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Luminaire Electrical
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Metro Detroit • 268 electricians profiles
Generator Installation in Metro Detroit
Compare verified electricians for a standby generator or a safe portable generator hookup. Get free quotes, check licenses, and hire with confidence.
1Featured pros
268Electricians profiles
6Metro counties
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Featured generator installation pros
Top Generator Installation Pros in Metro Detroit
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Before you hire
Generator installation in Metro Detroit: what to expect
Summer storms and winter ice can knock out power across Metro Detroit, and a basement sump pump, a furnace blower and a refrigerator are what most homeowners want to keep running. There are two common setups: a permanently installed standby generator that starts on its own, or a portable generator that plugs into an inlet box connected to a transfer switch or panel interlock.
A standby generator is a combined job. The electrician installs the transfer switch and wiring; the natural gas or propane line is fuel gas work done by a mechanical contractor, and the unit sits on a pad with clearances from windows, doors and property lines.
Never power a house by backfeeding a generator through a dryer or wall outlet. It can energize utility lines and injure line workers or neighbors.
What a proper job includes
- A load calculation to size the generator for the circuits you want backed up
- Automatic transfer switch, or an inlet box with transfer switch or interlock for a portable unit
- Pad placement that meets manufacturer and code clearances
- Gas or propane line by a properly licensed mechanical contractor
- Wiring, grounding and bonding between generator and panel
- Start-up, a transfer test and owner walk-through
- Electrical and mechanical permits with inspections
What drives the price
- Standby versus portable setup
- Generator capacity and whole-home versus essential-circuits coverage
- Transfer switch type and whether panel changes are needed
- Distance from the panel and the gas meter to the generator location
- Gas meter capacity or propane tank setup
- Site work for the pad and any grading
- Maintenance plan and warranty registration
Rebuild Detroit does not publish price ranges. Get written quotes for the same scope and compare.
Permits and licensing in Michigan
A generator hookup needs an electrical permit from the enforcing agency for your address (the state, county, city or township; in Detroit, BSEED). A standby generator also needs a mechanical permit for the gas-fired unit and gas piping; LARA notes the mechanical contractor should hold the HVAC Equipment classification.
Michigan licenses electrical contractors, master electricians and journeyman electricians through LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes. Check the company's electrical contractor license on the LARA lookup before you sign.
Verify: LARA license lookup Michigan electrical permit information Detroit BSEED How We Vet
How to compare quotes
- List the circuits you must keep running, such as sump pump, furnace and refrigerator.
- Ask each installer for the load calculation and recommended size.
- Confirm who handles the gas line and that both permits are in the quote.
- Confirm the transfer switch type and where the unit will sit.
- Check the electrical and mechanical licenses on the LARA lookup and compare maintenance plans and warranties.
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Common questions
Generator Installation FAQ
A standby unit starts on its own and runs on natural gas or propane. A portable unit with an inlet and transfer switch or interlock is the lower-commitment option but must be set up and fueled by hand.
Yes. The electrical connection needs an electrical permit, and a standby unit with a gas line also needs a mechanical permit.
No. Backfeeding through an outlet is dangerous and can energize utility lines. Use a proper inlet with a transfer switch or interlock.
It depends on which loads you want to run at once. A load calculation, not a rule of thumb, should set the size.
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