Keep the Lights On When the Grid Doesn't.
- What it is: A standby generator is a permanent unit, fueled by natural gas or propane, that starts on its own when the power goes out. A transfer switch keeps it and the utility from ever feeding the house at the same time.
- Typical cost: Most whole-home standby installs in Van Buren and Fort Smith land around $7,500 to $15,000. We give you a written price before work starts.
- How fast: We're a small local crew, usually able to get out quickly. We'll walk through what you want running during an outage and size the generator from a load calculation.
- Areas served: Van Buren, Fort Smith, Alma, Mountainburg, Cedarville, Greenwood, Lavaca, Barling, and nearby Crawford and Sebastian County communities. Call (479) 208-2279 for a free estimate.
Generator Installations We Handle
- Whole-home standby generators — Generac, Kohler, Briggs & Stratton, Champion
- Automatic transfer switches — sized to your service and load
- Manual transfer switches for portable generators
- Generator inlet boxes for plug-in portable setups
- Sub-panel critical-load setups — power only what matters
- Natural gas and propane fuel runs coordinated with your plumber
How We Size a Generator the Right Way
Most "oversized" or "undersized" generator complaints come from skipping this step. Before quoting, we walk through:
- What you actually need running during an outage
- Major loads (HVAC, well pumps, ovens, EV chargers)
- Soft-start opportunities on AC units
- Whether a critical-load sub-panel makes more sense than whole-home coverage
The goal is the right-sized generator — not the most expensive one.
What's Included in a Generator Installation
- Load calculation and equipment sizing
- Permit pulled with the local jurisdiction
- Concrete or composite pad set (or existing pad verified)
- Transfer switch installed and integrated with your panel
- Service-rated wiring from generator to transfer switch
- Fuel line coordination (gas plumber where needed)
- Startup, transfer test, and customer walkthrough
- Final inspection
Portable vs. Standby — Quick Answer
Portable generator with an inlet box and manual transfer switch: the most affordable way to back up the essentials. You roll out the generator and manually transfer. Good for a few thousand dollars installed.
Standby (whole-home) generator: permanently installed, fueled by natural gas or propane, kicks on automatically within seconds of an outage. Higher up-front cost, no involvement from you when the power goes out.
