Agents will tell you about floor area, parking and loading doors. They rarely tell you whether the building has enough power for your business. Find out after you’ve signed, and an upgrade can mean months of waiting and a big bill. Here’s how to check before you commit.
Step 1: Find out what you use now
You can’t judge a new unit without knowing your current demand. Your bills may show a maximum demand figure if your site is half-hourly metered, but they don’t show what’s happening minute by minute or on each phase. A power load survey at your existing premises gives you a reliable peak figure in kVA, plus the pattern of when it happens.
If you’re moving two sites into one, survey both. Peaks don’t always line up, so the combined demand is often less than adding the two maximums together, but you need the data to prove it.
Step 2: Ask the right questions about the new unit
- What size is the supply? Ask for the main fuse rating in amps and whether it is single or three phase.
- What is the agreed (authorised) supply capacity in kVA? This is the figure the network operator has agreed to, and it can be lower than the physical supply.
- Who is the network operator (DNO) for the area, and is the MPAN available?
- Is there an up-to-date EICR for the installation?
- Is the supply shared with other units on the estate?
Step 3: Allow for growth
Add the equipment you plan to bring in over the next few years: EV chargers, extra machinery, air conditioning, electric heating. If the new unit only just covers today’s demand, it may not cover next year’s.
Step 4: Compare the figures
With your measured demand, your growth plans and the new unit’s agreed capacity side by side, the answer is usually obvious. If it’s tight, you’ll know early enough to negotiate an upgrade into the lease, or to walk away.
We recently did exactly this for a national business merging two sites in the South East. Logging both sites gave them a clear minimum supply size, so they could rule unsuitable buildings out straight away instead of finding out after signing.
For the wider electrical checks to make before you sign, see our guide to taking on a commercial lease.
Planning a move?
We can survey your current premises and tell you what size supply to look for. See how our power load surveys work, ask for a quote or call 01525 582582.
