Why capacity matters
Modern businesses add equipment quickly. Computers, kitchen appliances, medical devices and lighting add up. Heating and cooling must also handle more people and more heat than the original tenant.
Ask early, before the lease is final.
A small business with a few computers has modest needs, but a clinic, kitchen or fitness studio can quickly exceed the original design.
Checking electrical capacity
Review the size of the main service, the space allocated to your unit and the spare capacity in the panel. A load calculation compares what you need with what is available.
Our Master Electrician leads this review and can say plainly whether the existing service is enough, or what an upgrade would involve.
Remember that future equipment, such as electric vehicle chargers or added refrigeration, will also draw from the same supply.
Checking heating and cooling
Look at existing units, their age and their capacity compared with your expected load. Check how the system is zoned, and whether you can control temperature in your area.
Specialty areas, such as server rooms or kitchens, may need separate equipment. Our mechanical crew can assess this on site.
If the capacity is short
Options include upgrading the service, adding dedicated units, changing the equipment list or selecting a different space. Who pays should be settled in the lease.
Utility upgrades can take months, so raise the issue early so timelines are realistic.
A phased plan may let you open with the existing service and upgrade later, if the lease allows.
Write it into the lease
Where possible, have the landlord confirm available power and ventilation capacity in the lease, and agree who bears the cost of upgrades.
Questions we hear
Who can confirm available power?
The landlord or building manager can supply drawings. Our Master Electrician can verify on site.
Can I upgrade capacity myself?
Often yes, but it may need landlord and utility approval, so ask first.