Yes, a building, electrical, and possibly a plumbing permit will be required. 

Permits are required to ensure the generator is installed correctly and safely. The building permit is for the installation of the generator itself, the electrical permit is for the interconnection of the generator with your home’s electrical system and the plumbing permit is for the gas line that will need to be installed to provide the generator with fuel. Please note that if your generator does not run on natural gas or propane you will not need a plumbing permit. 

Poor or improper installation can lead to potentially hazardous situations and can compromise the safety of anyone living in your home. 

For building permit

A building permit with a plan review is required to be pulled by a general contractor. This is to ensure that the contractor performing the work is registered with the City and meets minimum City of Pearland requirements for liability insurance coverage. It is also used to ensure that the installation will be compliant with local codes and ordinances and record inspections. The plan will need to be submitted with the following information for review and approval before the permit can be issued:

• A copy of your home survey showing the location of the proposed generator. 
  • This is required to ensure the generator will not be placed in a recorded easement
• Manufacture specifications and installation instructions for the generator.
  • This is required to ensure the installation will comply with the manufacturer's installation instruction
• A one-line electrical diagram showing how the automatic transfer switch will be wired into your homes electrical system indicating the type and size of both the electrical wire and conduit to be used
  • This is required to ensure the work will be code-compliant and safe
• If the generators runs on natural gas or propane gas, a one-line plumbing diagram indicating the size and type of gas line to be run to the generator must be provided. 
  • This is required to ensure the gas line material and size are code-compliant and safe.

For electrical permit

An electrical permit will need to be pulled by an electrician. This is required to ensure the electrician performing the work is registered with the City and meets the minimum state requirements for licensing and liability insurance coverage. Electrical inspections must be scheduled on this permit to ensure the work is compliant with the approved plans and local codes and ordinances. 

For plumbing permit

A plumbing permit will need to be pulled by a plumber. This is required to ensure the plumber performing the work is registered with the City and meets the minimum state requirements for licensing and liability insurance coverage. Plumbing inspections must be scheduled on this permit to ensure the work is compliant with the approved plans and local codes and ordinances. 

The permit will be $280 - $360.

Please note, it is common for contractors to charge a higher fee to cover the administrative cost to pull the required permits. 

It depends.

The City does not regulate how far the generator must be from your house.

However, the City does regulate the distance the exhaust outlet on the generator must be from an opening into your home (such as an operable window, door, etc.).

The exhaust outlet is required to be at least 5 feet from any opening in your home to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. The 5 feet is measured from the exhaust outlet to the closest edge of the opening in a straight line. 

The manufacturer may require some distance of separation between the generator and your home or fence to provide access for generator maintenance. Although there is no City requirement for separation between the generator and your property line, we highly suggest you leave a minimum of 3 feet (or the distance the manufacturer requires, whichever is greater). This will allow sufficient room to facilitate the maintenance of the unit.

Yes, your electrician--and depending on the scope of your work your plumber-- will need to coordinate with CenterPoint.

Electrical:

1. Before starting the work, the electrician will need to send the make and model of the proposed automatic transfer switch to CenterPoint so they can verify it will be compatible with their equipment

2. The electrician will need to coordinate with CenterPoint to have the power turned off at your home so the automatic transfer switch can be wired in.

3. To turn the power back on to your home, two actions must be completed by your electrician: 

1. First the electrician will need to schedule an electrical inspection with the City and request the City send a reconnect release to CenterPoint once the inspection is approved

2. The electrician will need to make a request for power to CenterPoint. Once CenterPoint has both the release and the request for power in their system, they will turn the power back on

Plumbing:

Typically, the plumbing gas work can be done without coordinating with CenterPoint if the gas meter does not need to be removed.

If the meter does need to be removed, the two actions must be completed by your plumber to restore service to your home: 

1. The plumber will need to schedule a plumbing inspection with the City and request the City send a release to CenterPoint once the inspection is approved.

2. The plumber will need to make a request for service to CenterPoint. Once CenterPoint has both the release and the request for service in their system, they will dispatch a crew to reinstall a gas meter.