Generator Installers Near You, by City

What to do right now

1. During an outage, never run a portable generator in a garage, basement or near a window. Keep it at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust pointed away.
2. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet ("backfeeding"). Use heavy-duty extension cords until a transfer switch or interlock is installed.
3. List what you need running in an outage (fridge, sump pump, furnace, well pump, medical devices) so the installer can size the system.
4. Get at least two written quotes that include the permit, the transfer switch and the gas or propane hookup.

Generator Installation: what homeowners should know

US customers went without power for about 11 hours on average in 2024, nearly double the yearly average of the decade before, and most of that time came from big storms. If you have lost power for a day or more, a properly installed backup generator is how you keep the fridge, sump pump, heat and medical equipment running.

There are two common setups. A home standby generator is permanently installed outside, runs on natural gas or propane, and switches on by itself through an automatic transfer switch. A portable generator can power the house through an inlet box and a transfer switch or a breaker interlock that an electrician installs. Either way, the connection must stop power from flowing back onto the utility lines, which can injure line workers.

Installation is licensed electrical work and usually needs a permit and inspection, and gas hookups may need a licensed plumber or gas fitter. Good installers do a load calculation to size the generator, pull the permits, handle the gas line and concrete pad, and register the warranty. Ask for a written quote that lists the generator model, transfer switch, permit fees and what maintenance costs after the first year.

How much does generator installation cost?

Industry cost guides commonly put a fully installed home standby generator somewhere between about $7,000 and $20,000, depending on size, fuel line run and electrical work. Having an electrician add an inlet box and transfer switch or interlock so a portable generator can safely power the house often costs a few hundred dollars to around $1,500.

If you rent: who handles what

Renters generally can't install a generator, transfer switch or gas line, because that is permanent electrical and fuel work on the owner's building. If outages are a real problem where you live, ask your landlord whether they would add one, and get any agreement in writing.

Fuel-burning generators produce carbon monoxide and should never run inside a unit, on a balcony or near windows, and most leases ban them. Many renters use battery power stations instead for phones, lights, a CPAP or a small fridge.