No hedging
What a whole house generator actually costs in DFW
A complete, permitted, whole-house generator installation in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex typically runs $13,500 to $17,000 for a 20kW system. That is equipment plus installation, pad, gas work, transfer switch, permits and commissioning. Smaller homes on a single AC system come in lower. Here is where every dollar of it goes.
The two halves of the number
Half one
Equipment — published, fixed
Every model we sell has its price on its page, to the cent. This is the price Cummins sets for advertising, and it is the same at every authorized Cummins dealer in the country. Nobody is getting a better equipment price than you.
| Cummins RS13A — 13kW | $4,286.47 |
|---|---|
| Cummins RS17A — 17kW | $5,167.05 |
| Cummins RS20A — 20kW | $5,747.50 |
| Cummins RS20AC — 20kW + ATS | $6,662.42 |
Half two
Installation — quoted, variable
This is the half nobody publishes, because it genuinely cannot be published honestly. It typically adds $6,000 to $11,000 depending on four physical facts about your property. We quote it in writing after a free survey.
| Concrete or composite pad | $400 – $900 |
|---|---|
| Gas line and pressure test | $800 – $3,500 |
| Electrical tie-in and transfer switch labor | $1,400 – $2,800 |
| Permits and city inspection | $150 – $650 |
| Crane or equipment placement | $0 – $1,200 |
| Startup, load test and commissioning | Included |
What drives the installation number
Concrete or composite pad
$400 – $900Composite pads are faster and usually cheaper. Poured concrete is required by some HOAs and on soft ground.
Gas line and pressure test
$800 – $3,500The single biggest swing. A short run off an adequately sized meter is cheap. A long run, or a meter that has to be upsized by the gas utility, is not.
Electrical tie-in and transfer switch labor
$1,400 – $2,800Depends on the distance from the generator to the panel and whether the panel has room. Older panels sometimes need replacing first.
Permits and city inspection
$150 – $650Varies by city. Some DFW cities require separate electrical and mechanical permits and two inspections.
Crane or equipment placement
$0 – $1,200Rarely needed on air-cooled units. Common on liquid-cooled sets over 25kW where a truck cannot reach the pad.
Startup, load test and commissioning
IncludedWe test under actual load, set the exercise schedule and walk you through the controls before we leave.
Typical all-in cost by model
These are real bands from real DFW installations, not marketing numbers. Your survey number will land inside one of them or we will tell you why before you commit to anything.
| Model | Equipment | Typical installed, all in | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cummins RS13A — 13kW | $4,286.47 | $11,000 – $14,000 | Smaller home, one AC system, essential circuits plus air conditioning. |
| Cummins RS17A — 17kW | $5,167.05 | $12,500 – $15,500 | Typical three-bedroom DFW home with a single AC system. |
| Cummins RS20A — 20kW | $5,747.50 | $13,500 – $17,000 | Two-story home, two AC systems, whole-house with load management. |
| Cummins RS20AC — 20kW | $6,662.42 | $13,500 – $17,000 | Same as above, with the 200A service-entrance transfer switch in the box. |
Installed bands include equipment, pad, gas line within a normal run, transfer switch, electrical tie-in, permits, inspection and commissioning. They exclude panel replacement, gas meter upsizing by the utility, crane placement and sales tax.
Questions about cost
Why do some sites say a whole house generator costs $4,000 in Dallas?
Because they are quoting equipment, or quoting a partial-home installation, and calling it whole-house. RS13A equipment alone is $4,286.47 before anyone touches a shovel. A number near $4,000 for a complete, permitted, whole-house installation in DFW is not a real number, and quotes that start there tend to grow once someone actually sees the property. We would rather tell you $13,500 to $17,000 up front and hit it.
What makes one installation cost more than another at the same house size?
Gas, almost always. If your meter has spare capacity and the generator sits close to it, the gas work is a day. If the run is long, or the meter has to be upsized by Atmos, or the line has to cross a driveway, that single line item can move by $2,500. The second biggest driver is the distance from the generator to the electrical panel, because that is trenching and conduit.
Do you charge for the site survey or the quote?
No. The survey is free and the written quote is free, with no obligation and no deposit required to get it. A refundable deposit is only relevant if you want to reserve a specific unit and lock the equipment price for 90 days while the survey and permit work happen.
Is the equipment price negotiable?
No, and it is not negotiable at any authorized Cummins dealer. Cummins sets the advertised price, and every authorized dealer shows the same number. That is actually useful to you: it means equipment price is not where dealers compete, so you can compare us on the part that does vary — the installation, the crew, and whether anyone answers the phone in year three.
Can I finance it?
Yes, and most customers do at this ticket size. We can put you in front of a home-improvement lender for a rate check that does not affect your credit. See the financing page for how that works.
Get your actual number
The bands above are honest, but they are still bands. Forty-five minutes at your property turns them into a fixed price in writing, at no cost and no obligation.