Free planning tool Updated August 2026
Use this whole house generator cost calculator to build an itemized installed-cost range in under two minutes. Size the system, account for site work, and see where the budget goes.
2026 default planning baseline
For the default 2,200-square-foot U.S. average scenario, the model estimates $8,770–$18,160 installed, with $13,720 as the typical case. Use this as a starting reference—not your project result. The calculator below replaces it with your coverage, fuel, distance, site condition, and location.
01 Live planning estimate
Start with the planning baseline, then replace the details you know. Every change updates the size, range, and itemized costs.
Change first: backup coverage, fuel source, and site condition.
Built for planning before contractor bids
These planning bands use the same model as the calculator: automatic transfer, natural gas, a 30 ft fuel run, standard site work, and the 1.00× U.S. average location baseline.
| Rated size | Common planning use | Equipment allowance | Typical installed | Installed range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10kW | Critical circuits | $2,900–$4,800 | $12,160 | $7,660–$16,300 |
| 14kW | Essentials + selected loads | $3,520–$5,800 | $13,200 | $8,400–$17,540 |
| 18kW | Managed home coverage | $4,140–$6,800 | $14,240 | $9,140–$18,780 |
| 22kW | Common whole-home planning band | $4,760–$7,800 | $15,280 | $9,880–$20,020 |
| 26kW | Larger loads or added headroom | $5,380–$8,800 | $16,320 | $10,620–$21,260 |
| 38kW | Large-home / liquid-cooled band | $7,240–$11,800 | $19,440 | $12,840–$24,980 |
Capacity is not determined by square footage alone. Use these rows to frame a budget, or first build a transparent load plan with the whole house generator sizing calculator. Confirm the final size with an on-site electrical load calculation.
A useful estimate separates the equipment from the work required to make it operate safely at your home.
04 Compare bids fairly
Print this list with your current estimate and mark the same inclusions on every bid.
The model sizes a planning system from home area and coverage, then adds each project component. Labor-sensitive lines receive a broad state factor; equipment remains visible and unchanged.
Square footage and coverage produce an indicative kW band—not an electrical design.
Equipment, switch, electrical, fuel, pad, permits, and optional panel work are priced separately.
A state factor adjusts labor-sensitive lines before low, typical, and high totals are summed.
Public model notes
Calibration references
Review prices quarterly and whenever equipment, material, or labor markets change materially.
Detailed audit trail
The full ledger stays available for reviewers and publishers without getting in the way of a normal estimate.
| Model field | Current value or rule | Evidence boundary | Reference and review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planning size heuristics | Essentials only: 5 W/sq ft with a 10 kW floor; Most of the home: 7 W/sq ft with a 14 kW floor; Whole-home comfort: 9.5 W/sq ft with a 18 kW floor. Output is rounded to 2 kW steps and capped at 48 kW. | External reference + internal planning assumptionThe source supports professional sizing and variable project scope; the watts-per-square-foot rules and floors are internal planning heuristics, not an electrical load calculation. | GeneracReviewed 2026-08-05 · Model 2026.08 |
| Generator equipment allowance | Fixed $1,350 / $1,800 / $2,300 plus $155 / $205 / $250 per kW | External reference + internal planning assumptionRetail listings and the broad installed range calibrate the band; the linear formula is an internal interpolation and does not reproduce a retailer price list. | The Home DepotGeneracReviewed 2026-08-05 · Model 2026.08 |
| Transfer-switch allowance | Automatic: $1,200 / $2,200 / $3,200; Manual: $500 / $900 / $1,500 | External reference + internal planning assumptionThe references support switch types and retail context; installed low, typical, and high allowances are internal planning values. | The Home DepotThe Home DepotReviewed 2026-08-05 · Model 2026.08 |
| Electrical installation allowance | Fixed $1,700 / $2,600 / $3,200 plus $30 / $55 / $60 per kW | External reference + internal planning assumptionThe source supports electrical work as part of installation; the fixed and per-kW values are internal planning assumptions. | GeneracReviewed 2026-08-05 · Model 2026.08 |
| Fuel-system allowance | Natural gas: base $400 / $800 / $1,100; per foot $12 / $22 / $30; Propane: base $1,600 / $2,600 / $4,200; per foot $10 / $18 / $30; Diesel: base $2,400 / $3,600 / $5,600; per foot $8 / $14 / $22 | External reference + internal planning assumptionThe source supports fuel type, route, and site conditions as cost drivers; fuel base and per-foot bands are internal and do not size pipe, regulators, tanks, or utility service. | GeneracReviewed 2026-08-05 · Model 2026.08 |
| Site-preparation allowance | Existing level base: $150 / $350 / $700; New standard pad: $550 / $950 / $1,600; Complex site: $1,400 / $2,500 / $4,500 | External reference + internal planning assumptionThe source supports site conditions as a cost driver; the three site bands are internal allowances and do not determine setbacks, drainage, anchoring, or excavation scope. | GeneracReviewed 2026-08-05 · Model 2026.08 |
| Permits and inspection allowance | $250 / $550 / $900 | External reference + internal planning assumptionThe source supports permitting as part of the project; the band is internal because permit types and fees are local. | GeneracReviewed 2026-08-05 · Model 2026.08 |
| Optional service-panel work | $1,800 / $3,200 / $5,200 | Internal planning assumptionThis is an explicit contingency for upgrade or corrective work discovered during inspection, not a sourced national panel-upgrade price. | No external price source claimedReviewed 2026-08-05 · Model 2026.08 |
| State labor-sensitive multiplier | 50 internal state factors ranging from 0.87× to 1.28×; equipment is not multiplied. | External reference + internal planning assumptionThe references support location, regional price levels, and wages as relevant context. The broad generator-project factors remain internal assumptions: they are not BEA indexes, BLS wage conversions, contractor bids, or statements of current local market prices. | GeneracU.S. Bureau of Economic AnalysisU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsReviewed 2026-08-05 · Model 2026.08 |
| Displayed price rounding | Every line and total is rounded to the nearest $10. | Internal planning assumptionRounding communicates planning-level precision and prevents formula output from appearing quote-exact. | No external price source claimedReviewed 2026-08-05 · Model 2026.08 |
For research and citation
Six itemized size scenarios use the same documented baseline. Quote with attribution and retain the review date. Review the data reuse terms.
Generator Budget. Whole House Generator Cost Calculator, model 2026.08, reviewed 2026-08-05. https://generatorbudget.com/For the default 2,200-square-foot U.S. average planning scenario, this model estimates $8,770–$18,160 installed, with $13,720 typical. Larger units, long fuel runs, difficult sites, and panel work can push the total higher.
For a 2,000-square-foot U.S. average planning scenario with most-of-home coverage, natural gas, a 30-foot fuel run, an automatic transfer switch, and a standard site, this model estimates $8,400–$17,540 installed, with $13,200 typical and a 14 kW planning size. Square footage is only a starting input; confirm actual loads and sizing on site.
Yes. The calculator includes either a manual or automatic transfer-switch allowance as its own visible line item. The final switch type and amperage must match the electrical design and local requirements.
Longer runs can require more pipe, larger pipe sizing, trenching, regulators, utility coordination, and labor. The calculator uses distance as a planning signal; it does not determine pipe size or fuel pressure.
Most installations involve electrical permits and inspections, and many also need fuel, mechanical, zoning, or HOA approval. Requirements and fees are local, so the estimate includes a range rather than a single fee.
Know what this number is—and is not. This is a budgeting model, not a bid, load calculation, fuel-system design, or code review. Ask a licensed local installer to verify equipment sizing and every site requirement.