Estimate the installed cost of a standby generator.
The price on a standby generator is roughly half of what it costs installed. A twenty-two kilowatt unit is around $7,500 of equipment, but it also needs a level pad, a gas line sized for its consumption, a conduit run to the panel, commissioning, and above all a transfer switch. That switch is not optional and not cheap — an automatic one runs from $1,500 to $3,000 fitted — because it exists to guarantee the generator can never be connected to the utility at the same time. Backfeeding a live grid endangers line workers, which is why permits and inspection are mandatory almost everywhere and why trench length matters: gas piping and electrical conduit are charged by the foot, so siting the unit close to both the meter and the panel is the single largest saving available.
Installed cost of a standby generator
Equipment = kW x price per kW; installation = 2200 + kW x 60 + trench feet x 38 + transfer switch; total = equipment + installation + permits
Budget estimate only, not a quotation. Standby generator installation involves gas piping and permanent electrical work that is strictly regulated, requires permits and inspection, and must be carried out by licensed professionals. Improper connection can electrocute utility workers and cause fires or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Because it makes it physically impossible to energise the utility line from your generator. Backfeeding can kill line workers and damage equipment, which is why no jurisdiction permits a permanent installation without one.
A great deal. Gas piping and conduit are charged by the foot, so a generator sixty feet from the meter and panel can cost a couple of thousand more than one placed ten feet away — while still meeting clearance and exhaust rules.
Not usually. A load-managed installation running essential circuits — heating, refrigeration, well pump, some lighting and outlets — is far cheaper than whole-house backup and covers most outages adequately.