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Commercial Generator Installation
Standby power for shops, offices, restaurants, farms and churches, sized to the equipment that must run. Free quotes from a family-owned Belleville electrician.
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Licensed and insured | Family owned | Free quotes | Office Mon to Fri, 7 am to 5 pm
3D Electric handles Commercial Generator Installation for shops, offices, restaurants, farms and churches across Southeast Michigan. We are a family-owned, licensed and insured electrical contractor based in Belleville, with about two decades in the trade. Our Commercial Generator Installation service covers the load list, the generator, the automatic transfer switch, the fuel connection, permits, inspection and startup.
A business can't always wait out an outage the way a house can. Coolers warm up, registers go down and a shop stops earning. This page explains how we size and wire commercial standby generators and how the job runs from the first visit to the test run. For a house, see our whole house generator installation overview instead.
Lectro's tip
Write down the five things your company can't lose in an outage. That list is where sizing starts.
Businesses That Use Commercial Standby Generators
A standby generator makes sense wherever an outage costs money or creates a risk. These are the kinds of buildings we scope:
Shops and garages: lights, the air compressor, overhead doors and the office.
Offices: computers, phones, network equipment, lighting and heating or cooling.
Restaurants and food stores: walk-in coolers and freezers, the register system and lights.
Farms: well pumps, barn ventilation fans and the shop.
Churches: lights, heat, the sound system and the kitchen.
Every commercial standby generator installation starts with one question: what has to keep running? Some owners want the whole building on backup. Others only need a handful of circuits. Standby power is one part of our wider commercial electrician services, which also cover panels, metering and lighting.
Sizing a Business Generator to Your Loads
Square footage does not set the size. Loads do. We list what must run, then check the running and starting demand of each item against your electrical service.
Motors drive the number
A compressor, walk-in cooler, pump or rooftop HVAC unit pulls several times its running power for a moment at startup. The generator has to ride through that without dropping the rest of the building. Our generator sizing guide shows the same load-list method we use on houses.
Whole building or critical loads
With whole-building backup, the generator carries everything through a service-sized transfer switch. With a critical-loads setup, selected circuits move to a separate panel and the generator is usually smaller. The right choice depends on your budget and on how much of the building can sit dark.
Voltage and phase
Many small businesses have single-phase power, like a house. Larger buildings and heavy equipment often run on three-phase. The generator and transfer switch must match what your building has. The label on your main panel or meter shows it, and we check it at the site visit instead of guessing from a phone call.
Fuel supply
Standby units commonly run on natural gas or propane. The gas meter and line must deliver enough fuel for the generator at full load plus the building's other gas equipment. Our natural gas vs propane generator guide explains the tradeoffs.
Transfer Switches for a Business Building
An automatic transfer switch senses when utility power drops, starts the generator and moves your loads over. When the utility returns, it moves them back. It also keeps generator power from feeding back onto the utility lines, which is illegal and dangerous for line workers.
Matched to your service
The switch has to match your service amperage, voltage and phase. Some are service-rated, which means they also act as the main disconnect. Our generator transfer switch installation page explains how the hand-off works.
Life-safety loads
Some buildings have exit lighting, fire alarm equipment or other life-safety loads. Those can fall under separate code rules, and your inspector decides how they apply. Tell us up front if your building has them.
How a Commercial Generator Installation Goes
Every building is different, but most commercial jobs follow the same order.
Free quote visit. We look at the service, the panels, the gas meter, the spot for the unit and the equipment you can't lose.
Written estimate. You get a detailed estimate in advance that lists the generator, transfer switch, pad, wiring and permits.
Permits. The work is filed with your city or township building department before installation.
Pad and placement. The site is leveled and the pad is set where clearances and access allow.
Setting and wiring. The generator goes on the pad, the transfer switch goes in, and the two are wired together.
Fuel hookup and inspections. The gas supply is connected, and the inspectors check the electrical and gas work.
Startup and walkthrough. We run the system under load, test a transfer and show your staff the controls.
We plan the shutdown for the tie-in with you, so the power is off as briefly as possible and at a time that suits your hours. Work areas are contained, and we clean up before we leave.
Permits, Inspection and Placement
A commercial standby install usually needs an electrical permit and a separate gas permit, each with its own inspection. Some jobs also need plan review, and the building department may look at where the unit sits. Your city or township sets the process, so confirm current requirements for your address.
Placement matters as much on a business as on a house. The unit needs clearance from doors, windows, fresh-air intakes and walls, room for service access, and a spot that stays clear of snow and standing water. If the gas meter needs upsizing, your gas utility is part of the plan. Read our generator permit guide for Michigan for the usual steps.
What Changes the Cost of a Commercial Generator
The generator is only part of the total. These things change the estimate from one building to the next:
The kW size and whether you back up the whole building or selected circuits
The transfer switch amperage, voltage and phase
The distance from the pad to the electrical service and to the gas meter
Whether the gas meter or line needs upsizing
Panel work, such as a new critical-loads panel
Permit fees and any plan review in your city or township
Our generator installation cost guide explains each factor. For your own number, ask for a free quote. Straightforward pricing is one of our guarantees, with no hidden charges. Financing is available.
Brands, Maintenance and Repair
We install and service Generac generators, Honeywell and Kohler generators. For another brand, call and ask.
Keeping it ready
A generator that sits idle most of the year still has to start on the worst day. Service follows the manufacturer's schedule: oil and filters, spark plugs, a battery test, the controller's alarm history and a transfer test under load. Our generator maintenance page covers what a visit includes.
When something fails
Repair starts with the controller's fault code. We find the cause, explain it and quote the repair before we do it. Have the make, model and serial number from the unit's label ready, and see our generator repair page. 24-hour emergency service available. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm.
Commercial Generator Installation Near You
We work across Wayne, Washtenaw and Monroe counties. Our local generator pages cover the details for each area:
Generator installation in Belleville, close to our home base
Generator installation in Ann Arbor, for Ann Arbor and nearby townships
Generator installation in Ypsilanti, for Ypsilanti and nearby townships
To get your quote started, have the address, what the building is used for, the equipment that must stay on and a photo of the main panel label. Then request a free commercial generator quote.
Related pages
Local details for Belleville and Van Buren Township
Local details for Ann Arbor
Local details for Ypsilanti
Panels, metering and lighting for businesses
Automatic and manual switches
Generac standby units
What changes the price
Permits and inspections
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on which loads must keep running and how much power they pull when they start. Motors like compressors, coolers and HVAC units drive the size more than square footage does. We build a load list at the site visit and size the unit to it.
Only if your building has three-phase service or equipment that needs it. The generator and transfer switch must match the voltage and phase of your electrical service. Check the label on your main panel or meter, and we confirm it at the site visit.
Yes. An automatic transfer switch moves your loads between the utility and the generator, and it keeps generator power from backfeeding onto the utility lines. It has to be rated for your service.
Yes. Most jobs need an electrical permit and a gas permit, each with an inspection, and some need plan review. Your city or township building department sets the rules, so confirm current requirements for your address. We include the permit steps in the plan.
Call us with the make, model and serial number and we will tell you what we can do. Any repair is explained and quoted before we start.
Yes, financing is available. Ask about it when you call or request your free quote, and we will go over it along with the written estimate.