Check a commercial space’s electrical capacity before signing the lease

The decision before the deposit

Before signing, determine whether the space can support the equipment you intend to operate and what must happen if it cannot. A workable result is a documented assessment with identified assumptions, upgrade options and responsible parties. A verbal statement that the unit has commercial power is too vague to support an opening schedule. Even a photograph of a panel label says little about the available capacity of shared building equipment upstream.

The practical question is not simply whether an electrician can add outlets. It is whether the proposed business can receive compatible power at the required locations, with a construction path the landlord permits. Treat the assessment as due diligence tied to your equipment and operating plan. It can reveal a modest branch-circuit project, an unresolved utility project or a space that deserves a different business layout.

Build an equipment schedule that reflects opening day

Write down the equipment you expect to install, including major appliances, HVAC changes, lighting, printers, rack equipment, signage and any charging. For each selected product, obtain its actual electrical documentation. Include voltage, phase, rated input, connection type and operating pattern. Mark undecided products as assumptions rather than borrowing specifications from a similar model. A restaurant and an office with the same floor area can have very different electrical needs.

Identify what operates together. A startup may plan to add equipment later, but the first busy day can already combine cooling, cooking, hot water and refrigeration. Tell the design team which future additions are likely and which are speculative. Prioritizing the first phase prevents a vague growth wish from becoming an unnecessarily large construction requirement, while still protecting a feasible expansion route.

Follow the power beyond the suite panel

The electrician needs to identify the actual service arrangement, tenant feeder, panel ratings, existing loads and shared distribution serving the space. A new subpanel can provide more circuit positions without increasing what the feeder or service can deliver. Two panel ratings cannot simply be added together to prove that they are equivalent to a promised supply. Voltage and phase compatibility remain separate questions.

Ask for a plain-language description of the limiting component and what evidence supports that conclusion. Existing drawings and operating records can help, but they must match the current building. If the review depends on utility confirmation or engineering work not yet completed, record that dependency. OSHA addresses equipment ratings, installation and access; its requirements reinforce the importance of reviewing equipment suitability rather than treating a panel enclosure as an unrestricted source.

Source: OSHA 1910.303: electrical equipment requirements

Turn the landlord work letter into a construction boundary

The lease should identify who controls meter rooms, risers, shared switchgear and access routes. Your business may be responsible for equipment inside the suite while the landlord controls the upstream system. That division affects approvals, contractor selection and the ability to shut down neighboring tenants. Have your real estate and legal advisers clarify the contractual responsibilities; an electrical assessment establishes the technical facts they need.

Ask whether common-area pathways, exterior equipment, roof access or a new meter location are allowed. An otherwise reasonable electrical design may conflict with property rules or require another approval. Record who authorizes an outage, how notice is issued and which operating hours are available. These details belong in the project assumptions, because an inexpensive installation that cannot be scheduled is not a useful opening plan.

Illustrative scenario: two panels and one promise

Consider an illustrative retailer planning a small production area behind the storefront. The listing describes a 200A supply, while the proposed landlord work consists of two 100A panels. The tenant’s selected equipment includes a three-phase machine. The right next step is to have the actual supply arrangement and machine requirements reviewed together. Neither the panel count nor the total of their labels answers whether the selected machine can operate.

Suppose the review finds that ordinary retail circuits can be added, but the machine requires a different building connection and landlord approval. The tenant can compare an alternative machine, a revised production plan or a utility-supported upgrade before signing a construction contract. This is a planning example, not a YKCA project or a prediction about a particular property. Its value is showing which decision should precede equipment delivery.

Compare proposals on the same assumptions

Request a proposal that separates existing-condition verification, design, suite wiring and any base-building or utility work. Include equipment selections, circuit destinations, pathway assumptions, permit responsibilities, patching and outage windows. If the contractor has not verified hidden conditions, the proposal should identify the allowance or follow-up investigation. A budget based on incomplete drawings should not be treated as a fixed construction scope.

PG&E’s commercial project resources describe a separate design, contract, construction and meter-connection process for service projects. That is a useful reminder to distinguish work inside the suite from a change requiring utility involvement. It does not establish that your particular space needs an upgrade or how long your project will take. Ask which milestones are confirmed and which depend on another party before using the proposal to set an opening date.

Source: PG&E: Commercial Project Resources

Mistakes that make the lease harder to unwind

Do not choose a space because the panel has spare positions, assume neighboring tenants’ equipment proves your capacity, or order an appliance before confirming its supply. Another common mistake is requesting a quote for a number of outlets without identifying the equipment they will serve. Receptacle quantity describes convenience and layout; it does not establish load or compatibility.

Avoid treating the former tenant’s operations as an approved basis for yours. Their load, permit history and equipment may differ. Preserve photographs of accessible labels and existing documents, but leave panel opening and electrical measurements to qualified personnel. If your due diligence leaves a critical uncertainty, make that visible to the advisers negotiating the lease instead of burying it in an informal contractor conversation.

A useful outcome for the next meeting

You should leave the review with an equipment schedule, a description of the actual supply, identified constraints and a clear division of responsibilities. The business owner can then decide whether the remaining uncertainty is acceptable or whether to pursue another space. The landlord can review the requested changes, and the electrical team can develop a scope with fewer unresolved selections.

For a planned buildout, discuss these records through YKCA’s tenant improvement electrical service. Bring the suite address, intended use, current plans, selected equipment and landlord work letter. Ask for the scope needed to move from preliminary assessment to construction, rather than a generic cost per square foot. A decision supported by these records is easier to coordinate with the rest of the buildout and easier to revise when the business plan changes.

Put it into practice

A decision table to keep handy