Home generator size calculator
Tick what you need running in an outage. We add it up and name the smallest common standby size that covers it.
What home generator installs cost
The value stated on generator permits that name a size, not the price you will pay. New Orleans: 129 permits, November 2021 to September 2026.
| City and size | Permits | Typical | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, 18 to 23 kW | 38 | $18,000 | $15,000 to $19,000 |
| New Orleans, 24 to 60 kW | 89 | $20,000 | $18,000 to $22,000 |
How it works
We add the running watts of everything you ticked, then add the extra power the biggest motor needs for a second when it starts, and leave 10% to spare. Air conditioners, heat pumps and well pumps start hardest; a soft starter cuts that. These are typical figures. The nameplate on your equipment, or an electrician's load calculation, beats them.
Watts: typical figures from published appliance charts. Permit values: city permit records. Data updated September 25, 2026.