How to choose a generator installer in Fairfield County

The generator itself is sold by many companies — Generac, Kohler, Cummins, and Briggs & Stratton units are available from dealers across the county. What you're really buying is the installer's sizing judgment, how well they handle your town's permits, and whether they answer the phone during a nor'easter. Choose on those.

Licensing and certification in Connecticut

In Connecticut, standby generator installation is electrical work, and the electrical side must be done under a properly licensed electrician. Connecticut licenses electricians at the state level through the Department of Consumer Protection: the E-1 license is the unlimited electrical contractor license, and the E-2 is the journeyman electrician license. Separately, a contractor doing home improvement work must be registered with the Department of Consumer Protection as a Home Improvement Contractor. Before you sign anything:

Check the license on Connecticut's eLicense lookup (elicense.ct.gov). Look for an active E-1 electrical contractor license — that's who can contract the electrical work and pull your electrical permit.
Ask for the company's Home Improvement Contractor registration too, and confirm liability insurance and workers' comp — a generator install involves gas lines, a concrete pad, and your main panel.
Generac and Kohler both certify dealers in tiers; a factory-certified dealer can register your warranty and order parts faster. Ask which tier, and whether their own techs are factory-trained.
Ask who actually does the work. Some sellers subcontract installation; the better shops install with their own crews.

Six questions to ask every installer

"Will you do a load calculation at my house?" Sizing from square footage alone oversells or undersells. A real calc counts AC tonnage, well pump or sump pump, electric heat or boiler controls, kitchen loads, and pool equipment.
"What's included in this quote — pad, permits, gas work, tank, startup?" The cheapest quote often excludes the propane tank or the panel upgrade. Compare installed, inspected, running totals only.
"Who pulls the permits, and how long did your last three installs in my town take?" Permit timelines vary across Fairfield County towns, and your installer should know your town's process.
"What does the warranty actually cover, and what maintenance does it require?" Extended 7–10 year warranties are common but require documented annual maintenance.
"If it fails during an outage, who do I call and how fast do you come?" Ask about storm-week and winter-storm service explicitly. Dedicated generator companies and shops with 24/7 service answer differently than general electricians.
"Can I talk to two recent customers in my city?" Legitimate installers in this county say yes.

Red flags

A quote given over the phone without a site visit
Pressure to sign 'before storm-season pricing ends'
No license number on the quote or truck, and no Home Improvement Contractor registration
A price far below every competitor — usually missing the tank, the pad, the panel work, or the permits
No maintenance offering at all: they plan to disappear after startup