Whole-home generator installation across the metro.
Generac and Kohler standby generators with automatic transfer switches. Permitted, inspected, and ready before the next ice storm.
Trusted by Portland Homeowners
Why a standby generator
Three reasons standby generators beat portables — especially in the metro.
Ice storms, wind events, wildfire-related PSPS shutoffs — multi-day outages in the metro aren't rare anymore. A standby generator handles them hands-off, while the rest of the neighborhood is running extension cords.
Automatic transfer switch
Power goes out, generator starts within 10 seconds, transfer switch flips the house over. You're back online before the fridge thaws — and the cutover is hands-off.
Whole-home vs essential circuits
Some generators power the whole house; smaller systems prioritize essential circuits (fridge, furnace blower, well pump, Wi-Fi, a few lights). We size the system to your actual needs and budget.
Run for days, not hours
Natural-gas standby generators run as long as the gas line holds. Propane systems run as long as the tank lasts. Portable gas generators are a different conversation — these are the real solution.
How it works
Our generator installation process — four steps from sizing to first run.
- 01
On-site sizing
Generator sizing is more than wattage math: starting current on the well pump, refrigerator compressor, heat pump, and any well-equipment matter. We measure the loads that actually start in parallel.
- 02
Fuel + transfer plan
Natural gas, propane, or LP. Whole-home transfer or sub-panel transfer. We design the system to match your fuel availability and budget — and pull permits with the city or county AHJ.
- 03
Pad, install, & wire
Generator pad poured or pre-cast, gas line run, automatic transfer switch wired in, and the unit commissioned on first start. Sound enclosures dampen the run-time noise to under a normal conversation at 10 feet.
- 04
Test, paperwork, & training
Inspection signed off. We run the system through a real cutover test. You learn how to read the controller, where the disconnects are, and what monthly self-test looks like.
- Oregon-licensed electricians
- Permitted & inspected
- Generac & Kohler installers
- Wells Fargo financing
When the lights go out
Ice storms, wind events, PSPS — outages aren't rare anymore.
The metro has averaged multi-day outage events nearly every winter for the last decade. A natural-gas standby generator runs as long as the gas line holds — fridges stay cold, well pumps stay primed, furnace blowers stay on, and the Wi-Fi router doesn't reset every five minutes.
- Automatic 10-second cutover on power loss
- Natural gas or propane fuel — no refueling
- Sound enclosures keep the run quiet at 10 feet
- Monthly self-test built into the controller
Generator installation questions, answered.
- Most Portland-metro whole-home generator installs run $9,000–$22,000 fully installed. The range depends on generator size (typically 14kW–24kW for residential), whether you have natural gas already plumbed to the install location, whether the panel needs work, and how complex the transfer setup is. We quote flat-rate after the on-site assessment.
- Most jobs are 2–3 days on-site. The longest part is usually the gas line run and any required AHJ inspections. We schedule it tightly so the days that the generator is on-site are productive.
- Yes, if it's sized correctly. Heat pumps draw a lot of starting current — especially older two-stage units. We measure the starting current on your actual equipment and size the generator to handle it without nuisance tripping. For homes with both a heat pump AND a well pump, sizing matters a lot more than the spec sheet suggests.
- Yes — always. Electrical and mechanical (gas line) permits are pulled with the city or county AHJ. The work is inspected and signed off. Unpermitted generator work is a serious safety and insurance liability. We don't do it.
- Both Generac and Kohler are solid choices and we install both. Generac has a wider dealer network in the metro (parts and service availability matter long-term); Kohler has a reputation for quieter operation. We'll recommend based on your fuel source, sound sensitivity, and budget at the assessment.
- Portable gas generators are a different product — they run for hours not days, they require manual cutover (or a manual transfer switch), and they need someone to refuel them. They're a budget-friendly fallback. Standby generators are the real solution if you actually want to stay online through a multi-day outage.
Written by Tristin Morris, Co-Founder & Co-Owner
Holds Oregon's Signing Supervisor's Electrical License · CCB#247087
Power out again?
Get on the schedule before the next storm.
Free on-site sizing and a real flat-rate quote. We install Generac and Kohler standby generators, pull permits, and commission every system on first start.