Generator Installation in Shreveport, LA

Standby & portable generator installation in Shreveport

Hurricanes, ice storms, and the routine summer thunderstorm line have all knocked out power across Northwest Louisiana for days at a time. A properly sized standby generator keeps your HVAC, refrigerator, well pump, sump pump, and medical equipment running automatically — most homeowners never even notice the transfer from utility to generator power. Ed's Electric is a factory-trained installer for Generac and Kohler whole-home units and can quote, permit, and install most residential systems in one to two days on site.

Sizing is the most important step and the one most often done wrong. We do a real load calculation based on your panel, your HVAC tonnage, and what you actually want to run during an outage, then match you to the right kW unit — usually 14kW to 26kW for Shreveport-area homes. We handle the natural-gas or propane fuel line coordination, the concrete pad, the automatic transfer switch tied to your main panel, the SWEPCO interconnection paperwork where required, and the city permit and inspection.

If a whole-home standby isn't in the budget, a portable-generator interlock kit is the safe alternative. We install a code-compliant interlock and inlet on your existing panel so you can back-feed a portable unit through a single cord without any of the "suicide-cord" risk. We also offer annual maintenance — oil, filter, battery, and load-bank testing — so your generator actually starts the day you need it.

What size generator do you actually need?

Sizing comes down to what you want running during an outage, not the square footage of the house. These are the ranges we quote most often for homes around Shreveport and Bossier City:

Every quote starts with an actual load calculation on your panel — the table is a starting point, not a substitute.

What generator installation costs in Shreveport

Most complete whole-home standby installations in this area land between roughly $9,000 and $18,000. The generator itself is only part of it: the transfer switch (whole-house versus essential-circuits), the concrete or composite pad, the distance from the unit to the panel, the gas line and meter capacity, and the permit and inspection all move the number. A portable-generator interlock kit is the budget path at roughly a few hundred dollars up to about $1,500 installed. We quote in writing, and there are no overtime or after-hours surcharges on service afterward.

Installation, permitting, and timeline

A typical project runs two to four weeks from signed quote to running power. The electrical work itself is one to two days: set the pad, place and level the unit, run the gas and electrical whips, install the automatic transfer switch at the main panel, and terminate. Around that we schedule the licensed plumber for the fuel line, the City of Shreveport or Bossier City permit, and the inspector. Where SWEPCO interconnection paperwork is required, we file it. Once the inspection clears we commission the unit, set the weekly self-test, and walk you through what the controller is telling you.

Keeping it ready for the storm

A generator that has not been serviced is a very expensive lawn ornament. Annual maintenance covers oil and filter, plugs, air filter, battery, coolant on liquid-cooled units, and a load test under real conditions. Batteries fail first in Louisiana heat — plan on replacing them every two to three years. We also recommend pairing the generator with whole-home surge protection, since the switching and the storms that cause the outage are both hard on electronics.