What Is a Temporary Power Pole Used For?
A temporary power pole gives a construction site legal power before the building has its own service. An electrician sets the pole, ComEd makes the connection, and an inspector signs off before anything gets energized. This matters on the same site where you're planning construction site services, because your portable restroom rental schedule and your power timeline usually land in the same week. A 200 amp temporary power pole is common on Schaumburg builds running saws, pumps and lighting at once. Smaller renovation jobs often get by on less. If you're also renting a light tower for early morning trades, coordinate that delivery around the pole inspection, not before it.
Pair the pole with a temporary fence rental around the meter base. Panels and live equipment need barricading that meets OSHA 1926.202, which requires barricades protecting employees to conform to ANSI D6.1. A stray forklift path or a delivery truck backing toward roll-off dumpster rental staging is the more common hazard than the pole itself, so fence the whole utility corner, not just the pole.
Who Installs a Temporary Power Pole in Schaumburg?
A licensed electrician installs the pole and ComEd energizes it after inspection. Schaumburg Porta Pros does not run this trade, but we work the same job sites constantly and can schedule our deliveries, whether that's a standard porta potty rental or a storage container rental, around your electrician's timeline. Site layout matters here too. GFCI protection is required on construction sites per OSHA 1926.404(b)(1)(ii), so any temporary distribution box feeding tools, a handwashing station rental pump, or a mobile office trailer rental needs to run through it. If your site sits near Hoffman Estates, 5.7 miles northwest, or Streamwood, 6.2 miles west, the same ComEd process applies, just a different crew territory.
Keep the pole clear on the delivery approach. A roll-off delivery needs about 60 feet of straight clearance behind the truck, and a pole set too close to that path forces a redesign after the fact. Plan it once with your electrician and site super before anyone shows up with equipment, including construction dumpster rental drops.
What Does Temporary Power Pole Installation Cost?
Cost depends on amperage, distance from the transformer and the electrician's rate, none of which we set. We don't sell the pole, but we price everything around it the same way across every job:
| item | day | week | month |
|---|---|---|---|
| standard toilet | 150 | 200 | 200 |
| ADA unit | 230 | 185 | - |
| construction dumpster | 75 | 600 | 108 |
| temp fence panel | 50 | - | - |
Rates above are typical figures from our own pricing data, not a quote for your site. For a firmer number tied to your job size, see porta potty rental cost or dumpster rental cost. Toilet counts on an active crew still follow OSHA 1926.51(c), one facility per 20 workers on site, regardless of what's powering the trailer.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a temporary power pole stay up?
It stays until permanent service is connected and inspected, which can be the full length of a build. Coordinate your other rentals, like a porta john rental or temporary power pole removal date, with your electrician's final sign-off so nothing gets pulled early.
Does Schaumburg Porta Pros install the power pole?
No. We handle sanitation, dumpsters, fencing and storage. For the pole itself, hire a licensed electrician and confirm the ComEd connection window before you schedule other deliveries.
What amperage do most construction sites need?
Many run 100 or 200 amp depending on tool load and trailer count. A mobile office trailer rental with HVAC pulls more than a bare tool circuit, so ask your electrician to size it against your actual equipment list.
Can I place a porta potty near the power pole?
Keep distance and fence the meter base per OSHA 1926.202. See our porta potty placement guide for clearance around active electrical equipment before you set anything.
What else should I schedule alongside the power pole?
Most Schaumburg sites stage dumpsters, fencing and toilets in the same week the pole goes up. Check how many porta potties do I need and temporary fence cost while you're planning the layout.
Next step
Get a delivery date
Tell us the address, the dates and the headcount. We size the order and confirm the route.