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I live 2 blocks outside the 610 loop in Houston. I don't think our house would withstand the zombie apocalypse. I have more modest goals.

Are you going to use the generator to power the house or just use extension cords?

The wife and I have "completed" our Portable Generator connection project. We used a local electrician.
We started our contacts with the electrician in late April and completed all aspects of the project over last weekend. (It rained a lot in May and the breaker box is on the outside.)

Our starting point was a small 3800 Watt generator that my son and I had used at a deer camp.
It powered the entire camp including bunk house heaters when it was cold and an RV Air Conditioner when it was hot.

When I started looking for an Interlock kit for my breaker box. I discovered that my FPE breaker box was noted for failing breakers and the associated 'issues' that occur when breakers fail to do their job. We decided to replace the box with a Square D box. Replacing the breaker box escalated the project to include Center Point, Permits and inspectors from City of Houston, as well as an electrician. We ended up replacing the Meter housing and weather head to pass inspection.

I 'think' I have the skills to do the generator connection part of this project but since the electrician was here anyway...

Minimum requirements
-an Interlock kit https://www.amazon.com/s?k=interlock+ki ... doa-p_3_13
- a power inlet box
- a 220volt breaker for the box

If you can SAFELY change out a breaker at your mom's house, the interlock kit and power inlet could be a DIY project.

3800 watts is too small to power the Oven, Stove, or Central Air Conditioner (Clothes dryer is gas)
When the power goes off:
- drag out the generator
- turn off the main breaker
- turn off all the 220Volt breakers
- Connect up the generator and start it up
- inform the spouse, Don't use the hair dryer or the microwave.
- when the generators tank is full we have about 7 or 8 hours of power.

We got a real test last Friday night (Less than a week after the electrician finished). A Center Point transformer blew. The first thing I did was to run to the panel and check for smoke, etc. The transformer one house over was smoking.
When the power was still off Saturday morning, I connected the generator for the first time. By lunch time the power was back on. Saturday afternoon, we bought a room AC for the Master bedroom.

The house electricity is not ready for TEOTWAWKI but it is ready for the normal interruptions of service caused by Transformers, Hurricanes, and Ice Storms. A couple of hours up to a couple of weeks.

$1,700.00 seems a bit much to run just one item.

Whole house generators are now costing in the $12,000 to $22,000 range. (Based on info from buddies at the range.) A buddy from work got one installed in 2006-2007 for around $8,000.

Estimate for a freezer full of food is $600+

The $1,700 estimate included the switch, the electrician, and the generator. If you already have a generator, your additional cost should be lower.

We've lived in the city of Houston for about 40 years and have lost power for days an average of once about every 8 years. Always because of hurricanes. This months freeze took out our power for less than a day.

Not mentioned in the set up cost is the maintenance cost of having a generator. Whole house generators are run about an hour every week. The oil must be checked / changed just like any other internal combustion engine. I set up a monthly reminder to drag out my portable generator monthly to test. I am planning to change the oil once per year, UNLESS it gets run more than just a test. This could be a lot of maintenance as my wife and I get older.