Whole-Home Generator Cost Guide
Standby vs. portable, fuel options, and the install costs no one quotes upfront.
A standby generator that automatically powers the whole house during outages runs $8,000–$14,500 installed nationally for a 22kW natural-gas unit. Portable generators with manual transfer switches cost a quarter of that but require you to be home, awake, and outside in the storm to start.
Standby vs. portable
Standby units (Generac, Kohler, Briggs & Stratton) sit outside permanently, connect to natural gas or propane, and start automatically within 10–30 seconds of an outage via a transfer switch. They run essentially indefinitely on utility gas.
Portable units ($800–$2,500) require you to roll them out, fuel them, run cords or connect via an inlet box, and run them outside. Realistic during a daytime summer outage; brutal during a 3 a.m. ice storm.
Install costs people miss
The generator itself is $4,500–$8,000. Add: concrete pad ($400–$900), transfer switch ($800–$2,000), gas line extension ($600–$2,500 depending on run length and meter capacity), permit ($150–$400), and electrical labor ($1,500–$3,000).
Many homes need a gas meter upgrade ($0–$1,500 depending on utility) to feed a 22kW unit. Get a load calculation before sizing — most homes don't need more than 22kW unless they have electric heat or large pool equipment.