Properly Planning Your Industrial Electrical Installation: 9 Details That Make All the Difference

When it’s time to plan a new industrial electrical installation—new production line, additional equipment, relocating machines, or modernizing a plant area—the quality of the information provided at the start has a direct impact on:

• the accuracy of the estimate

• staying on budget

• meeting the schedule

• and the overall smoothness of the installation work
  

At EBI Electric, we often see projects where the overall intent is clear… but key technical details needed to properly design the electrical installation are missing. The result: unnecessary back-and-forth, delays, and sometimes cost overruns that could have been avoided.

Below are the key pieces of information that will help us serve you efficiently and accurately from the very first estimate.

1. Prepare a detailed list of motor and power loads

Simply giving the name or model of a machine is not enough to properly assess the installed power or the actual electrical requirements. Two “similar” machines can end up with double the total HP depending on their options and configuration. For each machine or piece of equipment, it is very helpful to provide:

• Supply voltage

For example: 480 V, 460 V, 240 V, 208 V, etc. This is basic data for sizing electrical equipment (transformers, breakers, cables, panels, etc.).

• List of motors and their characteristics

Ideally:

• power (HP or kW)

• type (induction, servo, etc.)

• full-load current

• voltage

• service factor (if available)
  

• Motors installed on moving equipment

Some motors are mounted on moving devices (carts, gantries, transfer cars, moving tables, etc.). They require specific solutions (cable carriers, festoon systems, reels, etc.). Knowing this early allows for a more robust and safer design.

• Power (kW) of servo motors and drives

Servomotors and variable frequency drives (VFDs) have specific characteristics (harmonics, inrush currents, cable requirements). Knowing their power rating and quantity helps us select the right protection, cabling, filtering, and sometimes even the architecture of the power distribution.

👉 The more complete the list of power loads, the more accurate the estimate—and the fewer “surprises” once we’re on site.

2. Provide a plant layout or at least a basic equipment layout

In industrial installations, distance is a major cost driver. The path that feeders and branch circuits must follow affects:

• cable quantities

• size and quantity of cable tray / conduit

• number of junction boxes, pull boxes, and panels
  

That’s why a plant layout (or at least a layout of the affected area) is essential. It should include, as much as possible:

• location of MCCs (motor control centers)

• location of control panels and PLC enclosures

• main electrical service and/or substations

• ceiling height and major physical constraints (overhead cranes, mezzanines, overhead conveyors, structural beams, etc.)

• locations of the new machines or lines
  

Installing a 1600-amp feeder can easily represent thousands of dollars per linear foot. Every foot matters—literally. A clear layout helps identify optimized routes, reduce material and labor costs, and sometimes avoid costly structural modifications later in the project.

3. Indicate preliminary dates and approximate project duration

Even if dates are not finalized, a realistic time window changes everything in planning:

• Labor planning

The more aggressive the schedule, the more crews we may need to mobilize in parallel.

• Shift planning

Night work, weekend work, limited shutdown windows, hot work limitations—these all have an impact on cost and logistics.

• Travel and lodging

If the project is far from our offices, we need to plan for:

• travel time

• lodging

• per diem

• site access and safety orientations

  
  

• Equipment rentals and specialized tools

Manlifts, scissor lifts, forklifts, rigging equipment, specialized tooling, etc. The timing and duration of the project affect both availability and rental rates.

• Lead times for critical equipment

Some components (high-frame breakers, transformers, MCC lineups, medium-voltage gear, large VFDs, etc.) can have lead times of several weeks or even months. The project schedule must reflect these realities.

Preliminary dates have a major impact on both pricing and feasibility. The earlier they’re defined, the more realistic and reliable the proposal will be.

4. Identify other key stakeholders (e.g., your utility company)

In an industrial project, the electrical contractor is only one of several players. For example, your local electric utility may have its own timelines for:

• upgrading or modifying the service entrance

• increasing available capacity

• moving or upgrading a substation or transformer

• reviewing and approving certain plans or connections
  

These timelines can be significant and are often not flexible. It’s important to:

• identify from the start which external stakeholders are involved (utility, landlord, engineering firms, OEMs, inspectors, etc.)

• get a rough idea of their lead times and requirements

• integrate these constraints into the overall project schedule
  

EBI Electric can help you anticipate and coordinate some of these aspects, but the sooner we know about them, the more effectively we can plan.

5. Clarify from the start how you want costs broken down

Some companies want a single turnkey price. Others prefer a very detailed breakdown, for example:

• by area (e.g., receiving, processing, packaging, shipping)

• by type of work (power, control, instrumentation, networking)

• by machine or by line

• by discipline (electrical, automation, communications, etc.)
  

This directly affects the take-off and estimating process. The more detailed the requested structure, the more complex and time-consuming the estimate… but the easier it is for your team to compare options, analyze costs, and manage internal budgets.

Please clearly indicate:

• the level of detail you expect

• any cost structure or coding you already use internally (WBS, cost centers, etc.)
  

This allows EBI Electric to align our estimating and reporting with the way you manage your projects.

6. Specify the language for documentation and communication

Would you like to receive the proposal and technical documentation:

• in English only, or

• in both English and French (if you operate in bilingual regions or across borders)?
  

We can usually adapt:

• formal proposals in English

• technical appendices in English or bilingual

• ongoing project communications in English, with French support where needed (e.g., for Canadian sites)
  

Clarifying this early helps avoid rework and ensures your stakeholders (engineering, operations, purchasing, corporate) can all use the documentation efficiently.

7. Indicate the currency and project location

To avoid confusion, please specify:

• the currency for the proposal:
  

  • USD (U.S. dollars)

  • or another currency, if applicable
    

• the location of the work:
  

  • state and city (for taxes, permitting, labor rules, etc.)

  • any specific site requirements (safety programs, contractor pre-qualification, badging, union environment, etc.)
    

For cross-border or multi-site projects, clarity on currency and location is especially critical.

8. Specify the type of request: firm price or budget estimate?

Not all customers are at the same stage in their project. It helps us a lot to know whether you are looking for:

• A firm, lump-sum price You’re close to a go/no-go decision. Your data is relatively complete, and you want a firm price to execute the work.

• A budgetary estimate You’re in a study, concept, or feasibility phase. Technical details may change. You need a ballpark or budget range to support internal approvals and capital planning.

Depending on the type of request:

• the level of detail required in drawings and specs

• the expected accuracy of the number

• the amount of engineering and estimating time involved will not be the same.
  

Stating this clearly from the beginning ensures our effort matches your expectations and timeline.

9. List any options that should be priced (from the start)

Many projects naturally include options, such as:

• the possibility of adding a future machine or line

• reserving capacity (space and power) for a later expansion

• offering two or more scenarios (Solution A vs. Solution B)

• alternative technologies (e.g., conveyors vs. AGVs or shuttles)
  

If these options need to be priced in the proposal, it’s essential to mention them early. Why?

• The take-off and estimating process must be structured to separate and compare scenarios

• Certain engineering decisions happen at the beginning (not at the end)

• The options can influence our technical recommendations and the way we design the backbone of the system (panels, feeders, communications, etc.)
  

The earlier we know which options you want to evaluate, the easier—and more economical—it is to build them into the design and the pricing.

In summary: better input, better outcomes

For an industrial electrical contractor like EBI Electric, the quality of the information we receive up front is the foundation of:

• a realistic and defensible estimate

• an efficient and safe jobsite

• and a smooth start-up and commissioning
  

By preparing:

1. A detailed list of motors and power loads (ratings, voltages, drives, servos, etc.)

2. A plant layout (or at least an equipment layout) with key locations

3. Preliminary dates and approximate project duration

4. A list of external stakeholders (utility, landlord, OEMs, engineering firms, inspectors)

5. The cost breakdown structure you need

6. The preferred language for documentation and communication

7. The currency and project location

8. The type of request (firm price vs. budgetary estimate)

9. The options and scenarios to be considered
   

…you significantly increase your chances of receiving a clear, accurate, and timely proposal that fits your operations and decision-making process.