Generator Installation: Standby, Whole-Home and Transfer Switch Hookups
Red Electricians installs standby and whole-home generators and the transfer equipment that connects them safely to your home. Installation starts from $2,499, and the generator unit is extra (starting price; your cost may differ).
24/7
Emergency service
About 5 min
Callback after a form request
Licensed & insured
In every city we serve
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see, hear or smell.
Tell us what you want to power and whether you already own a generator. Then call, or send the form.
- A form request gets a callback in about 5 minutes
- Same-day service is possible in many cases
- We offer 24/7 emergency service
Call any time, 24/7
(213) 322-0128
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Overview
Home generator installation: standby, whole-home and portable hookups
Generator installation means connecting a generator to your home the safe way: a standby or whole-home unit, or a hookup for a portable one. It is not the same as plugging a generator in. Installation starts from $2,499. That includes basic installation labor, materials, permits and additional minor work. The generator itself is extra. Call (213) 322-0128 or send the form. See our electrical services overview for more.
Start by choosing what you need to power in an outage. A generator that runs “the house” is a vague plan. A short list of essential loads, such as the refrigerator, communications and some lights, makes a clearer one.
What we do
Generator setups we install: transfer switch, interlock and circuits
Every price in this section: starting price; your cost may differ.
Standby generator installation
A fixed generator with the electrical connection and transfer arrangement.
Generator transfer switch installation
Equipment that separates the generator from the normal supply.
Interlock and power inlet for a portable unit
A way to connect a portable generator to selected circuits. The rules vary by place, so we confirm what applies.
Essential-load circuit selection
We help pick the circuits the generator will carry.
Revising an existing generator’s circuits
Changing which circuits an existing generator supports.
Transfer equipment with a panel upgrade
Added as part of a panel upgrade.
Pricing
What generator installation costs and what changes it
How much does generator installation cost? It starts from $2,499. That covers basic installation labor, materials, permits and additional minor work. The generator unit itself is extra.
We give the price on the phone. If your panel is full or old, see panel upgrades.
Every price in this section: starting price; your cost may differ.
| Service | Starting price | What changes the final price | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generator installation | From $2,499 (the generator unit is extra) | The size and type of generator, standby or portable hookup, the transfer switch or interlock chosen, the distance from the panel and meter, permits and inspections (which vary by place) and the capacity of the panel | Quoted on the call |
Decision guide
Standby, portable with an interlock, or a plug-in: choosing safely
| Option | What it powers | What drives the cost | Safety note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standby generator with automatic transfer | The circuits you choose, automatically | Unit size, transfer equipment and fuel arrangement | Needs the electrical and fuel work coordinated |
| Portable generator with an interlock or inlet | Selected circuits, when you connect it | Inlet, interlock and the circuits chosen | The connection needs transfer equipment |
| Portable generator plugged into appliances | Only what you plug in | The generator | This is not a hookup to the house |
Never connect a generator to a home outlet or the panel without transfer equipment. It can send power back into the grid and harm the people working on it. Ask us if you are unsure.
The visit
From site visit to a tested outage run
- Call us, or send the form. A form request gets a callback in about 5 minutes.
- Tell us what you want to power and whether you already have a generator. A photo of the panel helps.
- We agree a time. The timing is given on the call.
- The electrician reviews the site and the panel and you choose the essential loads.
- A permit is arranged where one is required.
- The equipment is installed. We simulate an outage, test the switch to backup and back to the utility, and show you how to switch back.
Field notes
Field notes: essential loads, trade coordination and a revised circuit group
A home wanted backup for the refrigerator, communications and some lights from a portable generator. The owner first said the generator should power the house. Listing the essential loads gave a clear group within the generator’s capacity. The house had no approved transfer arrangement, so we installed a listed one for the selected circuits and an inlet, and the owner watched transfer in both directions during commissioning. The relevant reference is NFPA 70 (NEC).
Backup usefulness comes from a defined load group and a verified transfer arrangement.
Our electrician
Our electrician’s advice: choose the essential loads before you buy a generator for a house backup system.
A standby generator and two trades
A fixed standby generator needed the electrical work and the fuel work to fit together. We agreed who was responsible for what before work started, so a finished electrical connection would not be mistaken for a system that was ready. We designed the transfer and essential-load arrangement, completed the inspections and tested the automatic response with the supplier.
A revised set of backup circuits
A household with an existing generator wanted refrigeration and communications to take priority over some convenience loads. We checked the generator’s capacity and the transfer equipment, reassigned the circuits and tested the switch to backup.
Availability
Generator installation near me: coverage and scheduling
We install generators across our service area. See our service areas. We have Google profiles for Palm Springs, Yorba Linda, Sherman Oaks, Montecito, Pasadena and Topanga. Elsewhere we serve as a service area with no local office. Timing is given on the call.
Customer feedback
What customers say about our electrical work
We have no review that is about a generator, and we will not stretch one to fit. Customers rate our Yorba Linda profile 4.9 from 61 Google reviews, Montecito 4.9 from 57 and Pasadena 5.0 from 71 (checked Oct 8, 2026). These are ratings for each location, not an average. Read what our customers say.
Common questions
Generator installation questions, answered plainly
How much does generator installation cost?
It starts from $2,499, with basic installation labor, materials, permits and additional minor work included. The generator unit is extra. It is a starting price and your cost may differ.
Can I just hook a generator up to my house?
Not without transfer equipment. Connecting without it can send power back into the grid. We install the transfer switch or interlock.
What is an interlock, and what is a transfer switch?
Both keep generator power and utility power apart. The right one depends on your panel and the circuits you want to power. We recommend one after seeing your panel.
I am stuck on generator power after an outage. What do I do?
Call us. See our emergency electrician page. Emergency service runs 24/7. We do not promise a response time.
Do I need a permit?
The starting price includes permits. What a permit needs varies by place, so we check with the local building department for your address.
Can it be added with a panel upgrade?
Yes. See electrical panel upgrade.
Do you offer a warranty?
Red Electricians offers a standard warranty on its work. Ask your technician for the details when you call.
Ask about generator installation
Tell us what you want to power and whether you already own a generator. Then call, or send the form.