Office and retail build-out wiring in New York

On a fit-out, the electrical sits on the critical path. The ceiling can't close until rough-in is inspected, and the space can't open until the final is signed.

We price from the drawings, file the electrical scope, and keep our dates on the general contractor's schedule, including the inspections that everyone else's work waits on.

Tenant fit-outs mean workstation power, conference rooms, pantries, retail display circuits and a lighting layout that meets the energy code with the right controls. We work from the architect's reflected ceiling and power plans, lay out circuits so loads balance across the panel, and rough in floor boxes, poke-throughs and furniture feeds where the plan calls for them. Lighting controls, such as occupancy sensors and daylight dimming, are installed and commissioned as part of the scope, not left for later. Changes during construction are priced before they're built.

Before the space can be demolished, every circuit in it has to be identified, disconnected and made safe. We trace the existing wiring back to the panels, cut and cap what's being removed, and label what must stay live for neighboring tenants or building systems. Temporary lighting and power keep the demolition crew working safely. Make-safe done properly prevents the worst fit-out surprise: a live cable hidden in a wall that's about to come down. The panel directory is updated the same day so the next trade knows what's live.

Most fit-outs go through the DOB with an electrical filing that shows the load calculation, panel schedules and scope of work. We prepare it, respond to examiner objections, and track it until it's approved. Once rough-in is done, we walk the space for box fill, firestopping and labeling before calling the inspector, then attend the inspection. The final follows when devices, fixtures and controls are complete, so the certificate for the space isn't waiting on the electrical. Objections are answered in days, not weeks, so the filing keeps moving.

Many leases include a work letter that splits the fit-out between landlord work and tenant work, with an allowance for the tenant's share. The electrical line is often the hardest to read: what counts as base building, how much capacity comes with the space, and who pays for the panel. We price each scope separately, so the landlord's items and the tenant's items can be approved and billed the way the lease describes, and nobody pays for the same work twice.

On a typical office floor, make-safe takes a day or two, rough-in one to three weeks depending on size, and finish work about a week. Plan review runs alongside demolition when we file early. The general contractor gets inspection dates as soon as they're booked, so ceilings, drywall and finishes are planned around real dates.