Commercial electrical work is a different animal than residential — different code, different voltages, different stakes when something goes wrong. We handle commercial wiring projects across Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Apex, and Cary for tenant build-outs, restaurants, retail, light industrial, warehouses, offices, and multi-family properties. Permits pulled, plans reviewed, inspections coordinated, and the lights stay on for your business.
Commercial electrical scopes vary widely, but most of our work falls into one of these categories:
North Carolina enforces the 2020 NEC (with NC amendments) for everything outside one- and two-family dwellings — meaning all commercial, industrial, multi-family (apartments and condos), assembly, mercantile, and similar occupancies. This is a separate code cycle from the 2017 NEC that governs one- and two-family dwellings, and the differences matter:
Every commercial job we do is built around these sections:
On a residential job, an extra day costs the homeowner inconvenience. On a commercial job, an extra day costs revenue. We sequence commercial work specifically to minimize business disruption:
Apartments, condos, townhomes (where they're attached and share walls/utilities), and mixed-use buildings all fall under the 2020 NC Electrical Code — not the 2017 residential code that governs single-family homes. This is an important distinction that homeowners and even some general contractors get wrong.
What this means in practice for multi-family work:
1. Site walk and scoping — We meet with you (or your GC, architect, or engineer) on site, review existing conditions, and identify the scope. For new construction or major remodels, we work from drawings.
2. Load calculations and design — We run NEC 220 commercial load calcs, verify service capacity, and design feeder/branch circuit layouts. For larger projects, this includes one-line diagrams and panel schedules.
3. Written estimate — Itemized scope, materials, equipment (panels, transformers, switchgear), labor, permits, and inspection. No vague allowances on commercial work — every line is specific.
4. Permits and Duke Energy coordination — We pull permits and coordinate service work with Duke Energy. Commercial service work typically requires 2–6 weeks of utility lead time depending on scope.
5. Installation — Sequenced to minimize disruption to your business. Pre-staged equipment, scheduled cutovers, and clear communication on what's offline when.
6. Final inspection and turnover — We meet the inspector on site, get the green tag, and turn over a labeled panel directory and any required documentation (arc flash labels, available fault current marking, SCCR documentation).
Commercial electrical work involves load calculations, fault current studies, equipment coordination, code interpretation, and utility coordination that residential electricians rarely do. The single biggest difference between a clean commercial install and a problem one is whether the person designing it actually understands the engineering — not just the code book. Stephen Hobbs-Stone is both a licensed electrician and a licensed professional electrical engineer, which means commercial projects are designed and built by the same person — no handoff, no missed details between the design and the install.
For general contractors and property managers: we're comfortable working from plans, coordinating with mechanical and other trade contractors, responding to inspection comments in writing, and documenting field changes clearly. Schedules, RFIs, and the back-and-forth that keeps a job moving are part of the work — not friction.
Yes. We handle commercial tenant build-outs from white-box through final inspection, including power distribution, lighting, HVAC connections, low-voltage rough-in, equipment circuits, and signage. We work directly with the property owner or with the GC depending on the project structure.
Yes. We handle 208Y/120V and 480Y/277V services, including coordination with Duke Energy on the service drop or pad-mount transformer, switchboard or main panel installation, metering, and grounding. Commercial service work typically requires 2–6 weeks of utility lead time, so we plan the schedule accordingly.
It depends entirely on scope. A simple equipment circuit can be done in a day. A small tenant build-out runs 2–6 weeks. A major service upgrade with utility coordination is 4–10 weeks. We provide realistic timelines with the estimate and stick to them.
North Carolina enforces two different code cycles. The 2017 NEC applies to one- and two-family dwellings (single-family houses and duplexes). The 2020 NEC applies to everything else, including commercial, industrial, and multi-family (apartments, condos). The two codes have different working space rules, different GFCI requirements, different load calculation methods, and different wiring method restrictions.
208Y/120V is the most common commercial service in smaller buildings — it provides 208V three-phase for HVAC, motors, and equipment, plus 120V single-phase for receptacles and lighting from any leg to neutral. 480Y/277V is used in larger commercial and industrial buildings — it carries more power per amp (better for big motors and HVAC) and provides 277V for fluorescent and LED lighting. 480V services almost always include a step-down transformer to feed a 208Y/120V panel for receptacles.
Yes. We install commercial generators and automatic transfer switches (ATS) per NEC Articles 700, 701, and 702 depending on whether the system is required for life safety, legally required standby (like elevators or emergency lighting), or optional standby (business continuity). We handle the load calculation, ATS sizing, generator pad coordination, and the integration with the existing service.
Yes — and we recommend it for most commercial cutovers. Service upgrades, panel swaps, and major reconfigurations are typically done overnight or on weekends to keep the business operational during normal hours. We coordinate the schedule with you and with Duke Energy in advance.
Yes. We apply arc flash warning labels per NFPA 70E on commercial switchboards, panelboards, and other equipment likely to require energized work. The labels reflect either an incident energy analysis or the category method depending on what the customer requires. We also document the available fault current and calculation date as required by NEC 110.24 for commercial installations.
Yes. We regularly install from sealed plans on commercial and multi-family projects, and we can also generate one-line diagrams, panel schedules, and load calculations in-house when a project doesn't have a separate design team. With a licensed electrical engineer on staff, design-build delivery is fully in scope.
Serving Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Apex, Cary, and the surrounding Wake County area.
Or email service@lightenupelectrical.com