Panel and Distribution

Planning the distribution

Good distribution starts on paper. Our engineers lay out where panels should sit, how many circuits each area needs and how loads are balanced. Panels placed close to the loads they serve use less wire and make future changes easier.

We also plan for access. Code requires clear working space in front of electrical equipment, and a panel buried behind storage is a problem for everyone. We settle locations early with your layout in mind.

What we install

• Main switchboards and distribution panels
• Branch circuit panels and sub-panels
• Transformers for equipment that needs a different voltage
• Feeders, conduit and cable in walls, ceilings and slabs
• Surge protection where the loads justify it
• Clear circuit directories and labelling

Room for growth

The cheapest time to add spare capacity is during the original build. We typically recommend spare breaker spaces and, where the budget allows, extra conduit capacity for areas likely to change, such as open offices, labs or retail floors.

If you lease your space, ask us how a layout change in five years would affect the panels. Tenant improvements are common in commercial buildings, and a flexible design saves money each time.

Renovations in occupied buildings

Replacing or adding panels in a working building takes planning. Our crew maps existing circuits, labels what is found and schedules shutdowns for the quietest time. Existing buildings sometimes hide undocumented wiring or panels at their limit, and we report those findings to you plainly.

Because electrical is one of HSM's self-performed trades, panel work lines up with the other trades on your project. Our mechanical crew gives us equipment power requirements directly, and our carpenters know where walls and finishes are going. Fewer handoffs mean fewer surprises.