How to Choose a Generator Installer: 12 Questions to Ask

Twelve questions that separate an installer who has done a hundred standby generators from one learning on your house, with the answers you should hear.

A standby generator is a licensed electrical job, a licensed gas job, a permitted installation and a piece of engine equipment that needs service for the next fifteen years. The person you hire has to be competent at all four. These questions find out.

Licensing and standing

1. Who holds the electrical license, and who holds the gas license? Both are needed. Some installers are electricians who subcontract the gas work; some are generator dealers who subcontract both. Either can be fine — what you want is a named, licensed person for each, and to know who’s on site.

2. Are you an authorised dealer for the brand you’re quoting? Authorised dealers can register the warranty, get factory support and order parts directly. Non-dealers can install the same unit, but when it fails in year three you’ll be calling someone else. Ask specifically about service authorisation, not just sales.

3. How many standby generators did you install last year? There’s no right number, but “a few” from a general electrician and “sixty” from a generator specialist are different answers. The specialist has seen your panel’s problem before.

Sizing and design

4. How did you size this unit? The answer should include your running load, the largest motor’s starting surge, and headroom — not just “your house is about this big.” If you’ve run the numbers yourself, compare. A difference of one size is a conversation; a difference of two is a red flag.

5. Can I run central A/C on this, and how? A/C is the load that decides the size. A good installer will either size for it, or propose a load-management transfer switch or A/C module that lets a smaller unit cover the house. An installer who hasn’t thought about it will size big and charge accordingly.

6. Have you checked my gas meter capacity with the utility? If natural gas: the meter may need upgrading to supply the generator on top of the furnace and water heater. This question has a yes-or-no answer. “We’ll see at install” means an open-ended cost.

Placement and code

7. Where does the unit go, and what clearances are you working to? NFPA 37 and the manufacturer’s manual set distances from the house, from windows and doors, and from anything combustible. Local code can be stricter. An installer who can walk you to the spot and explain the clearance has done this; one who says “we’ll find a place” hasn’t looked.

8. Which permits will you pull? Expect an electrical permit and, on gas, a mechanical or gas permit. The installer pulls them and the inspection is part of the job. “Permits by owner” shifts liability to you and usually means they don’t want an inspector looking at their work.

The quote

9. Can I have the quote itemised? Unit, transfer switch, electrical, fuel connection, pad, permits, labor, warranty. Here’s what each line should say. A refusal to itemise is a refusal to be compared.

10. What’s excluded? Meter upgrade, concrete pad, trenching, panel upgrade, propane tank. Every exclusion is a future invoice. Get them in writing.

After the install

11. What does the workmanship warranty cover, and for how long? The manufacturer covers the unit. Who covers the wiring, the gas connection and the pad if something’s wrong in year two? One year is common; longer is a sign of confidence.

12. Who services it, and what does the annual service cost? Oil, filter, spark plugs, battery check, load test — every year, around $200–$500. The installer should either offer a maintenance plan or tell you who they recommend. An installer with no service answer is selling equipment, not standby power.

Before you sign

• Get three itemised quotes after three site visits. Anyone who prices without a visit is guessing.
• Check the license numbers with your state’s licensing board — takes two minutes.
• Ask for two references from the last six months and actually call one.
• Read the exclusions twice.

The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest install. The installer who asked you the most questions during the site visit is usually the one to hire.