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Avatar for Golden Bay Electric
Golden Bay Electric
4.9(
29
)
Portable Generator - Install

Serving El Cerrito, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2021

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Edgar is very detailed, respectful, professional with very good customer service! He showed up on time and completed the electric panel change sooner than expected! I have already referred him to my cross the street neighbor, Diane. Hopefully she will reach out soon for an estimate to change out her electrical panel too. Thank you ð ð"
Response time2 days
2 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by92%of homeowners
Proper Power Electric
5.0(
5
)
Fixed Generator - Install

Serving El Cerrito, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2024

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"We hired proper power electric to update lighting and switches in our home. Forest and foster showed up on time. They were professional and in sync with each other. We added recessed lighting, fan ,and outdoor lights to our new home. Forest made suggestion to add another switch down the hallway to make it easier to turn off lights when going to the room. Both were knowledgeable, helpful and very friendly. They even helped my neighbor with their solar panel system. We had a great experience and will definitely hire again."
Response time2 days
Response rate100%
2 neighbors recently requested a quote
Avatar for Atomic Telecomm & Electrical Inc.
Atomic Telecomm & Electrical Inc.
4.5(
9
)
Fixed Generator - InstallFixed Generator - RepairGenerator - Install - For Business+3 more

Serving El Cerrito, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 1990

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Joe is hard working, diligent, and honest. I hired him 1) to put up an antenna for local tv service and 2) to fix poor wifi signals. TV was converted from cable rapidly using leftover wires. Saving $ not paying for cable and streaming off wifi. Great signal strength! WiFi was harder. He worked with ATT to determine my new iMac was sucking signals. He installed a more powerful router that solved wifi issues when iMac is off. Now I have to work with Apple to figure out how to manage the computer searching. I would not hesitate to call Joe back again. He is an excellent technician and a fine person. He is pretty busy, so sometimes it takes a few days before he can come out, but he is worth the wait."
Network Switch and Router
Driveway Camera
Backyard Camera's
Front Yard Camera
NW corner of house

+9

Response time1 day
Response rate85%
Recommended by87%of homeowners
Home Pro Remodeling & Construction, Inc.
4.1(
31
)
Portable Generator - Repair

Serving El Cerrito, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2019

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"I had my garden and bathroom remodel done. Albert and Samuel were professional, friendly, and a delight to work with. They're responsive and reliable. I also like the subcontractors whom they used on my project. They kept me informed of everything and I appreciate their excellent work."
Response time5 days
Recommended by77%of homeowners
Avatar for Vilroy
Vilroy
New to Angi
Portable Generator - Repair

Serving El Cerrito, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

Free estimates

Warranties offered

Small jobs welcome

With over 28 years of experience in residential and commercial electrical services, I am a fully licensed electrician in the State of California, committed to delivering excellence in every project.\n\nMy work is built on precision, safety, and strict compliance with California electrical codes. From panel and subpanel upgrades to three-phase systems, transformers, lighting installations, and advanced troubleshooting, every job is executed with professionalism and attention to detail.\n\nI don’t just complete projects — I deliver safe, efficient, and long-lasting electrical solutions.\n\nProfessional. Reliable. Done right the first time.

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Generator Install questions, answered by experts

Generators run on a variety of fuel types, ranging from natural gas to solar power. Keep in mind that fuel costs varying by type:

  • 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 generator: $2,000–$25,000 per unit

  • Battery backup: $10,000–$25,000 per unit

To determine the right size generator for your house, you should calculate the total wattage of the appliances and devices you want to power during an outage. List all essential items, note their start-up wattages, and add them together.

Here are some typical wattage requirements for common appliances:

  • Refrigerator: 600 watts

  • Large dehumidifier: 700 watts

  • Large window air conditioner: 1,400 watts

  • Water heater: 3,000 to 4,500 watts

  • Electric furnace: 5,000 to 25,000 watts

A 7,500-watt generator might be sufficient for essentials like a refrigerator, freezer, well pump, and lighting circuits. However, for high-demand items like a water heater or furnace, a whole-home generator is a better choice. A portable generator may be enough if you only need to power a few critical items.

While home square footage can offer a rough estimate, it is not always a reliable indicator. For reference, here are some typical generator sizes based on square footage:

  • 1,000 sq ft: 6–9 kW

  • 1,500 sq ft: 7–10 kW

  • 2,000 sq ft: 10–14 kW

  • 2,500 sq ft: 12–16 kW

  • 3,000 sq ft: 16–20 kW+

For the most accurate sizing, consult a professional who can calculate your home's peak and average power consumption and recommend the optimal generator.

It’s usually better to repair your generator if it isn’t working properly, as it will typically be much more affordable and should yield similar results. Generator repairs cost around $300 on average, while installing a new whole-house generator costs around $5,000 on average. The only exception is if you know your generator is reaching the end of its useful life, usually between 30 and 40 years. If you have an older generator, you could face multiple repairs in the coming years, which might mean that a full replacement will be more cost-effective over time.

As a safety measure, you should always turn off the main breaker while operating your generator’s backup breaker. In addition, you should also switch off all appliance breakers so you don't have a power surge when the main breaker turns back on. And finally, turning off the main breaker prevents back-feeding, which endangers utility workers with the risk of electrocution. Back-feeding could also destroy the electrical circuits of your neighbors if they use the same power network.

It might seem counterintuitive, but installing a generator transfer switch will save you money in the long run. While you’ll have to pay between $400 and $2,500 to have the transfer switch installed, you’ll recoup that amount later on when you don’t have to pay for expensive repairs to your appliances, devices, and electrical system that may have burned out, overloaded, or stopped working due to a sudden loss of power or an incorrect hook up of a generator to your home. 

The El Cerrito, CA homeowners’ guide to generator installs

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.