How much load will you require? In other words, how many watts will it take to power what you want. Do you want to power the entire house when there is a power outage? Or do you want to be more selective and choose just certain items? This will determine the size of the unit. (Use the provided Informational Questionnaire to help determine this)

The township or city codes and rules generally determine where the generator can be located, and these vary from community to community. Typically it is around the periphery of the building, either on the side but most likely along the back of the house or building. The codes are written with specific noise or decibel (dBA) restrictions. Most are in the 70 to 74 dBA range. However, proximity of neighboring houses is the determining factor. The decibel readings are taken at the lot line. Remember ...as a general rule ...the quieter the unit has to be ...the costlier it is. This is because the generator design requires additional sound deadening materials or a larger engine that operates at lower rpms. (Check the individual Guardian Product Specifications listed on this site for the estimated dBA ratings)

What do you want to spend? The actual generator unit can vary, depending on size, from $2,516 for a basic 7kW Guardian air-cooled unit that has built-in transfer switches, all the way up to $13,254 for a 40 kW liquid-cooled Guardian Quiet Source unit that requires a separate transfer switch... and there are 18 other models in between there. And... don't forget there are additional installation costs that vary from job to job, depending on a number of variables as well. These are typically $2,000 to $4,000 depending on the complexity of the individual installation.(See the section on Installation)