Encyclopedia
Power service
The electrical capacity available to a building or unit.
For example: A manufacturer checks the power service before leasing. (Illustration only, not a real deal.)
This is a general industry term with no single official definition. Your lease or contract wording controls.
Example only, not a real client. Say you run a machine shop and need heavy three-phase power. A unit you like has only light service. You get an electrician’s quote for an upgrade and negotiate with the landlord on who pays, before you sign.
What I’d tell a friend
Confirm the power you need before you lease or buy. Upgrades can be slow and expensive.
Why it matters to you
If you need more power than the building has, an upgrade can take months and cost far more than tenants expect. Check the service before you sign, and agree in the lease who pays for any upgrade.
How to use it in your deal
Tenants should check power needs with an electrician before signing and confirm the building's service, panel capacity and what's available to your unit. Ask who pays for upgrades and how long BC Hydro or the local utility will take; new transformers and service upgrades can take many months. Landlords should know each building's capacity and include it in listings.
Buyers should check power when buying industrial property, since it affects tenant demand. Owners planning electric vehicle (EV) charging, heat pumps or electrified forklifts should check capacity too, since demand for electrical upgrades has grown across Metro Vancouver and utility queues can be long. Ask the landlord for the single-line electrical drawing and recent utility bills, which show peak demand.
In multi-tenant buildings, find out whether power is separately metered for your unit or shared and recovered through operating costs; shared metering can mean you pay for a neighbour's ovens.
If an upgrade is needed, make it a condition of the offer to lease and set a deadline, with a right to terminate if it isn't done.
Mistakes I see
Assuming enough power. Underestimating upgrade time. Unclear cost sharing. Shared metering surprises. Signing before an electrician has looked.
In BC and Vancouver
Electrical work requires permits under BC's Safety Standards Act through Technical Safety BC or the municipality.
Official sources: Zoning and Development By-law (City of Vancouver) · BC Assessment appeal guide
What it means
Power service is the electrical capacity supplied to a building or unit, described by amperage, voltage and phase.
Industrial users often need more power than office or retail users.
What to check
Ask for the panel details and have an electrician confirm what is available.
If an upgrade is needed, check with the utility on timing and costs, and agree who pays in the lease or contract.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What's the service size?
- How much is available to my unit?
- Who pays for upgrades?
- How long will an upgrade take?
Keep reading
Related terms: Due diligence, Clear height
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General information for British Columbia only. It isn’t legal, tax, accounting or financial advice, laws and rates change, and reading it doesn’t make you my client. Any numbers or scenarios are hypothetical. Check the linked official source and talk to a lawyer, accountant or other qualified professional before you act or sign anything. See the terms and disclaimer.