The Generator Installation Process, Step by Step
Most standby generator installs follow the same path: a free sizing visit, a written estimate, permits, install day, then startup and a walkthrough. The install itself is usually one day. Permit timing depends on your city or county.
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Generac Prestige DealerGenerac's highest dealer designation. We sell, install and service Generac home standby generators.
Generator installationEight steps, from first call to yearly service.
- Call or send the form. We book your free sizing visit.
- Free sizing visit. We check your panel, your AC units and your gas meter, and ask what you want to keep running.
- Written estimate. Each part of the job is listed, so you can see what you are paying for.
- Permits and HOA. We pull the permits, schedule the inspections and prepare the HOA paperwork.
- Getting the yard ready. A clear side yard, a way through the gate, and buried lines marked.
- Install day. Pad, generator, gas line, wiring and transfer switch. The install itself is usually one day.
- Inspection, startup and walkthrough. The work is inspected, the generator is tested under load, and we show you how it works.
- Yearly service. Maintenance about once a year for most homes, with monitoring if you want it.
Each step, in plain terms.
What happens, what you do, and where to read more.
Call or send the form
Call (713) 467-1125 or send the form, and we book your free sizing visit. Phones are answered 24/7. Estimates are free.
Free sizing visit
We look at your panel and service size, your AC units and their labels, your large appliances, your gas meter or propane tank, and where the generator can sit. We ask what you want running during an outage and whether anyone relies on medical equipment. You do not need to know your loads ahead of time. We do the math for you.
Written estimate
You get a written estimate for the size we recommend. It lists the generator model and size, the transfer switch, the electrical work, the gas or propane work, the pad, permits and inspection, and the startup and walkthrough. If your panel needs attention, that is on its own line with the reason. We do not post prices, because two houses on the same street can need very different work.
Permits and HOA approval
A standby generator touches gas and electricity, so it is normally permitted and inspected work. We pull the permits, schedule the inspections and prepare the HOA paperwork. Permit timing depends on your city or county. If you have an HOA, its approval comes first.
Getting the yard ready
Clear the side yard where the unit will sit and make sure the crew can get through the gate. Tell us about pets, sprinkler lines, buried drip lines or landscape lighting wires near the spot. If the job needs any digging for the gas or electrical run, underground utility lines are marked first through the Texas 811 call system.
Install day
The crew sets the pad and the generator, runs the wiring and mounts the transfer switch; a Texas-licensed plumber runs and connects the gas line. The transfer switch moves the house from utility power to generator power by itself, and it keeps generator power from flowing back out to the lines. The power to the house has to be off while the switch is connected to your panel, and the crew tells you before it goes off. The install itself is usually one day.
Inspection, startup and walkthrough
The inspector for your area reviews the work. If something needs correcting, it is fixed and rechecked. At startup the technician runs the generator, then cuts utility power on purpose so you can watch the house switch over by itself. We check the system under load, set the weekly self-test time, connect Mobile Link to your phone and register the warranty. Before the crew leaves, you know where the shutoffs are, what the status lights mean and who to call.
Yearly service
Generac sets service intervals by run hours and time. For most homes that means once a year, plus a check after a long run following a storm. A service visit covers oil, filters, the battery, a full inspection and a test under load. Our Shield Protection plans put that on a schedule, with 24/7 remote monitoring.
What helps the job go smoothly.
- Photos of your breaker panel with the door open, your electric meter, your gas meter and the spot where you picture the generator. Text them to (713) 467-1125. Open only the panel door; do not remove the panel cover.
- A list of what you cannot live without during an outage, such as the AC, the fridge, a well pump or medical equipment.
- Your HOA's rules on where a generator can sit and what approval they need, and any approval letters.
- Clear access to the gas and electric meters and to the area where the unit will sit.
- Current contact information, so inspection appointments are not missed.
What decides the schedule.
Part of the timeline is work our crew does on your property. Part of it is waiting on other people, such as the permit office, the inspector, the gas provider or the utility. Those waits are the hardest to predict, so we will not promise a date we do not control.
Things that can add time: a permit or inspection backlog, a longer gas run or a gas meter that needs an upgrade, a panel that needs work before the transfer switch goes in, and rain, which can delay concrete, trenching and outdoor work.
We stock generators at the Tomball showroom instead of ordering them after you sign, so the unit is usually not what you wait on. Booking before storm season gives everyone more room than the week a storm is forecast. There is more on this in how long a standby generator installation takes, and what permits it needs.
Quick answers.
How long does generator installation take?
Permit timing depends on your city or county. The install itself is usually one day. If you have an HOA, its approval comes first.
Will I lose power during installation?
Usually yes, but typically only for a short period of time while electrical connections are being completed.
Do I need to be home on generator install day?
It helps to have someone there at the start, so the crew can confirm the spot and get access, and again at the end for startup and the walkthrough. In between, the crew works outside. We set the timing with you when we schedule.
Do you do the permit?
Yes. We pull it and schedule the inspection.
Will I need a panel upgrade to install a generator?
Not always. If your panel is old, full, damaged or a brand with known problems, it may need work before a generator can be connected safely. We check it on the sizing visit, and if it needs work, it appears on its own line in the estimate with the reason.
Will my gas meter need to be upgraded for a generator?
Some homes need it. If the meter cannot feed the generator and your gas appliances at the same time, the gas utility has to upgrade it. We check the meter on the visit and include it in the estimate when it is needed.
More answers on generators, electrical work, financing and scheduling are on our FAQ page.
Start with a free sizing visit.
Estimates are free. Phones open 24/7.