What Business Owners Should Know Before the Lease Is Signed
Tenant improvement (TI) electrical is the work that turns a leased commercial space into one that fits your business. It usually includes assessing panel capacity, laying out lighting, adding dedicated circuits for equipment, and bringing the space into code compliance for its new intended use. The most valuable time to involve an electrician in the process is before you sign the lease, while you can still negotiate who pays for what.
Fall is a busy season for this work in Edmonton as leases turn over, and retailers want their doors open before holiday shopping begins. This rush puts every trade on a tight schedule, so the earlier you consult with us, the more likely you’ll secure a timeline that works with your schedule.
In this post, we’re reviewing what a TI scope involves, where older spaces tend to surprise new tenants, and how to plan the electrical so it supports your opening date.
Polar Electric – Leduc
Residential & Commercial Electricians
Alberta Certified Electricians – Licensed & Insured
587-985-6403
Serving Leduc, Edmonton, & surrounding area
13+ Years Experience
A+ Rating on Better Business Bureau
What Does a Tenant Improvement Electrical Scope Include?
Most TI projects in Alberta cover the same core work:
- Panel capacity assessment to confirm the existing service can support your equipment and lighting
- Lighting layout designed around how the space will be used
- Dedicated circuits for kitchen equipment, coolers, display cases, point-of-sale systems, and signage
- Code compliance for the specific occupancy type, including permits and inspections
A clothing boutique and a café can lease identical units and end up with very different electrical plans. Restaurants in particular tend to carry heavy equipment loads, since ovens, dishwashers, fryers, and walk-in coolers often need their own higher-capacity circuits.
The most useful thing a restaurant owner can do early on is gather the specification sheets for every major piece of equipment that will be used in their space, because those numbers tell us exactly what the panel has to support before any wiring is planned. Our commercial electrical team scopes the work around your business, so the quote reflects what you’ll actually need.
Why Does Timeline Matter So Much in TI Work?
Many commercial leases give tenants a limited fixturing period before rent begins, and once rent starts, every week the doors stay closed costs you money. Electrical also sits in the middle of the construction sequence. Rough-in wiring has to happen after framing finishes and before drywall starts, and finishing work follows once ceilings and walls are complete. A delay on our end would ripple through every trade behind us.
With TI work, we plan around two schedules at once: the landlord’s construction timeline and your opening date. That means a same-day written quote after the site visit, materials ordered early, and a crew that shows up when the schedule says it will. Jason, the owner of one retail store we wired, described the result in a Google review:
“The job was done in a timely and most professional manner.” The same review ended with a line we appreciate even more: “I know we will be using them again for our next retail location.”
You can see examples of our commercial work on our past projects page.
What Surprises Hide in Older Commercial Spaces?
Older commercial buildings in Edmonton and Leduc can be excellent locations, but their electrical systems were designed for whoever occupied them decades ago. The surprises we see most often are an electrical service too small for the new use, outdated panels with no room for additional circuits, and abandoned wiring left behind by previous tenants.
Changing how a space is used can also require code upgrades. Converting a former office into a restaurant, for example, changes the electrical demands and may change the requirements that apply. In Alberta, this type of electrical work requires a permit under the Safety Codes Act, and we handle the application and inspection coordination. Finding these issues during a pre-lease walkthrough lets you negotiate them into the lease rather than discovering them after you’ve signed.
The same walkthrough works in your favour if you own or manage commercial property. Assessing a vacant unit’s service and panel before you list it lets you market the space accurately and handle upgrades on your own schedule rather than a tenant’s deadline. Our landlords and property managers page covers the work we do for building owners.
How Does Lighting Design Differ Between Retail and Restaurants?
Retail lighting is all about the product. Good general lighting keeps the store bright and even, while display and accent lighting draws attention to what you’re selling. Track lighting is popular for this reason because it lets you adjust your lighting as your merchandise and layout change.
Restaurants need two lighting plans in one space. The dining room calls for warmer ambient lighting, often on dimmers, so the atmosphere can shift from lunch to dinner service. The kitchen needs bright, even task lighting so staff can work safely and see what they’re preparing.
Peter Decol brought us in to help renovate his new retail store, and his review mentions exactly that: “They were very professional, accommodating, timely, and also able to help design the space.”
Our commercial lighting page covers the options we install, and if your new space is an office rather than a storefront, our office upgrades page is a better starting point.
What Should You Ask Your Electrician Before Signing a Lease?
A pre-lease walkthrough with a licensed electrician is a small investment of your time that can save you from inheriting someone else’s problems. When you meet with an electrician, bring these questions with you:
- Is the existing electrical service large enough for my equipment and lighting?
- Does the panel have room for the dedicated circuits I’ll need?
- Will changing the use of this space require code upgrades?
- Which electrical work should the landlord cover under the lease, and which falls to me?
- How long will permits, installation, and inspection take, and does that fit my opening date?
The answers give you real numbers to take into your lease negotiation, which is where they carry the most weight.
Let’s Walk the Space Before You Commit
If you’re considering a retail or restaurant space in Edmonton, Leduc, or the surrounding area, we’d be glad to walk through it with you before you sign. You’ll receive a same-day written quote, so you can sign your lease knowing exactly what the electrical will cost. Once you’re open, we stand behind our work, and if anything isn’t right after the job is complete, we’ll come back and make it right at no charge.
Reach out to us or call 587-985-6403 to book a site visit.
Written by the team at Polar Electric Contracting Ltd., licensed electricians serving Edmonton, Leduc, and the surrounding Alberta communities.
Polar Electric – Leduc
Residential & Commercial Electricians
Alberta Certified Electricians – Licensed & Insured
587-985-6403
Serving Leduc, Edmonton, & surrounding area
13+ Years Experience
A+ Rating on Better Business Bureau