Whole-home Generac and Cummins backup systems, installed the way I'd install one at my own house. Transfer switches, load calculations, permits, and inspections, all handled.
A whole-home standby generator wired to an automatic transfer switch means you don't wait for the power company, and you don't string extension cords through your kitchen. When utility power drops, the generator is running and the house is back on in about 15 seconds. No human involvement required.
I install Generac Guardian and Cummins QuietConnect systems from 22kW through 28kW, appropriately sized for the homes I see most often in Seneca, Salem, and the Lake Keowee communities. I also handle transfer switch replacements, propane/natural gas connections (coordinating with your gas fitter), and pad preparation.
The install is permitted with your county AHJ, load-calculated against your actual panel, and tested end-to-end before I leave. You also get walked through the monthly exercise cycle and what to do if the unit ever throws an alarm.
This one is in Salem. The house has a 400-amp service, so it takes two 200-amp automatic transfer switches and a 28kW Generac to carry it. That is a week of work for a crew.
It is the kind of project we are set up for now. We have more hands on the job and a van stocked for it, so we stay on one house until it is finished and inspected.
Not every home needs one. Here's when the math usually works.
Lake Keowee, The Cliffs, Keowee Key, and the surrounding rural roads see longer outages than town service. Standby power is usually justified.
CPAP, oxygen concentrator, well pump for drinking water, septic lift station, insulin refrigeration, standby becomes more than convenience.
Extended outages during hurricanes, ice storms, or derechos can destroy a freezer's worth of food and knock out your ability to work remotely.
I walk the house with you to identify must-have loads (AC, well pump, fridge, office) and right-size the unit. Oversized costs money you don't need to spend; undersized leaves you in the dark.
Permits pulled with your county AHJ. Concrete pad or composite base sized correctly. I coordinate with your propane supplier or gas fitter for the fuel line. HOA paperwork handled on request.
Transfer switch wired between utility and panel, generator commissioned, full outage test performed. You get a walk-through of operation, monthly exercise, and what to do if it alarms.
Starting prices, based on quotes I have written this year for lake houses in Salem, Seneca and Anderson. Every price below is turnkey: the generator, automatic transfer switch, load management, whole-house surge protection, wiring, permit, inspection and startup. Your written quote is fixed before I order anything.
The usual pick for a three-bedroom lake house with one HVAC system.
Two HVAC systems plus two electric water heaters. The honest minimum for a big two-story lake house.
Whole house with nothing managed, and room for a hot tub and an EV charger.
A standby generator is an eight-to-fifteen year piece of equipment. The install matters more than the brand.
A 50-amp inlet with a UL-listed interlock kit lets you run the house safely from a portable generator, with a permit and an inspection. It is a much smaller job than a standby install, and the details and pricing are on the interlock kit page. Not sure which fits? Here is an honest comparison.
Have a question not listed here? Call or text (864) 351-7898. I'm happy to talk through it.
Turnkey installs start at about $13,900 for a 22kW unit, $15,900 for a 26kW and $18,900 for a 28kW. Bigger homes, long wire runs and 400-amp services cost more. Those prices cover the generator, transfer switch, load management, surge protection, wiring, permit, inspection and startup. Fuel line and pad are quoted separately. I give a fixed written quote before starting. No squishy ranges.
Yes. Most of the standby systems I install are Generac Guardian units from 22kW to 28kW, with a Generac automatic transfer switch and load management sized to the house. I also install Cummins. I handle the electrical side start to finish: sizing, transfer switch, wiring, permit, inspection and startup.
Both are solid. Generac has broader local dealer and service coverage around Oconee and Pickens County. Cummins units tend to run quieter at the same kW rating. I'll give you a straight opinion for your specific situation.
I don't do fuel-line work, that's gas fitter territory. But I coordinate the schedule with your propane supplier or plumber so your install lands in one coordinated effort, not three separate stressors.
Yes. All permits pulled with the county AHJ in your name. You get the signed inspection paperwork at closeout.
Most installs wrap in 2 to 3 days of actual electrical work once permits, pad, and gas are coordinated. The whole project cycle (site visit → unit delivered → installed → inspected) typically runs 3 to 6 weeks depending on equipment stock.
I install, test, and handle electrical troubleshooting. Annual service (oil, filters, firmware) is best left to a factory-authorized service tech. Happy to recommend one.
Send me your address and roughly what you want to keep running. I'll size it, price it, and put the number in writing.
Let's walk your panel, size it right, and get a written quote on your desk this week.