Ballpark Cost for 20kw Whole Home Generator?

installed? $10-15K

before dropping all that coin, you should consider using a portable. You can get it set up properly a couple of different ways. One way, you could get an interlock kit and add a spare breaker to your panel, add a receptacle with an inlet box and a cord from generator, this way you could run power to your generator through your added receptacle to your spare breaker that will provide power to your panel with the main breaker being off so you couldnt backfeed the utility side. This would be the cheapest SAFE way to accomplish what you are trying to do. This way you would spend about ~$200 in parts not including the generator. The labor $ (if you dont DIY) would vary depending on your set up but you could do alot of the legwork first and have an electrician just terminate, shouldnt cost more than a couple hundred bucks.

Another way would be to use a portable in conjuction with a manual transfer switch kit with a receptacle, inlet box and cord. The 10 circuit kit is $400 and will provide you everything you need minus the wire from the inlet box to your xfer switch (all you need is 10/4 romex if your using a ~8000 watt generator). Once again, you could do all the legwork and just pay an electrician to terminate unless you DIY, its very straight forward, all wiring is color coded and labeled so any electrician of skilled DIYer can handle this easily< I would suggest hiring an electrican for the terminations ..to me its worth the peace of mind..either of these options even if you buy a top of the line Honda EU7000 inverter ($4000) it will be FAR and away cheaper than installing one of the stand by units. You may have to pay to have the maint. done annually on the standby unit to keep the warranty in tact, thats 2-300 by itself and if it breaks during an outage, you fricked. At least with a portable, you have a shot at getting a replacement if you get into a jam where the standby units-no to very little chance.

I bought mine online (Norwell Power) and drop shipped for about $4800. Hired an electrician and plumber to hook up for a total under $6000. If you hire a single company to get it all "turn key" you are looking at $13 to $15 thousand.

I have one at my house and five years later I don’t think I have needed to use it more than a few times. Honestly, getting a nice portable would be my recommendation unless you aren’t worried about the cost.
Most of the units are around the same price, big price difference is how much plumbing and the electrical work needs to be done

PanAmerican Power installed my generator in Madisonville. I purchased the generator separately because I got a great deal through my FIL, who worked for the company that builds the generator.

I've called them for a couple service issues and had no problems even though I didn't buy the generator from them.

I don't remember what the install cost was, but it wasn't much because I already had a transfer switch and pad to place the generator installed when I originally built my house.

9-12k

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Ballpark Cost for 20kw Whole Home Generator?
We have a baby and multiple freezers of meat that I don't want to worry about losing. Power has gone out a couple times in the past months just due to normal storms. Ready to look at a standby genny. What would I expect for a 20kw unit?

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IMHO you are looking at way too much generator for what you describe needing.

20kw is going to be some serious fuel consumption, forget the money aspect of it, you have to be able to source it.

I have a 20kw diesel. Manual start and transfer. Previous homeowner put it in. I've been here for 4 years now and I've "needed" it for a couple hours when the power went out during my wifes birthday gathering a couple years ago. Other than that I've only run it for maintenance.

Wouldnt trade it for the world. The peace of mind knowing I can live my life normally if the power is out an extended time is totally worth it

Not one person has discussed air cooled vs liquid cooled

Madisonville La