Cost hub

Whole-house generator cost

HomeAdvisor's national average runs $1,516 to $8,811, near $5,000 all-in across all sizes. Larger whole-house units (22 kW and up) commonly run higher once installed, so use the per-size breakdowns below for your size, plus what's in the number and the estimator.

The all-in range

$1,516–$8,811Most homeowners pay around $5,160 total, unit + install.

Source: HomeAdvisor / Angi: whole-house generator installation cost (2026) · retrieved July 2026

What you're paying for

Generator unit$2,000–$21,000By size: see the per-size pages. Our catalog's actual prices are cited there.
Labor (licensed installer)$1,500–$5,000Per-project; rises with site prep, gas-line, and panel work.
Transfer switch (automatic, ATS)$2,000–$5,000Residential 100–200A ATS. The source's $30k ceiling is commercial switchgear, excluded here.
Concrete pad$400–$1,000~$50–$75/sq ft; an 18-sq-ft pad runs about $1,000 in the high case.
Permits (electrical + fuel)$50–$400Typically one electrical permit and one fuel-line permit, $50–$200 each.

Fuel generator vs. solar & battery: two cost paths

The ranges above cover a fuel-burning standby generator (gas, propane, or natural gas). A lot of readers land here while weighing that against a battery or a solar generator, so here's how the two paths compare on cost before you go deeper.

Fuel standby generators

Installed, all-in$1,516–$8,811

A gas, propane, or natural-gas standby unit, wired in by a licensed electrician with an automatic transfer switch, pad, and permits. The unit price rises with kW; labor and the switch make up most of the rest. Runs as long as you feed it fuel.

Source: HomeAdvisor / Angi: whole-house generator installation cost (2026) · retrieved July 2026

See cost by size

Solar generators & home batteries

Home battery, installed$5,000–$16,000

Portable power station$200–$5,000

An installed home battery (a Tesla Powerwall or similar) needs an electrician and permitting, like a standby generator. A portable power station you buy and plug in: no install labor, no permits. The economics turn on stored kWh, not fuel. The 30% federal residential clean-energy tax credit applies to installed batteries.

Source: EnergySage: home battery storage cost & sizing guide · retrieved July 2026

Source: Tesla: Powerwall home battery backup · retrieved July 2026

Browse home batteries Browse solar generators

In short: a portable power station is the cheapest entry and needs no electrician; a standby generator runs longest for the money; an installed home battery sits in the same price band as a standby generator but trades fuel for stored energy. Many homes pair a battery with a standby generator for quiet, fuel-free short outages plus long-run backup.

Cost by size

Each size class has its own page with sourced unit + install ranges and the models we carry at that size.

Cost estimator

Set your size, fuel, and region for a ranged installed-cost estimate. It's a tool, not a quote.

Open the cost estimator

FuelStandby generator costInstalled ranges by size, above.Battery & solarHome battery & solar generator costInstalled battery vs. portable power station.

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