sorry for the delay. My PM doesn't work, so to answer your question here, the Generac installed for my house was a little over $11K, for your sq footage it would be $12-12.5K. Works like a jewel. The power goes off, 60 seconds later, it comes back on. With the benefit of hindsight, however, living in an area like you do (and like I do), where power infrequently goes off and even if it does, it usually comes back on in 24 hours, 48 in a bad case scenario, I would seriously give the Yeti Ground Zero 4k or 8k a look. They are on sale now and if you want to hook it up to your junction box, the equipment to do so is $600 plus $300 install. Manual transmission switch, but that's the only downside. You get 10 plugs that can handle frig, microwave, oven, wifi and computers, a heating or cooling unit, etc. NO GAS, NO SOUND and good for 1-3 days depending upon the unit. And no matter the unit (let's say you went with the 2 day one but needed an extra day), the solar panels that come with it can charge the unit for another day's use in 6-9 hours. I LOVE my Generac, but I think I'd go half the price and with Goal Zero if I had to do it again. Of course, if you have medical needs, cpap's, etc, the Generac is foolproof and no worries, but so if the other if you are willing to flip a switch in times of need instead of it powering on by itself. Can't go wrong with either, IMO. All a matter of need and what you are willing to spend. I have a small YETI one for camping with my Dad who has a cpap and you can put it in your tent. No sound, no gas, works to perfection for 8-10 hours. The install on the Generac is crazy complicated, thus the cost. With the Generac I know I can get the investment back if I sell. With the Yeti, you just take it with you. Both options are great.

Goal Zero

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I didnt realize the 4k and 8k already come with the Haven transfer switch. So $3500 or $5500 total. Thats a dealio,

Thanks a ton for the info. This will give us more solid material to base our decision on. The “negative” I see is complacency….letting the attitude that it’s not an emergency to make the decision hastily. It’s not an emergency or urgent, but before you know it, we get another one of those 100-year storms come through again. That sucked, and the next time we really want for our house to be the place both our kids and their families can come to.
Thank again!

(10-29-2024, 11:04 AM)Replying to LuvsDawgs Thanks a ton for the info.  This will give us more solid material to base our decision on.  The “negative” I see is complacency….letting the attitude that it’s not an emergency to make the decision hastily.  It’s not an emergency or urgent, but before you know it, we get another one of those 100-year storms come through again.  That sucked, and the next time we really want for our house to be the place both our kids and their families can come to.
Thank again!

If you're only losing power for 1 or 2 days at a time, get a regular gas generator with about 4-5000 watts output and a suicide cord.  You can run a couple of fridges, half the lights in the house, some tvs and a space heater if it's cold or a window or portable A/C unit if it is hot.  They use around a half a gallon of gas per hour of run time.  If you have natural gas at your house you can get the dual fuel ones that will run on the house natural gas.  

My power was out for 12 days and I ran mine about 8-10 hours a day.  It wasn't luxury but it was very tolerable.  If you want your house to be fully powered you are going to need to go the whole house generator route and spend the big bucks.