Most contractors will not put a price anywhere near their website. I am going to, because the first question almost every homeowner asks is the one nobody wants to answer: what does a whole-home generator actually cost?
Here is the honest version. A standard whole-home standby generator install in our area typically runs around $13,500, and most projects land somewhere between $12,000 and $18,000 once everything is accounted for. That spread is not a sales trick. It reflects real variables that every licensed electrician has to account for before giving you a number that actually holds.
What is included in a standard install
At the floor, you are getting the generator unit itself (typically a 22kW to 26kW air-cooled standby), a whole-home automatic transfer switch, the electrical connection back to your panel, and the gas line tie-in if it is within a standard distance of the existing meter. That is a complete system that starts itself within seconds of a power outage and runs your entire house, not just a few circuits.
What pushes the price up
Three things move the number more than anything else in our Hill Country terrain.
The first is distance. Every foot of electrical conduit or gas line beyond a standard run adds cost, and on a lake property where the panel is inside and the generator pad is by the water or across a driveway, that distance adds up fast.
The second is what is in the ground. Soft soil is straightforward. Caliche slows things down. Solid Hill Country limestone requires a different approach entirely and sometimes brings in equipment. I price these differently and I will tell you upfront which one I am looking at.
The third is the transfer switch type. A standard transfer switch works fine for most homes. A service-entrance-rated transfer switch is required in some configurations and costs more. If you have a solar system or a more complex panel setup, this matters.
What you can do right now
If you are in the Kingsland, Marble Falls, Llano, or Burnet area and want a real number, call me or fill out the contact form.I will ask you two or three questions about your property and give you a range before I ever set foot on site. Most quotes turn into firm bids within 24 hours of a site visit.
