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Temporary Power Construction Site

Step-by-Step Guide: How Do I Get Temporary Power to My Construction Site?

Your construction crew and subcontractors are scheduled to begin work soon. Yet, you still haven’t secured temporary power for your construction site. Most likely, you’ll need temporary power poles to get enough energy for the trailers and equipment on your job site.

The first step is to consult the experts. Look for temporary power companies to work with that can help you determine the power solutions you need. Once you’ve chosen to work with a company, there are still several steps to getting temporary power on your construction site. This process can take anywhere from 1 to 8 months depending on the local utility company and municipality or permitting authority, so make sure you start the process early on.

In this guide, we’ll go over the entire process from choosing the right power company to work with to the entire step-by-step process to getting temporary power on your construction site.

Content overview:

  1. Choosing the Right Temporary Power Company
  2. Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Temporary Power
  3. How We Can Help

Choosing the Right Temporary Power Company

Before work can begin on your construction site, you’ll need temporary power. And, to get that power, you’ll need to work with a company that can determine the power solutions you need. Industrial generators are an obvious option for temporary power, but almost always a more expensive option than a system that utilizes the power from the local utility.

You have a few variables to consider:

  • How much power do you need in both Volts and Amps?
  • How long will you need temporary power?
  • How many different locations around the project will you want to be able to “plug in”?
  • How quickly can the power company get temporary power to your site?
  • Will the power company be able to provide reliable, consistent power?
  • Will the power company understand your unique, temporary power needs?
  • How quickly will the power company respond if you lose power?

Related: How to Select the Best Generator for Your Construction Power

Our best advice is to get quotes from several companies. To ensure you’re choosing the right company, be sure to vet them properly and ask the right questions.

By the way, we offer comprehensive temporary power services in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. Looking for a quick quote? Just fill out thisform.

Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Temporary Power

Getting temporary power to your construction site is an involved process. Once you get different power companies and approve a quote, the temporary power poles need to be installed, and there are permits and inspections that need to take place. In order to get power to your site quickly, be prepared for the following steps to occur.

Related: Temporary Power for Construction Sites – Success Criteria

Temporary Power Process (Table of Contents)

  1. Initial contact with the temporary power company
  2. Site visit/design layout
  3. Quote
  4. Verification of site layout
  5. Power installation
  6. Municipality inspection
  7. Utility energizes meter
  8. Start building!

Initial Contact With Temporary Power Company

The first step is to contact the different temporary power companies that you’re considering. Be prepared to give them all the information they’ll need to answer your questions.

During this call, they will ask you a few things. So, have the answers ready for these questions:

  • How much power do you need?
  • When do you need power?
  • Do you have architectural drawings or an overview layout of the project?
  • When can we schedule a site visit?

This is also a good time to ask them any questions you might have, such as:

  • How much power do I need?
  • How quickly can I get power?
  • How quickly do you respond if power cuts out?

Site Visit/Design Layout

After your initial contact, you should have scheduled a site visit with a sales representative from the temporary power company. During this visit, the temporary power company will learn the following:

  • What you are building
  • If you will have any trailers and, if so, the sizes
  • If there’s any special equipment like tower cranes, man-lifts, dewatering pumps and/or other 480-volt power needs
  • The duration of the job
  • What utility sources are available
  • The location of the source
  • Where power is needed on the job site

Your sales representative will then design the layout of the job. There are several different types of setups that can be done, so the representative will map or plot your construction site with your input. While they put the layout together, safety is a large part of the equation.

Temporary Power Quote

Once the company has designed the layout of your job, they will produce a proposal and quote for you. These should include the following:

  • Approved layout and design map
  • List of equipment needed
  • Exclusions, such as backhoe for hard-dig, spoils removal, engineered drawings, and the like
  • Price

Now that you have this proposal, you can consider the different quotes you received and approve the one that best fits your needs. Then your temporary power company can get started with the process of installing the temporary power system.

 Verification of Site Layout

Now that you’ve approved the proposal, the temporary power company will do a second site visit to go through and verify the layout.  This is done to make sure nothing has changed at the site and that all the equipment can be installed in the locations in the design.

The company should take care of everything from permits to scheduling all required activities. The power company should handle:

  • System planning and budgeting
  • System design
  • System coordination
  • Inspections
  • City permit processing
  • Utility fees management
  • Utility source verification

Power Installation

Now the fun begins. The prep work is done, and your temporary power system will be installed per the layout by the agreed-upon date.

Municipal Inspection and Utility Connections

Even though your temporary power is installed, there’s still more to do. The city, county or other permitting authority needs to inspect the layout, equipment, and connections to make sure that everything is up to code. Once the system passes inspection, the utility company will be notified. The utility company will then schedule the installation of the glass on the meter and make the final connections between their transformer and the meter.

Energized System Maintenance and Final Pick-Up

During the course of the project’s construction, a lot can happen. For instance, the layout can change, equipment may get damaged on site, theft or vandalism may occur, additional equipment may be needed, and the list of possibilities goes on. The temporary power company should make routine visits to the job site, not only to ensure everything is running as it should, but also to keep the build-plan on schedule. At some point when the project is nearing completion, the temporary power company is notified to come out to remove the system.

How Our Power Solutions Company Can Help

We’ve been providing temporary power solutions for the construction industry for over 35 years. We’ve worked on residential housing projects, commercial & retail developments, civil engineering projects as well as public works projects. From start to finish, we have temporary power solutions for all your needs. Here are a few of the solutions we provide:

Overhead Solutions

Most construction sites end up using overhead distribution. It is the most cost-efficient solution. Our team will use their experience and resources to get you temporary power while working within your budget and time frame.

Underground Solutions

If you need underground solutions, our in-house design team can provide the power solution you need while our trenching, conduit and wire-pulling crews will get you connected quickly.

High Voltage/Extended Distance Solutions

If your utility source isn’t close by, don’t worry. Our team can deliver 4,160V, 12,000V, and 33,000V from several miles away if needed, delivering utility-grade power to you at a low cost.

Ground Cord Solutions

From 400-amp caged load centers and spider boxes to remote generator connections, Power Plus has the right solution to bring you power when you need it, where you need it.

Switchgear 400 amp to 4000 amp

Thanks to a large amount of electrical equipment inventory in our temporary power facilities, we can supply equipment such as meter cabinets, switchgear, transformers or other electrical equipment. You can purchase or rent these items from Power Plus, and we can install and remove them for you.

Budget Bids

Our team of experienced estimators can review plans, evaluate power requirements, locate available power sources, and produce a layout design to give you a realistic quote for your temporary power.

Permits and Fees

Obtaining permits and paying utility connection fees can be a pain. We can do that for you, taking that burden out of your hands. Our team has a system in place to best acquire the necessary permits for your onsite temporary power. Let our experience and relationships help accelerate the process to get you connected as soon and as professionally as possible.

Overall, getting temporary power can be a tedious process and, therefore, you need the right power experts to guide you.

Power Plus! is a leading provider of reliable power solutions including generators across the United States.

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