Licensed C-10 Electrical Contractor | (415) 936-1338
San Francisco Temporary Power
We set permitted temp poles, file the PG&E request and rent the generators, lights, coolers, cameras and internet a San Francisco build needs. Call once and the crew handles it.
- 100A to 400A temp services, single or three-phase
- Towable diesel generators with fuel delivery
- Light towers, spot coolers, camera trailers and site WiFi
Call now: (415) 936-1338
Jobsite Power and Equipment
Getting a San Francisco Site Energized
A new build or a gut remodel in the city cannot start in earnest until there is metered power on the lot. That usually means a permitted temporary pole with its own meter, filed with the Department of Building Inspection and then released by PG&E. When the utility date is weeks out, a towable diesel generator sized to your load runs the saws and the trailer in the meantime. Fog rolls in early here, so crews working into the evening tend to add LED light towers for night shifts. Lab and office jobs with tight electrical rooms often rent ducted spot coolers for hot equipment once the panels are live. Most sites also want a cellular or satellite internet kit for the trailer and a solar camera trailer watching the fence after dark. We are a licensed C-10 electrical contractor, and we quote all of it on one page.
Our Services
Six services from the same crew, billed on one invoice. We permit it, deliver it, keep it running and haul it away.
Service · San Francisco
Temporary Power Poles
Temporary electrical services from 100A to 400A, single or three-phase, with the DBI permit, PG&E request, inspection and removal handled by one C-10 crew.
- 100A to 400A, single or three-phase
- DBI electrical permit and PG&E filing handled
- Pedestals built to your quoted amperage
Service · San Francisco
Jobsite Internet
Bonded LTE and 5G kits with satellite backup and outdoor mesh WiFi for job trailers, gates and cameras, set up and removed by our own crew.
- Two or three carriers bonded on one router
- Satellite backup on open-sky sites
- Outdoor mesh WiFi from trailer to top deck
Service · San Francisco
Security Camera Trailers
Solar camera trailers and pole or steel-mounted cameras with cellular uplink, motion alerts, timelapse and optional live monitoring, rented month to month.
- Solar trailers that need no outlet or internet line
- Motion alerts, live view and timelapse
- Optional after-hours live monitoring
Service · San Francisco
Generator Rentals
Towable diesel generators sized 20kW through 500kW and beyond, portable gas units, load sizing, cable, distribution and fuel delivery.
- Diesel towables from 20kW past 500kW
- Load calculation by a licensed C-10 contractor
- Cable, spider boxes and transfer switches available
Service · San Francisco
Light Towers
Diesel and solar LED towers, balloon lights and interior LED strings for night pours, winter afternoons and dark basements.
- LED towers on diesel or solar
- Balloon lights for low glare near homes
- LED string lighting for interiors
Service · San Francisco
Portable AC & Spot Coolers
Rental spot coolers sized 1 to 5 tons, ducted portable AC, evaporative coolers and winter heaters for trailers, server rooms, labs and climate-controlled finish work.
- Spot coolers from 1 to 5 tons
- Ducted units for server and electrical rooms
- Heaters for cold, damp months
One Contractor for Power and Site Gear
On a typical job the pole, the generator, the cameras and the WiFi come from four different vendors. Each one has its own delivery window and its own invoice, and the superintendent ends up coordinating all of them. We keep all six services under one roof. One project manager knows your gate code, your amperage and your PG&E project number, so a schedule change takes a single call. Our electricians hold C-10 licenses and do the install work themselves. We walk the site before we price it and put a fixed number in writing.
How We Keep Crews Working
The goal is that no crew we supply sits idle because of power or paperwork. We own the equipment we rent, so a request for tomorrow morning is usually something we can actually fill. Spare generators and light towers stay in the yard for swaps. When PG&E gives us a long date, we pass it on at the quote stage and plan a generator around it instead of hoping the utility moves faster. We would rather earn the next job than win this one with a promise we cannot keep.
What Goes Wrong With a Cheap Temp Service
A temp pole that skips the permit gets red-tagged, and the inspector holds the next sign-off until it is fixed. A 100A service on a site that needed 200A trips all day, then gets replaced at full price. A generator picked from a guess either wastes fuel or stalls when a hoist and a welder start together. Ground rods driven short of depth, or a panel with no GFCI protection, fail inspection and put workers at risk. Before you hire anyone, ask for the license number, ask who pulls the electrical permit, and ask what happens when a unit quits on a Saturday.
Typical Temp Pole Pricing in San Francisco
Most 100A to 200A single-phase installs in San Francisco land between $1,800 and $4,500. A 400A three-phase service is typically a $6,000 to $14,000+ job, and monthly rental on the equipment is usually $150 to $400. PG&E bills its own fees separately. These are the things that move a quote:
- Amperage and phase. Each step from 100A to 200A to 400A three-phase adds a bigger panel, heavier conductors and more labor.
- Where the utility source is. A short overhead drop costs the least. Trenching, conduit or a long span across a deep lot costs more.
- Permit fees. DBI and each peninsula building division set their own fees, and we pass them through at cost.
- Sidewalk or street use. If the pole, panel or cable sits in the public right of way, a Public Works street-space permit and its fees get added.
- Hills and access. A steep driveway or a rear lot reached only by stairs takes more labor to place the post and drive the rods.
- How long it stays up. Most temp services run from three months to a year and a half, and longer rentals usually earn a lower monthly rate.
A short site visit gets you a written price that already includes removal.
Cities We Serve
We work in San Francisco, down the Peninsula as far as San Mateo, and over the Bay Bridge in Oakland and Berkeley. Choose a page below for local permit and site notes, or call with any address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does a temporary power service include?
You get a pole or pedestal carrying the meter socket, main disconnect, branch breakers and GFCI outlets, along with ground rods and the wiring that ties it to the utility. We pull the electrical permit, request service from PG&E, meet the inspector and remove everything when the permanent service is live.
Which office permits temporary power in the city?
Inside the city the electrical permit comes from the Department of Building Inspection. On the Peninsula each city has its own building division, and unincorporated areas go through San Mateo County Planning and Building. Across the bay, Oakland and Berkeley each run their own permit counters. We file with whichever office covers the address.
How far ahead should I call?
Call once the address is settled and you have a rough load list. How long PG&E takes depends on the time of year and how big the service is, and several weeks is common. Our own install usually takes a day once the permit is issued.
What if PG&E cannot energize the pole in time?
We bring a towable generator sized to what you actually run and keep it fueled. When the meter is released, we switch the site over and the generator comes off rent.
Do I need 100A, 200A or three-phase power?
Small remodels and ADUs usually run fine on 100A single-phase. Ground-up homes and multi-trade sites often need 200A. Mid-rise, lab and commercial builds with hoists, welders or temporary HVAC tend to need 400A three-phase. We size it from your equipment list.
Can you put equipment on the sidewalk or street?
Sometimes. In the city that takes a Public Works permit for occupying the right of way, and the Peninsula and East Bay cities issue their own encroachment permits. We check placement at the site walk and tell you which permit applies before anything is delivered.
What does temporary power cost in the Bay Area?
Most 100A to 200A single-phase installs land between $1,800 and $4,500. Three-phase work at 400A usually falls somewhere from $6,000 up past $14,000. PG&E bills its own fees separately. Monthly pole rental is usually $150 to $400. Call (415) 936-1338 for a free quote on your site.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. We hold a California C-10 electrical contractor license and carry liability and workers comp coverage. We can send certificates of insurance to your office before the first delivery.
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