a Generac dealer near you.”
Most expensive:
The most expensive Generac generator on their website is the Protector 80kW, for $24,399. This price does not include the transfer switch and installation. Sometimes the Generac generators from Lowes, Home Depot, and Generac will include the transfer switch cost in the price, but then many times, the cost of the transfer switch won’t be included. So carefully read what you’re buying!
Whole House Generator Cost Vs. Partial Home Standby Generator
A whole-home standby generator restores total electricity to your home. In contrast, a partial home standby generator supports select circuits, such as a home’s water supply or life support equipment, and maybe only ensuring your lights and refrigerator continue to work.
For $700, you can buy a small portable generator that gets your kitchen running, but you may find yourself out in the storm struggling to start the device. If you invest in the more expensive Generac whole house generator, it will go on automatically.
Total Cost to Buy and Install a Generac Generator (1500 – 2500 sq feet home)
One of our clients bought a Guardian Series WIFI Enabled 13000-Watt Standby generator from Lowes for $3,618.30 to power a 2,000 sq foot home. The client needed an electrical panel upgrade and some additional rewiring to meet the electrical code.
The consumer paid a handyman $500 to build a platform six feet away from their house for the generator. The fees paid to the plumber to connect the gas line came out to $1500. The electrical panel upgrade cost $2800, including supplies.
The total cost to install this Generac generator came out to $7,818.
Cost to have a Generator power up to two appliances or sixteen circuits
On average, it will cost around $3,000 to power up to two appliances or up to sixteen circuits.
Cost to power a 1,000 – 3,000 square foot home
Based on square footage, consumers will pay around $3700 to power a 1,000 to 3,000 square foot home with a Generac generator. These costs do not include the fees associated with installing the generator.
Cost to power a 3,000 to 5,000 square feet home
To power 3,000 to 5,000 square feet, Generac generators can cost between $4,800 to $6,000.
How much is a generator that powers 5,000+ square feet?
20kW+ generators can sufficiently power 5,000 or more square feet.
The Guardian 22kW Home Backup Generator by Generac, including the Whole House Transfer Switch and WiFi-Enabled, costs $5,249.
Source: Generac.com
Gas Generators
A gas generator is the least expensive and one of the most popular types of generators, costing on average $550 to $3,000.
Natural Gas Generators
A generator that runs on natural gas will cost you slightly more, averaging around $2,000 to $5,000. You can connect these generators to the utility grid, so they won’t usually require fuel storage.
Benefits of using a natural gas generator
- Cleaner and better for the environment
- Less expensive than other non-renewable fuels
- Grid power is cheaper than the daily cost of running a generator with other fuel types
Diesel Generators
Diesel generators are often a larger unit and more expensive. These types of generators can easily cost $10,000 or more to purchase. On Generac’s website, the cheapest Diesel generator is the 15kW diesel-powered Protector Series for $11,299. This cost does not include the transfer switch, installation, taxes, and shipping. This generator will turn on automatically and is code-ready.
Source: Generac.com
There are also newer types of generators to consider, including solar. Solar generators can cost anywhere from $500 to $5000. Please do your own research and shop at your own risk; we only provide education and information in this blog post to help you make smart choices when considering buying and installing a generator.
Source: HomeAdvisor
What is the generator transfer switch?
A transfer switch is the main component of a generator that provides a dedicated set of switches for each of the circuits you want to power.
“It’s not only less safe to run a generator without a transfer switch, but you’ll limit the devices that your generator can power,” says Dave Trezza, who oversees generator testing for Consumer Reports.
Source: Consumer Reports
Cost to install a generator transfer switch
Make sure you include the cost for the transfer switch when shopping around for generators. Generac generators may come with the transfer switch, but make sure to verify this information before purchasing. These transfer switches can cost hundreds of dollars.
According to Consumer Reports, the average cost to install just the transfer switch averages $500 – $900. At Integrity Electrical Services, we can provide you a quote that includes everything, the generator, transfer switch, electrical panel upgrade and installation, plumbing, and whatever else you’ll be needing.
Will you need an electrical upgrade before installing a Generac Generator?
It all depends on what else you have running in your home. The last problem you want to experience is if the power goes out and your generator can’t handle all of your home’s electrical needs.
Submit a Gas Load Inquiry Before Installing a Generac Generator
A licensed plumber will need to add a gas line to your home, usually the least expensive part of the job. Before the plumber does this part of the job, they will submit a gas load inquiry pre-installation to your utility company to confirm your existing gas service and meter can handle the additional generator gas load.
Building a platform for your Generator
You can hire a handyman to help you build a flat platform for your generator to sit on. Or, do it on your own following these instructions.
Options to Install a Generator:
- Hire a licensed electrician that offers to handle all aspects of the job, like what Integrity Electrical provides, including the electrical portion and providing a plumber.
- Source the job on your own: You can find an electrician to provide the electrical services required for generator installation services. You can then find a plumber to deal with the plumbing-related tasks. Find a handyman to help you build the platform or do it on your own.
Tip: Be Available when your Generator is delivered
Make sure to be there when your generator is delivered so that you can direct the drop-off person on where to put it. Otherwise, you’ll need at least 3-4 strong people to help you move it to the location where it will sit.
How much does it cost to run the Generator after the power goes out?
Running a Generac gas generator after the power goes out can cost around $30 per day.
Final Tips from a Licensed Electrician
- Generator installers will often price the generator installation service low to get you in the door as a client, only to later mark up the price with add-ons.
- Integrity offers a one-stop-shop for buying and installing your generators.
- The total cost can be around $12,000 to $15,000 to buy and install a whole-house Generac generator. Home Depot and Lowes offer financing options for their generator installation services, but interest can increase the total cost you pay.
- Integrity offers “The Integrity Guarantee” and provides clients with a level of difficulty upfront. The level of difficulty is a quote illustrating the total cost of the job.
- Make sure to get the appropriate permit required to install the generator because otherwise you could face costly penalties.
- Integrity will offer a Free Consultation to help you determine the total cost of buying and installing your Generac generator. Call today!
Generator Installation Companies Near Me – Call 978-761-5978