How Much Does a Whole House Generator Cost in Texas? (2025 Guide)

Most Texas homeowners pay $8,000 to $15,000 for a whole house standby generator, fully installed. That's the unit, the transfer switch, the concrete pad, the gas line connection, and the permits. Everything. Turn-key. You wake up one morning, there's a big metal box next to your AC unit, and the next time ERCOT has a bad day, you don't.

If you've got an estate in Southlake or a 6,000-square-foot place in The Woodlands, you're looking at $15,000 to $45,000. More house means more generator, and more generator means more everything — bigger pad, bigger gas line, more electrical work.

Those numbers might feel like a lot. Then you remember that Winter Storm Uri cost the average affected Texas household somewhere between $2,000 and $15,000 in food loss, hotel stays, pipe repairs, and lost work. Some people spent more on one bad week than a generator would've cost them for the next 25 years.

Generator pricing isn't random. There are about six things that move the number up or down, and understanding them saves you from sticker shock at the kitchen table when your installer shows up with a quote.

• Home size (square footage). A 2,000 sq ft home in Frisco needs a different generator than a 5,500 sq ft home in Westlake. Bigger homes draw more power, especially if you're running multiple AC zones simultaneously. Most Texas homes between 1,800 and 3,500 sq ft land in the 18-24kW range.
• Generator size (kilowatts). This is the single biggest cost driver. An 18kW unit runs $2,000-$3,000 less than a 24kW unit. Getting sized correctly matters — too small and your AC trips the breaker during a summer outage, too big and you overpaid for capacity you'll never use.
• Fuel type. Natural gas is the default in most Texas suburbs. If your home already has a gas meter, connecting the generator is straightforward. Propane requires a tank, which adds $500-$2,500 for the tank and installation. Rural properties outside the gas grid almost always go propane.
• Electrical work and panel upgrades. Older homes with 100-amp panels may need a panel upgrade to 200 amps. That's $1,500-$3,000 on top of the generator cost. Homes built after 2000 usually have 200-amp panels already — one less thing to worry about.
• Permit costs. Every city in Texas handles this differently. Dallas is $200. Southlake is $400+. Unincorporated areas might be $100. Your installer handles the paperwork, but you pay the fees. See our city-by-city permit guide for specifics.
• Concrete pad and gas line extension. The generator needs a flat concrete pad ($300-$800). If the gas meter is on the opposite side of the house from the ideal generator location, that gas line extension can run $500-$2,000. Placement planning matters.

Here's where your money actually goes when you write that check. Understanding the split helps you spot a bloated quote — or recognize a fair one.

• Equipment (40-50% of total cost). This is the generator itself. A Generac Guardian 24kW unit has a street price around $6,500-$8,500 depending on dealer and availability. The brand, the model, the kW rating — that's the biggest single line item.
• Installation labor (30-35%). Licensed electricians and gas technicians doing the physical work. Running conduit. Connecting the transfer switch. Plumbing the gas line. Setting the unit on the pad. This takes a crew of 2-3 people, usually 1-2 days.
• Electrical and transfer switch (15-20%). The automatic transfer switch is the brains of the operation. It detects when grid power drops and tells the generator to fire up. A 200-amp automatic transfer switch runs $500-$1,500 for the part itself. Installation and wiring add more.
• Permits and concrete pad (5-10%). The least glamorous part of the budget. Permit applications, inspection scheduling, pouring a 4-inch concrete slab. It's not exciting, but it's not optional either.

If someone gives you a quote where equipment is 70% of the total, they're either undercharging on labor (which means cutting corners) or using a suspiciously cheap transfer switch. If labor is 50%+ of the total, get another quote.

Three brands dominate the Texas residential market. Here's what they actually cost — equipment only, then total installed.

Generac Guardian 18kW

• Equipment: $5,500-$7,500
• Total installed: $8,000-$12,000
• Best for: Homes under 2,500 sq ft, or homes where you're willing to manage which circuits get backed up
• The most popular residential generator in America. Generac owns about 75% of the home standby market, and the Guardian line is their bread and butter.

Generac Guardian 24kW

• Equipment: $6,500-$8,500
• Total installed: $10,000-$15,000
• Best for: Homes 2,500-4,500 sq ft, whole-home coverage in most Texas houses
• The sweet spot. Enough juice to run your AC, fridge, lights, garage door, and still have headroom for the coffee maker. This is the model we see installed more than any other in DFW and Houston suburbs.

Kohler 20kW

• Equipment: $6,000-$8,000
• Total installed: $9,500-$14,000
• Best for: Homeowners who want a quieter unit or prefer a premium brand. Kohler runs noticeably quieter than Generac at comparable loads.
• Kohler is the BMW to Generac's Toyota. Both get you there. One has nicer seats.

There are other brands — Briggs & Stratton, Champion, Cummins. They're fine. But Generac and Kohler have the deepest dealer and service networks in Texas, and that matters when you need a part at 2 AM during a hurricane.

The quote you get covers installation day. But a generator is a machine with an engine, and engines need care. Here's what the brochure doesn't mention:

• Annual maintenance: $200-$400/year. Oil changes, air filter, spark plugs, battery check. You can do some of this yourself, but most people hire a tech. Generac recommends service every 200 hours of runtime or once a year, whichever comes first.
• Natural gas line extension: $500-$2,000. If the gas meter is far from where the generator goes, you're paying a plumber to run a new line. Longer runs cost more. If you need a larger gas meter to handle the additional demand, that's a call to your gas utility — Atmos Energy, CenterPoint, or whoever services your area.
• Transfer switch upgrade: $300-$800. If you're replacing an old generator and the existing transfer switch is outdated or undersized, you'll need a new one. On a fresh install, the transfer switch is included in the quote. On a replacement, sometimes the old one is fine, sometimes it isn't.
• Permit fees by city: $150-$500. This varies wildly. A permit in an unincorporated area might be $100. A permit in Highland Park with architectural review might be $500+. Your installer should tell you the exact amount before you commit.
• Concrete pad: $300-$800. Some installers include this in the quote. Some don't. Ask. A proper pad is 4 inches of concrete, level, with adequate drainage around it. Don't skip this and set the unit on gravel — it'll settle, vibrate, and create problems.

Total cost of ownership over 10 years: the purchase price plus $2,000-$4,000 in maintenance. That's $10,000-$19,000 for a decade of whole-home backup power. Or about $80-$160 per month if you want to think of it that way.

Generators aren't the only game in town. Battery backup systems have gotten real good, real fast. Here's the high-level cost comparison:

• Standby generator: $8,000-$15,000 installed. Runs indefinitely on natural gas. Needs annual maintenance. Makes noise. Proven technology.
• Battery system (e.g., Tesla Powerwall): $10,000-$35,000 installed depending on capacity. Runs 8-24 hours depending on load. Zero maintenance. Silent. Pairs with solar.
• Hybrid system (battery + generator): $18,000-$60,000 installed. Battery handles short outages instantly and silently, generator kicks in for the long haul. The best of both worlds if your budget supports it.

Which one is right for you? It depends on your outage patterns, your home size, your HOA situation, and whether you have or want solar. We break that down in detail in our Powerwall vs. Generac comparison.

You're going to spend a meaningful amount of money. Here's how to make sure you don't overspend.

Get at least 3 quotes. This isn't a tip — it's a rule. Generator pricing varies by 20-30% between installers in the same metro area. One company in Plano quoted a reader $14,500 for the same Generac 24kW setup that another company in McKinney quoted at $11,200. Same unit. Same work. $3,300 difference. Three quotes takes a few hours of your time. It's worth it.

Avoid storm season rush pricing. After every major weather event, the phone lines at generator installers light up. Suddenly everyone wants backup power. Lead times go from 2-3 weeks to 3-6 months. And prices creep up 15-25% because demand is through the roof and installers can charge more. The best time to buy a generator is when you don't need one yet. Spring and early fall are the sweet spots.

Check the federal tax credit. If you go with a hybrid system that includes battery storage, the battery components may qualify for the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) under the Inflation Reduction Act. That's 30% off the battery portion of the system. A $15,000 battery component becomes $10,500 after the credit. The generator itself doesn't qualify — only the battery and solar components do. Talk to your tax advisor, not us, for specifics on your situation.

Ask about financing. Most major installers offer financing through partners like GreenSky, Mosaic, or Synchrony. Typical terms: 12-18 months at 0% APR for qualified buyers, or longer terms at 5-9% APR. If you'd rather keep your cash liquid and pay over time, the options exist.

Ready to see what your specific home would cost? Get a free assessment — we'll match you with vetted installers in your area and you'll have competing quotes within a week.