Typical ranges by scope
| Scope | Typical installed range | What it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Portable generator + interlock/inlet | $1,500-$4,000 | Fridge, lights, electronics - not central AC |
| Essential-circuits standby (partial home) | $9,000-$14,000 | Selected circuits via load-managed transfer switch |
| Whole-home standby (AC included) | $12,000-$20,000+ | Everything, including 4-5 ton cooling - the post-hurricane standard |
Why Houston installs cost what they cost
The generator on the pad is the visible half. The invisible half is what makes it safe and legal: an automatic transfer switch rated for your service, gas piping sized for the generator's demand (often the constraint in older neighborhoods), a code-compliant pad and clearances, the electrical permit, and - in master-planned communities - association review with screening and placement plans. Skipping any of those is how installs fail inspection or, worse, backfeed the grid.
- In The Woodlands, permanent generators must sit below six feet above natural grade, be screened from ground-level view, self-test during daytime hours, and be noted on the main circuit box (Township Residential Development Standards).
- In HOA communities like Bridgeland, Towne Lake, and Fall Creek, placement and screening plans go through architectural review - we prepare them so the application passes the first time.
- Jurisdiction matters: City of Houston permits inside the limits, county permits in unincorporated areas like Cypress and Atascocita.
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