Recommendations for Generator install in seacoast NH area

[jtpr]

I live outside of Portsmouth, NH and I've had it with losing power. Anyway I want to get an estimate on installing an 8k or 10k (not sure which)standby generator that fails over automatically. This may be too expensive, but why not start at the top.

I talked to the people that HD recommended and they wanted over 5k to install an

8k. Considering an 8k Generac is $2249 at HD, I thought the total was pretty extreme. Of course, this is the first call I made, so perhaps that is what they get.

If anybody has any good installer recommendations it would be appreciated.

Thanks, Jim

[Joe]

yway I want to get an estimate on installing an 8k or 10k (not sure which)s= tandby generator that fails over automatically. =A0This may be too expensiv= e, but why not start at the top.

tall an 8k. =A0Considering an 8k Generac is $2249 at HD, I thought the tota= l was pretty extreme. =A0Of course, this is the first call I made, so perha= ps that is what they get. =A0

Choosing your own installer is probably a better choice than the box store workers. For one thing, you're only paying one contractor's profit, not that plus the HD markup. Follow common sense rules as you would in choosing any contractor; there are online guides for doing so, Google it.

Joe

[chaniarts]

want to get an estimate on installing an 8k or 10k (not sure which)standby generator that fails over automatically. This may be too expensive, but why not start at the top.

an 8k. Considering an 8k Generac is $2249 at HD, I thought the total was pretty extreme. Of course, this is the first call I made, so perhaps that is what they get.

yes. also, it's the same as hiring any other contractor. ask your neighbors, try angie's list, get multiple bids and ask them for references, etc.

[Jake]

want to get an estimate on installing an 8k or 10k (not sure which)standby generator that fails over automatically. This may be too expensive, but why not start at the top.

an 8k. Considering an 8k Generac is $2249 at HD, I thought the total was pretty extreme. Of course, this is the first call I made, so perhaps that is what they get.

I feel your pain. Every time the wind blows the power goes out and to make matters worse the average PoCo restoration time is 50 hrs. :-(

So, I had a Generac sales and service center (not Lowes Depot) install a

16kw Generac (natural gas) and a 200amp auto transfer switch for $5600 18 months ago. Expensive but worth every penny. Now my quarterly power outages only last 30 seconds.

You might be able to save a $1,000 by eliminating the auto transfer switch. If your existing electric panel will allow installing an interlock breaker, the electrician can set the generator up as manual start / manual transfer. Basically you'd flip a switch to start the generator and then flip the interlock breaker to transfer the load to the generator.

[Ed Pawlowski]

want to get an estimate on installing an 8k or 10k (not sure which)standby generator that fails over automatically.  This may be too expensive, but why not start at the top.

an 8k.  Considering an 8k Generac is $2249 at HD, I thought the total was pretty extreme.  Of course, this is the first call I made, so perhaps that is what they get.  

It certainly should not be free, but I know two people that paid about half that. Do you think $5000 is a fair price? I don't.

[Evan]

yway I want to get an estimate on installing an 8k or 10k (not sure which)s= tandby generator that fails over automatically. This may be too expensive, = but why not start at the top.

install an 8k. Considering an 8k Generac is $2249 at HD, I thought the tota= l was pretty extreme. Of course, this is the first call I made, so perhaps = that is what they get.

I would have to see the house where it was to be installed, the selected location for the gen-set and then figure out how many feet of utilities were involved before you can say "this should cost x-$$$ as you have very little information to compare it to other than he wants an 8k or

10k generator... His gas service might need to be upgraded, might be digging longer trenches to feed generator -- just can't magically compare it all and tell from here... But labor and delivery for such a project including the wiring permit fee costing about as much as the generator itself sounds like it is within reason...

Your mileage and level of wiring/building inspection and thus safety may vary...

~~ Evan

[Jake]

I want to get an estimate on installing an 8k or 10k (not sure which)standby generator that fails over automatically. This may be too expensive, but why not start at the top.

install an 8k. Considering an 8k Generac is $2249 at HD, I thought the total was pretty extreme. Of course, this is the first call I made, so perhaps that is what they get.

These numbers are approximate from memory

$2700 - 16kw ng generac

$1300 - 200 amp auto transfer switch, new meter base, all new conduit and wire from meter to entrance panel

$1200 - 8hrs plumber to rework existing and add new natural gas line 8hrs electrican

$600 - 6% MI sales tax, plumbing & electrical permit

If I felt ripped off by anything it was the cost of the plumbing and electrical permits and the sales tax, of course.

[Dave]

Anyway I want to get an estimate on installing an 8k or 10k (not sure = which)standby generator that fails over automatically. This may be too = expensive, but why not start at the top.

install an 8k. Considering an 8k Generac is $2249 at HD, I thought the = total was pretty extreme. Of course, this is the first call I made, so = perhaps that is what they get. =20

appreciated.

25 years ago my electric power seldom ever went out, maybe once every 5 = years.=20 Today it goes out 2 or 3 times a year and they are multi-day outages = each time. I used to think of a generator as a luxury but now its a necessity, as = do my neighbors.=20 Everyone has one now.

[Caesar Romano]

On Wed, 2 Nov 2011 06:04:54 -0400, "Dave" wrote Re Re: Recommendations for Generator install in seacoast NH area:

And so the race to the bottom continues to accelerate.

[jtpr]

This price was given to me over the phone as a base price before anybody looked at anything. It reflected the simplest install.

Sorry, but over 3k for a days work plus materials (cable, propane tank, etc) is a LOT of money.

-Jim