“Our board had argued about chargers for a year. The packet put the amps, the two layouts and the billing options on one page, and we voted at the next meeting.”
Graham P.Board president, condo association
EV charging for condos, HOAs and apartments
Charging for the whole garage, in three decisions
We measure what your building has spare, lay out the ways to share it, and settle who pays for the electricity before a charger goes on the wall.
The three decisions
Decision 2, in one table
A circuit for every stall, or one shared pool
Most buildings end up with one of these, or a mix of both. The survey says which the spare capacity allows.
| A circuit per stall | One shared pool | |
|---|---|---|
| Power it uses | A circuit per stallReserves each stall's full amps, used or not | One shared poolStays inside the building's spare amps, however many cars plug in |
| Busiest hour | A circuit per stallEvery car charges at its full rate | One shared poolCars charge slower when many plug in at once |
| Service work | A circuit per stallOften a bigger service once enough stalls are added | One shared poolOften none beyond a feeder to the garage |
| More stalls later | A circuit per stallEach new stall needs its own run and breaker | One shared poolAdd chargers to the same pool |
| Billing | A circuit per stallEach circuit can have its own meter | One shared poolNeeds charger software that meters each car |
The survey
We start in the electrical room, not the garage
Before anyone prices a charger, we need three numbers.
What the main service can carry, what the building really uses at its peak, and how far it is from the meter room to the first stall. We read the panel labels, get the building's demand from the utility or record it for a month, and walk the garage with a tape measure.
What we look at
Main service and meter room: size, age and spare space
The garage subpanel and the feeder that reaches it
Peak demand, from utility data or a month of recording
Conduit routes, trenching and fire-rated walls in between
What goes in
What we install and set up
Load calculation and capacity study
The spare amps in writing, with the method shown.
Shared charging with load management
Chargers that divide the building's spare power between the cars plugged in.
Charger stalls, one by one
Wall units and pedestals, mounted, tested and labeled per stall.
Metering and billing setup
Per-stall metering and the billing service your board picks, set up with the chargers.
Service and switchgear work
Where the survey calls for it, with the utility coordinated.
EV-ready conduit and capacity
Conduit and breaker space now, chargers when residents ask.
Board packet
One page for your next board meeting
The board packet sums up the three decisions, the layouts, the billing choices and the questions to ask any installer. Print it, or send it to your property manager before the meeting.
Pricing
How pricing works for a shared garage
What decides the price
No two buildings cost the same, even at the same number of stalls.
How many stalls, now and in the next phase
How far the stalls are from the electrical room
Whether the building has spare capacity or needs more service
The utility's work and its schedule
What the proposal includes, and what it doesn't
Each layout is priced on its own in a written proposal: chargers, conduit and wire, permit and commissioning.
Not included: charges the utility bills the association directly
Not included: legal review, repairs and striping
What happens at the survey
Wayne takes the load numbers and Darius walks the garage route. The survey fee is quoted in writing first, and credited to the job if your board signs the proposal.
When you get the number
In the written proposal, before the board votes. We don't price over the phone or from photos.
Boards and managers
What they said after the vote
“I manage four buildings. Darius walked each garage and the proposals came back in the same format, so every board could compare them.”
Ofelia T.Property manager
“As treasurer I wanted to know who pays for what. The proposal kept the install cost apart from the monthly billing, and our attorney could read it.”
Hideo I.Treasurer, condo association
Sample reviews.
Service area
Buildings we work in
Condo, HOA and apartment garages in King and Snohomish counties. If your building isn't on the list, send us the address and we'll say.
King County
- Seattle
- Bellevue
- Kirkland
- Redmond
- Mercer Island
- Shoreline
- Renton
- Burien
- Kenmore
- Bothell
- Tukwila
Snohomish County
- Edmonds
- Lynnwood
- Mountlake Terrace
- Mukilteo
- Everett
We don't work east of the Cascades or south of Tacoma.
Questions boards ask first
Does our building need a bigger electrical service for chargers?
Sometimes, and often not. A load calculation and the building's peak demand show the spare capacity, and load sharing lets a building run more chargers on what it has. We recommend service work only when the numbers call for it.
Who pulls the permit?
We prepare and file it, and the association signs as the property owner. Washington's Department of Labor & Industries or your city issues it, depending on where the building is, and the work is inspected before it is turned on.
Will the power go off for residents?
Sometimes for a short tie-in at the panel. If it will, we write to the property manager with the date and the length, and residents get a notice before we start.
Can owners install their own chargers?
Many associations allow it under a rule the board writes. We can write the technical part of that rule so every request is handled the same way.
Contact
Ask for a site survey
Tell us about the building. We call back in office hours to set a time for the survey.
Call or text(206) 555-0100
Office hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Saturday – SundayToday
- Closed