Tenant improvements in Calgary

CCT 01Start with the right decision

A lease may promise power at the premises without paying for every feeder, transformer or distribution change inside it. Start with the work letter, the existing single-line drawing and the proposed equipment schedule. A panel with spare breaker spaces is not evidence of spare electrical capacity. A previous office use is not proof that the same premises can support a kitchen, clinic or workshop.

CCT 02What to put in the scope

Use this as a discussion checklist. The contract should assign each item to a named party and identify anything excluded. Ask for unclear existing conditions to be investigated before they become assumptions in a fixed price.

CCT 03Who needs to coordinate

The architect fixes walls, ceilings and occupancy; the mechanical designer fixes heating, ventilation and kitchen loads; the electrical designer reconciles those decisions with the landlord’s available supply. Furniture, signs, access control and communications often come from other vendors. Identify who provides power and who provides the device at every interface.

CCT 04A practical project sequence

Freeze the equipment list before final pricing. Resolve landlord approval and base-building capacity before procurement. Coordinate rough-in with partitions and ceilings, then book the appropriate inspections before work is concealed. Tenant training, panel directories, control settings and final deficiency closure belong in the completion scope.

Read the Commercial electrical permits in Calgary and ENMAX commercial service connections guides when planning approvals and service changes.

CCT 05What changes the price

An attractive unit can become expensive if it needs a new feeder through occupied floors, a landlord shutdown or a utility upgrade. Ask bidders to identify these assumptions separately. A fit-out allowance should show what equipment and finishes it buys, and which choices can change the price.

Continue with Electrical cost per square foot and the Comparing electrical bids checklist. Compare like-for-like scope before comparing totals.

CCT 06Calgary requirements and safety

• Calgary requires separate electrical permits for commercial base building work and for tenant spaces. ¹
• The National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings 2020 (with NBC(AE) 2023 and NFC(AE) 2023) came into force in Alberta on May 1, 2024. ²

These pages concern Calgary. Confirm the authority and wire-service provider for Airdrie, Rocky View County or another neighbouring municipality. The applicable permits and connection process may differ.

CCT 07What the owner should receive

Ask for updated panel schedules, the permit and inspection record, lighting-control instructions, equipment documentation and a clear list of remaining deficiencies. Keep base-building work and tenant work identifiable in both the drawings and invoices.

Keep proposed work, accepted changes, inspection evidence and remaining deficiencies together. A verbal assurance is difficult for the next property manager or maintenance contractor to use.

CCT 08Apply the scope to your building

Office buildings · Restaurants & commercial kitchens · Retail

Select the industry guide for its equipment, access and operating considerations. The electrical scope should reflect the actual business and building, not simply its floor area.