Temporary Power in Novato
Single and three-phase temp services, diesel generators and light towers for Novato housing, commercial and business park projects.
Running power on a Novato job
Novato has more open ground than the southern towns, and that means bigger jobs. We see new housing, commercial shells and tenant improvements in the business parks off 101, along with plenty of remodels in the older neighborhoods. Wide streets and real driveways make delivery easier here than almost anywhere else in the county.
The City of Novato building division issues the electrical permit. We pull it, send the load numbers and site plan to PG&E with the service request, and set the pole once both are lined up. Larger sites often need three-phase power, and PG&E may want a transformer or a longer lead time before it will release the meter. On those jobs we get the application in the week the plans are approved.
Summer afternoons in Novato run hotter than in Sausalito or Mill Valley, so trailer cooling and early start times matter. Lots near Hamilton and the bay side of town can sit low and wet in winter. We plan the cable route around that before the trencher shows up, and we keep splices and boxes off the low corners.
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Equipment that fits Novato projects
Three-phase for commercial work
Shells and tenant spaces with welders, compressors or a hoist usually need three-phase temp service up to 400 amps, sized against the real equipment list and not a guess from the nameplate on one tool.
A generator while PG&E catches up
When framing is ready before the meter is, we bring towable diesel units sized to your load and pull them off rent the day the service goes live. Fuel runs are on our schedule, not yours.
Light for short winter days
From November to February crews lose daylight by five. LED light towers for winter afternoons keep a pour or a roof dry-in going past sunset, and they are aimed down so the houses next door stay dark.
What Novato temp power usually costs
On Novato housing jobs, single-phase poles up to 200A mostly fall in the $1,800 to $4,500 band. A 400A three-phase service on a commercial lot often reaches $6,000 to $14,000 or more, before PG&E’s own charges.
- Single-phase or three-phase service
- Whether PG&E needs a new transformer
- Trench length and conduit size
- Generator weeks needed before the meter set
Novato permit and site notes
Some Novato addresses, including parts of Black Point and Green Point, fall outside city limits. For those, the permit desk is Marin County CDA in San Rafael. Novato parcels inside the line stay with the city, and we sort out which is which before applying.
Business park jobs often come with a landlord’s rules on where equipment can sit, when deliveries can happen and how cables cross the parking lot. Send us those rules early and we will plan the layout to match. Cable ramps at drive aisles keep forklifts and cars from chewing up the cord.
Common questions from Novato builders
Do I need three-phase power on a Novato commercial job?
If you are running large motors, a hoist or welding gear, probably yes. Send the equipment list and we will tell you which service fits.
Can a generator run the whole site until the meter is set?
For most small and mid-size jobs, yes. We size it for starting loads and deliver fuel on a schedule so it does not run dry.
Do larger generators need an air permit?
Some do. For bigger diesel units, check whether a BAAQMD permit applies to your unit and run time. We will help you sort it out.
Power for your Novato job
Call 415-707-8725 and tell us the address, the load and the start date.