What does it cost to install a generator in Raleigh Durham, Wake Forest, Cary, Apex, Chapel Hill, or Greensboro?

If your question is about cost, how much will you spend to get a successful system and what should you get, read on. 

An outstanding question, let's examine that.  Many factors determine cost;  What brand, who should take care of setting it up , then testing it with external load prior to placing the generator online and looking forward, who will take care of it after it is installed proactively so that it will be successful; the answers to these questions will determine your cost.  Cost is extremely important, we know, but the cost should be accurate, include everything needed to provide a means for a system that is successful, a system with a long history.  So let's do this once, the correct way, let's get started.

We should start at the beginning.  Our philosophy is to help, but the answer has to come with an explanation if you are to make an informed decision.  We are glad to share 40 years of experience in the electrical field, with over 27 of those years committed to providing generators that are successful. 

So the first question, what do you want, your entire house, just the necessities, or maybe something in between.  To explain the terms, entire house first, to supply power for your entire house without any inconvenience, you will need a generator large enough to cover your potential electrical use.  Just to clarify, potential use does not mean the same thing as, "We will not use everything at one time or its just my better half and I or and our children are off at school", while these statements have merit with respect to how much you may demand of a generator system, this is not potential load.  Potential load is the worst case scenario, sizing a generator per the worst case scenario is necessary because a lot of your electrical components function automatically and you may not know how much is connected to the generator at any one time, or your children or guest stop in for a stay which causes more electrical use, you have power loss during a winter event with temperatures below 30 degress, then your emergency heat may be called for, lots of factors go into worst case scenario.  So how do we determine worst case scenarios, well the electrical codes of our nation, made up of individual state electrical code enforcement boards realized automatic generators, while convenient, come with more liability with reference to potential load than their past counterparts, the manual transfer generator system type.  This being the case, new code was introduced into our lives in 2008, the requirement for a load calculation for automatic generator systems.  This calculation uses your house's electrical needs; using percentages of the actual totals; taking into account that everything would not necessarily be used at the same time.  This determines what the potential load would be for your structure.  This potential load calculation insures you never overload your generator, preventing expensive cost for repair of either the generator and or the loads the generator provides generator power for.  So no guessing. 

For necessities, this typically includes refrigeration, well pumps, septic system pumps, a microwave for cooking, control circuitry for gas heat, gas hot water heater, a couple of lighting and receptacle circuits, the garage door opener so if you leave home, come back and the power is off.  These would be considered necessities, enough to get you by, so you could have a generator system installed using an isolation method so thy you do not have the possibility of overloading the generator.. 

For the most practical solution, an entire house using automatic load management to control how much electricity you use allowing you to install a smaller system; a system that may come with minimal inconvenience, but the generator system itself will not allow you to overload the generator even with a potential load larger than your generator.

In determining your cost, does it matter if it is installed correctly, what about success rates, does that matter, how about longevity, does it matter to you how long it will last.  We know it does, so sometimes relying on the least expensive, just looking at cost, you may not get what you really want or need.

Not to bore you with all the specifics, experienced engineering of a generator system installation and then the correct installation practices being maintained, by a company with the experience and education needed for delivering  that type quality, successful systems that can last 20 years plus, offers more value than systems just plopped on the ground and never stress or load tested to verify correct outputs.  Equipment longevity begins with its installation per well thought out plans and then is maintained with proactive service.

Longevity and aesthetics, one should consider the aesthetics, what will the installation look like in 5 years, 10 years?  For systems being placed onto composite pads with no retainage structures to protect from water or landscaping jobs such as mulching or landscape planting, or for electrical circuitry or feeders installed using plastic flexible conduits just hung from the exteriror surface of your structure?  Like everything else, your expenses will reflect how equipment is installed.  

Ok you are reading this text so I guess you could be confused about whom should you ask about cost, a consumer report media, how about Angie or all the new find you a contractor services that have made it to the internet platforms?  How are they determining cost, is there some magic book that tells them what something should cost?  Are they asking persons that have represented generators to the end user for over 25 years, with different scenarios and conditions?  Are they asking companies that have stress tested every generator prior to it being placed online, and then stress testing that generator annually thru proactive service plans?  Who are they asking, there are very few of these type companies, for the residential markets even fewer.  Sure there are companies that have big warehouses, nicely dressed sales persons with computer tablets and pretty videos about the generator, but these entities generally and please visit them, know very little about electrical systems let alone a generator that moves the electrons which is electricity.  You can ask the manufacturer but they do not install the systems, they do not visit with the generators providing the proactive service.  A generator does not work every day, not for its intended purpose which is carrying potential loads and actually working.  Just because a generator runs once a week for 5 to 20 minutes for what most are calling an exercise, does not represent a successful system.  Because of this, data can be misinterpreted if you are not a generator service provider and depend on others for information.  To get the most accurate picture, speak with a true generator specialist company not a marketing platform.

Below are approximate turnkey cost for the most popular and practical systems, one delivering the biggest bang for your dollars, an automatically managed whole house generator system.  Over the years we have found that most installations fall into a few cost categories which would include the generator equipment, necessary electrical parts, installation, and most importantly correct commissioning of the system including a stress test utilizing an external load.  Permitting, inspections by local authorities, and the installation of gas piping are all part of our cost estimates.

With Natural Gas Fuel Source:
• 1000-2000 sq. ft. - Some major appliances on gas, one HVAC system, utilizing load management for installation, cost for a smaller air cooled generator approximately $11K to $13K.
• 2000-3000 sq. ft. - Some major appliances on gas, one or two HVAC systems, utilizing load management for installation, cost for a larger air cooled generator approximately $14K to $17K.
• 3000-4000 sq. ft. - Some major appliances on gas, two or three HVAC systems, utilizing load management for installation, cost for a larger air cooled generator approximately $17K to $21K.
• 4000+ sq. ft. - Installation costs can vary greatly depending on which appliances are fueled by gas and the amount of load management the customer feels fits with their lifestyle.  In these situations an air cooled or liquid cooled generator may be used and installation costs can range from $16K to $50K+.  

With Liquid Propane Gas Fuel Source: 
• 1000-2000 sq. ft. - Some major appliances on gas, one HVAC system, utilizing load management for installation, cost for a smaller air cooled generator cost approximately $11K to $13K.
• 2000-3000 sq. ft. - Some major appliances on gas, one or two HVAC systems, utilizing load management for installation, cost for a larger air cooled generator approximately $14K to $17K.
• 3000-4000 sq. ft. - Some major appliances on gas, two or three HVAC systems, utilizing load management for installation, cost for a larger air cooled generator approximately $17K to $21K.
• 4000+ sq. ft. - Installation costs can vary greatly depending on which appliances are fueled by gas and the amount of load management the customer feels fits with their lifestyle.  In these situations an air cooled or liquid cooled generator may be used and installation costs can range from $18K to $50K+

For a whole house or basic necessity type systems, send us an email we will glad to provide you some information in determining the cost.  

To qualify our numbers, generator systems should be installed by persons that understand the theories associated with a combustion engine generator system, and then taken care of by companies that posses the same knowledge but also have an experienced, educated resource built over a long period of time. 

We have installed several thousand, we take care of thousands, visiting with them every six months or once a year, load testing each annually.

We can help, we are here to help.