Whole-Home Generator Cost Factors
The cost of your home generator will depend on the type you choose and its particular installation requirements.
Type of Whole-Home Generator
There are several types of generators worth considering when determining whether a whole-house generator is right for you. These include portable or backup generators and standby generators. Standby generators include partial or critical system generators and whole-house generators.
| Generator Type | Generator Capacity | Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Portable generators | 1kW – 7.5kW | $500 – $2,000 |
| Partial generators | 9kW – 20kW | $2,000 – $6,300 |
| Whole-house generators | 22kW – 48kW | $5,000 – $18,000 |
Portable: Portable generator prices range from $500 to $2,000. These units cannot power an entire home, but they’re a good choice if you need emergency power during outages caused by weather, such as winter storms or hurricanes. You can choose from units that run on diesel, gas, or propane.
Standby: Standby (partial or whole-house) generators cost $2,000 to $18,000. Depending on the generator size, you may be able to power a few small appliances or your entire house. The largest units can power your entire home and its appliances as if you were using electricity from the power grid.
Size of Whole-House Generator
The size of your whole-house generator plays the largest role in determining the total cost of your system. Refer to this chart to help you estimate the total cost of your whole-house generator by size and capacity.
| Size in kW | Average Cost Range | Home Size |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 6kW | $500 – $1,800 | Small portable system suitable for key back-ups |
| 7.5 – 10kW | $2,000 – $3,500 | Large portable system suitable for critical systems |
| 14 – 18kW | $4,000 – $5,500 | Medium-size standby suitable for critical systems |
| 20 – 24kW | $5,000 – $6,500 | Whole-house system for smaller homes; partial system for larger homes |
| 26 – 32kW | $6,500 – $15,000 | Whole-house system suitable for medium and large houses |
| 36 – 38kW | $14,000 – $16,000 | Whole-house system suitable for larger homes |
| 45 – 48kW | $16,200 – $21,000 | Whole-house system for very large homes with high energy-demands |
Whole-House Generator Installation Cost
There usually aren’t installation costs associated with portable generators. However, a standby generator’s installation cost averages $4,520, which includes permits, assembly, placement, and wiring.
Permits
Portable generators don’t generally require permits or planning permission, but permanently installed standby units may. Depending on your area, you can expect to pay $50 to $200 for permitting.
Concrete Pad
Because portable generators can be placed almost anywhere outside the home, they don’t require a dedicated spot. You can position them on the driveway, a back patio, or even in the grass.
Larger standby or whole-house generators require a spot of their own. They’re a permanent addition, so you’ll need to pour a concrete pad, like the one your air conditioner sits on. It typically costs $50 to $75 per square foot for site preparation and concrete pouring. Assuming you need to pour a 3-foot-by-6-foot pad, you can expect to pay about $1,000.
Fuel Source
Portable generators use diesel, gas, or propane as fuel. With these generators, there is no need to install a fuel source; instead, you’ll purchase fuel from a gas station or similar as needed.
Permanently installed standby generators require dedicated fuel sources. If you don’t already have a natural gas line or propane tank, you’ll need to install one. Deciding which fuel source to use depends on availability, budget, and personal preference.
Natural gas is not available in all areas, but in those areas where it is, it’s piped in for a constant supply. Propane, on the other hand, is delivered by truck and available almost anywhere. You’ll need to place a propane tank on your property and receive regular deliveries. While natural gas offers a more convenient setup, it burns faster than propane and so it’s not as efficient. If you don’t already have a natural gas or propane supply, you can expect to pay $15 to $25 per linear foot to install a natural gas line.
Transfer Switch
Transfer switches detect when you’ve lost electricity and move the power load of your home from the electrical grid to your backup generator. Portable generators don’t require transfer switches, but you can install them if you don’t want to deal with extension cords. Instead, your portable generator connects to your electrical panel.
Since whole-house units are permanent and hardwired to your electrical panel, they require transfer switches to function properly. It will take a local electrician about four hours to handle this wiring, so you can expect about $1,200 of your generator installation cost to go toward transfer switch installation.
Generator Costs by Brand
There are a variety of generator brands offering both partial and whole-house generators that offer homeowners a range of options that will meet their needs.
| Brand | Type (Partial or Whole House) | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | Both | Starting at $1999.99 |
| Briggs & Stratton | Both | Starting at $3149 |
| Generac | Both | Starting at $5997 |
| Cummins | Both | Starting at $3707 |
| Honda | Partial | Starting at $1310 |
Additional Costs to Consider
If you’re calculating every whole-house generator expense, there are several additional costs you’ll want to keep in mind before you sum up your total estimated price.
Maintenance
Anticipate an additional $80 to $300 in maintenance costs for generators. You’ll need to hire a generator service pro near you to inspect it before winter and summer to ensure that it will run problem-free in the off-chance of a power outage.
Fuel Types
On average, you’ll spend about $90 to $220 daily to run a 15-to-20-kW whole-house generator. But not all fuels are alike and, depending on the brand and fuel you choose, you might find yourself spending far more than you expected in fuel costs.
Here is how much each fuel type costs per year or unit:
Natural gas: $2,000–$21,000 per year
Liquid propane: $2,000–$21,000 per year
Diesel: $3,000–$20,000 per year
Gasoline: $500–$3,000 per year
Solar generators (unit price): $2,000–$25,000
Battery back-up (unit price): $10,000–$25,000
Solar generators may have a high upfront cost, but they pay for themselves down the line since they produce electricity from solar rays. Meanwhile, battery backup units not connected to solar energy will add up over time because they use electricity from your utility company.
Enhancements
Enhancing your whole-house generator can help make your system run more efficiently and even decrease energy costs. Here are two ways you can boost your system’s performance.
Wireless monitoring: For approximately $200 to $400, you can moderate your generator’s status even while you’re not home. If your system fails, this enhancement will notify your smartphone or computer with a report of the status of your generator.
Smart load management: You’ll pay around $150 to $300 to upgrade your system with smart electrical load management. This enhancement is an application that can help lower your generator’s downtime and energy by allowing you to select essential circuits for your generator while excluding less important ones during a power outage.
Electrical Upgrades
There are several electrical upgrades your local electrician might need to make during the installation of a whole-house generator. If you need to upgrade your electrical sub-panel, set aside anywhere from $500 to $2,000 for the upgrade.
Installing a generator that doesn’t have easy access to your electrical panel can prove to be a more costly installation. Your generator installation pro will take longer to make the required changes to accommodate your generator, including installing a dedicated circuit for your generator. The cost to install a circuit for your generator is between $550 and $1,000 on average.
Cost to Install a Home Generator Yourself
For those who don't want to fuss with complicated DIY installation, portable generators are your best bet. In most cases, you’ll move your generator outside of your home, fill it with diesel, gas, or connect it to propane, and turn it on. In the case of solar-powered generators, you’ll simply charge your batteries at the first sign that you may need to use your generator.
However, it’s best to have professionals install a whole-house generator. There are several safety risks involved with installing a generator, including electrical shock, fire, and carbon monoxide exposure. It’s safest to hire a local generator installer to wire the generator to your utility grid and connect it to a fuel source.
Cost of Installing a Whole-House Generator Yourself vs Hiring a Contractor
The installation cost for a whole-house generator ranges between $1,500 and $5,000, depending on the size and complexity of the project. You should not attempt to install a whole-house generator yourself. The complexity of this project requires a generator installation pro to do the job.
Not to mention, preparing the job site for the concrete pad installation requires extra labor that can turn your generator installation into a drawn-out and costly project.
Five Ways to Save on Whole-Home Generator Costs
If you want to install a whole-home generator but don’t want to break the bank, follow these tips to cut down on costs.
Choose a partial-home generator.
Decrease your energy consumption to lower the generator capacity.
Invest in a solar generator.
Rent to own a solar generator through a local solar company.
Hire an electrician to connect your whole-home generator to specific circuits using smart load management.
