Cost of a 18 kW standby generator
18 kW generator cost
Critical systems for 1,500–3,000 sq ft Installed cost ranges from$9,329 to$18,169, unit plus installation.
Installed cost range
$9,329–$18,169unit + labor + transfer switch + pad + permits
Source: HomeAdvisor / Angi: whole-house generator installation cost (2026) · retrieved July 2026
What's in the number
| Component | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Generator unit | $5,379–$6,769 | Our catalog: models at 18 kW (msrp_cents) |
| Labor (licensed installer)Per-project; rises with site prep, gas-line, and panel work. | $1,500–$5,000 | HomeAdvisor / Angi: whole-house generator installation cost (2026) |
| Transfer switch (automatic, ATS)Residential 100–200A ATS. The source's $30k ceiling is commercial switchgear, excluded here. | $2,000–$5,000 | HomeAdvisor / Angi: whole-house generator installation cost (2026) |
| Concrete pad~$50–$75/sq ft; an 18-sq-ft pad runs about $1,000 in the high case. | $400–$1,000 | HomeAdvisor / Angi: whole-house generator installation cost (2026) |
| Permits (electrical + fuel)Typically one electrical permit and one fuel-line permit, $50–$200 each. | $50–$400 | HomeAdvisor / Angi: whole-house generator installation cost (2026) |
What moves your number
- Unit price. Our catalog's 2 models at18 kW range from$5,379 to$6,769 (MSRP). Sales and bundling move this.
- Transfer switch. A bundled ATS (included with some SKUs) cuts the switch line item; an oversized or whole-house ATS adds to it.
- Site work. Long gas-line runs, a subpanel, or an electrical upgrade push labor toward the high end.
- Region. Labor rates vary; our estimator lets you set a low/avg/high cost area.
18 kW models in our catalog
2 sourced models at this size; every spec cited.
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