New service and panel upgrades
The most common change-order surprise on Austin buildouts. Older shells have panels sized for the last tenant, not yours. Austin Energy coordination adds real weeks if the transformer or service needs to change.
Commercial electrical in Austin
Austin Commercial Electrical Contractor
Bailey & Bear Construction is an Austin commercial electrical contractor for service upgrades, panels, lighting, low-voltage rough-in, and permitted commercial electrical work across Austin. We take standalone Austin commercial electrical jobs and electrical as part of a larger commercial buildout. Full commercial GC with licensed electricians.
What Austin commercial electrical actually covers
Bailey & Bear runs commercial electrical scope inside buildouts and as service, upgrade, and standalone project work. Common Austin scope includes panel upgrades and new service coordination with Austin Energy, feeder and branch-circuit installation for tenant improvements, lighting rough-in and controls, LED retrofit programs, low-voltage rough-in for AV and structured cabling, generator and transfer-switch installation, EV charging installation with the appropriate service upgrade, kitchen and process equipment circuits, medical and specialty equipment tie-ins, and emergency lighting and life-safety systems. Every scope runs under TDLR master electrician licensing and City of Austin electrical permits.
Where electrical scope decides project outcomes
Kitchen and process circuits
Restaurants, breweries, and salons all have equipment schedules with real amperage needs. A bid that misses circuits is a bid that ends in a change order every week.
Life safety and emergency
Egress lighting, exit signs, and fire-alarm coordination. This is not optional and is inspected specifically.
Permits, Austin Energy, and TDLR
Commercial electrical work in Austin runs under electrical permits from Development Services, is performed by TDLR-licensed contractors, and often coordinates with Austin Energy for service work. Service upsizes, new transformers, and metering changes have Austin Energy timelines that run in parallel with the tenant buildout — those timelines can drive the whole project schedule. Bailey & Bear runs the coordination call with Austin Energy on any project that needs a service change so we are on their queue before the drywall goes up. Panel labeling, GFCI/AFCI placement, and life-safety tie-ins are inspected at rough-in and again at final.
What matters most on Austin commercial electrical
Load study
Real amperage calculation on the actual equipment schedule. Not last tenant's panel schedule.
Panel space and future load
Building in space for future circuits saves change orders in year two. This is a cheap decision at the panel-selection stage.
Controls and occupancy
Daylighting, occupancy sensors, and dimming controls are Austin Energy rebate eligible and drop operating costs.
Reading a commercial electrical bid
Ask for the load calculation and the panel schedule. Confirm the coordination plan with Austin Energy if a service upsize is on the table. Confirm the equipment schedule matches the bid — a bid based on the shell's original panel is a bid that will change. Compare lighting-controls scope, emergency-lighting scope, and low-voltage rough-in line by line. Ask for TDLR license and insurance up front. Ask for two Austin commercial references in a similar project type. Ask about coordination with the mechanical and plumbing subs on the same project — electrical is where trade coordination shows up in the finished space.
Building types where we run this scope
Bailey & Bear runs this trade inside larger buildouts across Austin. Common vertical combinations:
Warehouse Buildout
Industrial shells, dock, epoxy, sprinkler mod
Office & TI Buildout
Conference rooms, HVAC zoning, cabling
Restaurant Buildout
Hood, grease, health, kitchen equipment
Gym & Studio Buildout
Rubber floors, HVAC sizing, showers, rig anchors
Salon & Spa Buildout
Stations, exhaust, TDLR compliance
Retail Buildout
Storefronts, lighting, fitting rooms, POS
Frequently asked questions
Do you handle commercial service upgrades?
Yes. Bailey & Bear handles commercial electrical service upgrades in Austin — panel replacements, service size increases, and coordination with Austin Energy for meter and transformer changes. Service upgrades are one of the longest-lead items on any commercial buildout; we start them early.
Can you rough-in low-voltage cabling?
Yes. Bailey & Bear roughs in low-voltage cabling for data, phone, POS, AV, and security across Austin commercial buildouts. Pathways are planned before ceilings close, not run after the fact.
Do you install commercial lighting and controls?
Yes. Bailey & Bear installs commercial lighting, LED retrofit, occupancy controls, and daylight harvesting across Austin commercial properties. Lighting design is planned around the space use, not defaulted to a strip-light grid.