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Frequently Asked Questions
The questions we get most often, organized by service and by city. Do not see yours? (832) 965-9964 — a licensed electrician picks up any hour.
00 — General
About Solivance Electric.
What areas does Solivance Electric serve?+
The shop sits at 13035 S Post Oak Rd Suite I, Houston, TX 77045 — right in the middle of Southwest Houston. Daily service runs Southwest Houston (Westbury, Meyerland, Bellaire, West University, Braeswood, Sharpstown, Medical Center, Willowbend, Post Oak South, Stafford, Missouri City, Sugar Land), the Heights corridor (Houston Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Timbergrove), and the Memorial Villages (Hunters Creek, Spring Valley, Bunker Hill, Piney Point, Hedwig). Greater Houston — Katy, Cypress, Memorial proper, Tomball, Spring — is covered on a call. Harris and Fort Bend County permits are what we pull day-in, day-out.
Do you handle commercial and industrial work?+
Yes. Commercial and light-industrial is the core of what we do — panel upgrades from 200A through 3-phase switchgear, standby generator installs with automatic transfer switch commissioning, parking-lot LED retrofits to photometric spec, Level 2 and DCFC EV charger builds, ground-up warehouse electrical, and RV park pedestal arrays. Office parks, retail pads, warehouses, and property-management portfolios are our usual clients.
Are you licensed and insured in Texas?+
Yes. Solivance Electric LLC holds Texas Electrical Contractor License TECL #41163, issued by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, with active liability insurance on every job. License verification and COI available on request before work begins.
Do you offer 24-hour emergency electrical service?+
Yes. Standard hours are 6am–6pm, six days a week. A licensed electrician answers after-hours for emergencies — lost power to a tenant suite, tripped main, burnt feeder, smoke from a panel. Call (832) 965-9964 any hour.
How do you quote a commercial panel upgrade?+
Every job is a fixed-fee quote after a free site walk — no ballpark over the phone. The scope is driven by the service size and gear (a 200A single-phase swap versus a 400A or 3-phase upgrade), meter location, feeder length, and how much of the CenterPoint cut-over is ours. You get one written number before any material is ordered.
How long does a standby generator install take?+
Most commercial standby installs take 2–5 working days on site: concrete pad, generator set, fuel line, ATS wiring, commissioning, and final inspection. Permit pull and equipment lead time sit ahead of that.
Do you install Level 2 and DC fast chargers for commercial properties?+
Yes. Level 2 and DCFC for office lots, apartment complexes, fleet yards, and retail pads. Includes load calc, panel capacity check, trenching, bollard placement, and submetering where needed. Make-ready infrastructure designed so you can add more stalls later without tearing up the lot.
Do you pull permits and coordinate inspections?+
Yes. Harris County or City of Houston permits depending on jurisdiction, CenterPoint Energy cut-over scheduling, and every inspection on the calendar. You do not chase the permit office — we do.
How quickly can you start a project?+
Most estimates come back within 24 hours. Once the quote is signed, most jobs start within 1–2 weeks. Emergency work moves to the front of the line.
Do you offer warranties on commercial electrical work?+
Yes. Labor carries a 1-year workmanship warranty from the date of final inspection. Manufacturer warranties pass through on equipment — Generac, Eaton, Square D, Siemens — and Solivance Electric handles the warranty claim if a unit fails inside the coverage window. Warranty terms go on the written quote before work begins.
Can you work around business hours for occupied tenant spaces?+
Yes. Panel cut-overs, parking-lot re-lights, and tenant-suite work get scheduled after-hours or on weekends when the space has to stay open during the day. Overnight outages are planned in writing with the property manager and the tenant so nobody gets surprised at 6am.
Do you handle utility coordination with CenterPoint Energy?+
Yes. CenterPoint cut-overs, meter releases, and temp-service requests are part of the scope on panel upgrades and new service entrances. Solivance Electric files the paperwork, coordinates the disconnect and reconnect windows, and meets the CenterPoint crew on site. Same applies to Entergy and CoServ on jobs outside the CenterPoint footprint.
What is your policy on change orders mid-project?+
Change orders go in writing before the work happens — scope, material cost, labor hours, and revised completion date all on one page. Nothing gets added to the invoice that was not signed off first. If the inspector requires a code-driven change, that also goes through the same written change-order process.
Do you work with general contractors on new construction?+
Yes. Ground-up warehouse, retail pad, strip center, and multi-family builds run off the GC schedule — rough-in, trim, and final inspection tied to drywall, MEP coordination, and turnover dates. One foreman stays on the job from service entrance through tenant walk.
Is there a difference between commercial and residential rates?+
Yes. Commercial jobs carry different labor rates because of the scope — 3-phase switchgear, bus duct, higher-amperage feeders, and prevailing-wage requirements on some projects. Residential rates apply to single-family and small multi-family work. Every quote is fixed-fee after a site walk, so the rate structure shows up as one number, not an hourly meter.
What happens if a permit inspection fails?+
Solivance Electric corrects the cited items and schedules the re-inspection at no extra cost — re-inspection fees on workmanship issues are on us, not the client. Failed inspections on our jobs run well under the Harris County and City of Houston averages; most pass the first walk.
01 — Service
Panel Upgrades.
What shapes the quote on a commercial panel upgrade?+
The scope is driven by the service size and gear — a 200A single-phase swap is a different job than a 400A or 3-phase 208/480 switchgear replacement. Meter location, whether the service entrance needs relocation, feeder length, and how much of the CenterPoint cut-over is ours versus theirs move the number from there. Every job is a fixed-fee quote after a free site walk — no ballpark over the phone, no surprise changes mid-job.
How long does a commercial panel upgrade take?+
Most 200A commercial upgrades are on and re-energized inside 1–2 business days, with the building de-energized for only a portion of that window. 400A and 3-phase switchgear replacements typically run 3–5 working days because of utility coordination, gear lead time, and longer feeder pulls. Permit pull and equipment delivery sit ahead of that on the calendar.
What are the warning signs my commercial panel needs an upgrade?+
Lights dimming when an RTU or compressor starts, breakers tripping at normal load, a panel cover that is warm to the touch, burning-plastic smell near the gear, visible scorching on bus or breakers, or a building running modern HVAC and equipment off a 100A service. Any one of those is a call.
Do you handle 3-phase commercial service upgrades?+
Yes. 208Y/120 for multi-tenant buildings, 480/277 for industrial loads and high-bay lighting. Gear selection (main breaker vs main lug, NEMA 3R vs indoor), fault-current rating, and SCCR matching are all part of the quote.
Will you coordinate with CenterPoint for the meter cut-over?+
Every time. We file the service request, schedule the disconnect/reconnect window, meet the CenterPoint tech on site, and hand back a legible meter base with a fresh seal.
How long is the building de-energized during a panel swap?+
Most 200A single-phase cut-overs are 2–6 hours of no-power time, sequenced around your occupancy. 400A and 3-phase swaps can push to a full day. We plan the outage window in the quote, not on the day of.
Do I need a permit to replace my panel in Houston?+
Yes — any service-entrance work requires a permit and an electrical inspection, whether the jurisdiction is the City of Houston, unincorporated Harris County, or one of the Memorial villages. We pull it, file it, and meet the inspector.
Do you replace meter bases and masts at the same time as the panel?+
Often — if the meter base is undersized, cracked, or wrong rating for the new service, it gets replaced in the same scope. Same for mast and weatherhead on an overhead service. It is cleaner to do both while the drop is already down.
02 — Service
Generator Installs.
What shapes the quote on a commercial standby generator?+
Generator size and phase drive most of it — a 22–35 kW single-phase standby is a different build than a 125–150 kW three-phase gen-set with paralleling. Fuel infrastructure, service-entrance upgrades, ATS sizing, and enclosure selection (sound-attenuated, weather-protective) are the next biggest variables. Every install is quoted turnkey — unit, ATS, pad, gas line, and commissioning on one fixed-fee number after a site walk.
How long does a standby generator install take?+
Most commercial standby installs are 2–5 working days on site once the gear is delivered: pad cure, gen-set set, fuel line run, ATS wired, commissioning, and final inspection. Equipment lead time adds 4–12 weeks depending on the manufacturer and size. Permits sit inside that window — not after it.
What size generator does my building need?+
The right answer comes from a real load calc, not a spec sheet. We pull 12 months of CenterPoint demand data (or meter the load with clamp-on recorders for 7 days) and size the gen-set to real peak plus a margin for motor starts. Undersizing causes nuisance trips on startup. Oversizing wastes capital and under-loads the engine.
Natural gas or diesel — which should I pick?+
Natural gas wins on refueling (the line is already there), maintenance intervals, and emissions. Diesel wins on runtime per gallon and survives if the gas utility drops with the grid. For most commercial buildings in Greater Houston we spec natural gas; for critical 72-hour loads or remote sites, diesel with a day-tank.
Do you install the automatic transfer switch?+
ATS wiring and commissioning are in every install. Service-entrance-rated ATS where required, mechanical interlock for code compliance, programmed transition timing, and a documented live grid-drop test at the end.
Do you do annual maintenance on the gen-sets you install?+
Yes. Oil, filters, coolant, battery, ATS contact inspection, load-bank test every second year, and a written report. A unit that sits 51 weeks and runs once is not a reliable unit — the service contract is what makes it one.
Can a standby gen-set run my whole building or just essential loads?+
Either, and the answer is a cost conversation. Whole-building standby means sizing the gen-set and ATS for the full service. Essential-loads only means a sub-panel of your critical circuits on transfer — cheaper unit, smaller pad, and the non-critical loads stay off during outages.
Do you handle the fire-marshal review and fuel permitting?+
Yes. We file the permit, coordinate with the local fire marshal on clearance and gas-line review, and run the inspection. The package you sign covers all of it.
03 — Service
Parking Lot Lighting.
What shapes the quote on commercial parking lot lighting?+
Whether it is an HID-to-LED retrofit on existing poles or a full ground-up build with new poles, concrete bases, and underground conduit is the biggest swing. Fixture count, pole height, trenching distance, and site conditions set the rest — rocky Cypress clay digs differently than loose Memorial fill. Every lot is quoted per site after a free photometric walk.
How long does a parking lot re-lighting take?+
Most tenant-occupied lots are re-lit in 3–7 working days, sequenced after-hours to avoid blocking customer traffic. Ground-up builds with trenching, new poles, and utility coordination run 2–4 weeks on site. Photometric design + pole + fixture lead time runs 2–5 weeks ahead of the install.
Can you retrofit my existing HID poles to LED?+
Usually yes. Existing poles, bases, and conduit stay in place; the fixture head and driver are swapped, the ballast is removed, and the photocell is updated. Energy draw typically drops 55–70 percent, and the fixture warranty resets to the LED product spec.
Will my new LED fixtures be too bright or glare into neighbors?+
Not if the photometric is done right. We pick an optical distribution (Type III or IV for most lots) that pushes light into the lot and cuts it at the property line. Dark-sky cutoff fixtures are available when the municipality requires them.
Do photocells come standard or are they an add-on?+
Standard on every fixture we install. A commercial lot without a photocell is a lot that is either on at noon or off at 9 pm — neither is acceptable. For tenant-occupied lots we add a timer override for after-hours dimming.
How much will I save on power by going LED?+
Typical HID-to-LED retrofit reduces lighting power by 55–75 percent. A 15-pole lot running 400W HID at 12 hours/day saves roughly 18,000 kWh/year at the meter. At Texas commercial rates, that is real money back against the capital cost inside 2–3 years.
Can you add EV chargers to the same parking lot build?+
Yes — and it is cheaper to do it at the same time. The trench is already open, the service capacity is being checked, and we can drop EV make-ready conduit to future stall locations while the pavement is up.
Do you handle trenching for new underground lighting feeders?+
Yes. Directional bore or open-cut, depending on the pavement and the AHJ. We pull the permits, call 811, and patch the surface to the lot standard when the trench is backfilled.
04 — Service
EV Chargers.
What shapes the quote on a commercial EV charger install?+
Service capacity is the biggest variable — a single Level 2 charger on existing panel headroom is a different scope than a multi-stall build with load management and submetering, and a DC fast charger with service-entrance and transformer-level utility work is a different scope again. Stall count, trenching distance, and charger model fill in the rest. Every build is quoted after a real capacity check on site.
How long does an EV charger install take?+
A single Level 2 charger is a one-day install once material is on site. Multi-stall Level 2 (8–20 stalls) typically runs 1–2 weeks including trenching and panel work. A DC fast charger typically runs 6–12 weeks once permits, utility work, and transformer delivery are factored in — plan ahead.
Can I add EV chargers to my existing commercial panel?+
Often — but only if the capacity is there. A typical commercial service has headroom on paper but is already running close to peak in practice. We clamp-on record the service for 7 days, do a real 220 load calc, and give you a number you can trust. If capacity is tight, dynamic load management or a panel upgrade extends the runway.
What is dynamic load management and why does it matter?+
Instead of pulling a new service to feed every new charger, load-managed systems share a feeder. The chargers talk to a controller that throttles each stall in real time so total draw never exceeds the feeder breaker. You get 6–10 stalls on a circuit that would have supported 4 at full wattage — without nuisance tripping.
Do you install DC fast chargers?+
Yes — 50 kW through 350 kW DCFC. The electrical scope is substantially larger than Level 2 (transformer work, 480V service, liquid-cooled cables on 350 kW units), and lead times are 6–12 weeks minimum. We handle the CenterPoint transformer coordination as part of the quote.
Can you wire for more stalls later without re-trenching?+
That is the point of make-ready infrastructure. We run conduit and pull boxes to every future-stall location while the pavement is already up, cap the stubs, and document the spare capacity. Adding stall #6 is a pull and a bollard — not another trench.
What brands of EV chargers do you install?+
OCPP-compatible units from the major commercial brands — ChargePoint, Enel X, Blink, EVgo hardware, Wallbox Commercial, ClipperCreek. Brand selection depends on your backend billing needs, network preferences, and warranty terms. We are not locked to any single vendor.
Will adding chargers raise my insurance or trigger a service upgrade?+
Possibly — and both are conversations worth having before the contract is signed. A service upgrade is an opportunity to right-size for future loads (EV expansion, roof-top equipment replacement, added tenants). Insurance implications are a check with your broker, not a guess.
05 — Service
New Commercial Warehouses.
What shapes the quote on new warehouse electrical?+
It scopes against the GC drawings — building size, service-entrance sizing, distribution, high-bay LED layout, dock power, and office fit-out all feed the number. Heavier industrial loads (food-processing, cold-storage compressors, manufacturing machinery) push the scope up. Final pricing is a design-build conversation against the drawings, quoted as one fixed number.
How long does new warehouse electrical take?+
Typical 60–120k sq ft warehouse takes 4–10 weeks of on-site electrical, sequenced against the GC schedule — underground rough-in, service entrance, in-wall, tilt-wall-up electrical, high-bay layout after the deck is on, office build-out, dock and overhead-door power, trim, commissioning, final. We work the GC schedule, not our own.
Do you work directly with the GC or through an MEP?+
Both. We prefer to come in on design-build when the GC will let us, so we coordinate the electrical scope directly against the architectural and MEP drawings. On projects with a stamped MEP design already in place, we bid to spec and build to spec.
Do you handle the high-bay lighting design?+
Yes. Photometric layout, fixture count, wattage, color temperature, daylight-harvesting zones, and occupancy sensors. The lighting spec leaves the design desk as an IES file, not a fixture count.
Can you coordinate with the other subs — fire, data, HVAC?+
That is part of the job on a commercial warehouse. Fire-alarm tie-in with the fire sub, data cable pathways in the ceiling grid, roof-top unit disconnects and wiring with the mechanical sub, overhead-door controls with the door installer. The scheduling is as much of the work as the wiring.
Do you pull office fit-out inside the warehouse?+
Office rough-in and trim are in the standard scope. Multi-tenant office within a warehouse shell adds sub-metering and separate panels, which gets quoted as an additional line item.
Can you run future-expansion conduit in the underground?+
Always recommended. Future EV chargers, future high-bay additions, future exterior lighting, future equipment feeders — conduit is cheap to run with the trench already open. We stub it, cap it, and document it on the record drawings.
Who handles the utility coordination for the service entrance?+
We do. CenterPoint Energy service request, transformer sizing, primary service drop scheduling, meter coordination, and the final connection inspection are in our scope. The GC is not chasing the utility.
06 — Service
RV Park Pedestals.
What shapes the quote on RV park pedestals?+
Pedestal count and the distance from the service entrance drive most of it — the long underground runs and trenching are where the scope lives. Receptacle mix (30A/50A/100A), whether the array is individually metered, and whether a mobile-home-park service is involved set the rest. Quoted per pedestal after a site walk.
How long does pedestal installation take?+
A single jobsite temp-service pedestal is a 1-day install. Small RV park arrays (5–15 pedestals) run 1–2 weeks on site including trenching and panelboard. Large park builds (30+ pedestals with metering and submetering) run 4–8 weeks. Utility inspection timing sits on top.
What NEMA receptacle goes on a 50A RV pedestal?+
NEMA 14-50R — 50 amps, 125/250V, four-prong. A 30A pedestal gets a TT-30R (not an L5-30). Installing the wrong receptacle on the wrong circuit is the #1 reason these fail inspection.
Do you install individually-metered pedestals for RV park submetering?+
Yes. Meter socket on the pedestal, approved utility-grade meter, and submetering back-end setup. Billing integrations are a separate conversation — we provide the hardware and the raw data feed.
What is the demand factor for a 20-pedestal RV park?+
NEC 551 gives a demand-factor table. A 20-site park with 50A sites does not require feeder sized for 1,000A — the demand factor at that count is typically 42%, so the feeder and service sizing shrinks to the actual diversified load.
Can you do temporary-service pedestals for construction sites?+
Yes. Temp-service pedestals are NEC 590 scope — sized for the construction load, weather-rated, GFCI-protected, and sited for the duration of the project. Pulled when the permanent service energizes.
Do you handle the utility coordination for park service upgrades?+
Every time. New service drops from CenterPoint or the local electric co-op, transformer sizing, primary feeder coordination, and the inspection are in our scope.
What is the difference between a mobile-home park pedestal and an RV park pedestal?+
NEMA configuration, permanence, and code article. Mobile-home sites are semi-permanent and fall under NEC 552 with larger service connections. RV sites under NEC 551 are transient. The pedestal itself and the feeder sizing are different.
07 — Service
Mobile Home Connections.
What shapes the quote on a mobile home connection?+
The biggest swing is whether the site already has trenching and a service drop in place or needs a fresh trench, utility coordination, and a new CenterPoint drop. Meter loop condition, feeder length, and the AHJ in play fill in the rest. The full scope — disconnect, feeder, grounding, bonding, permit, and inspection — is quoted as one number after a site walk.
How long does a mobile home connection take?+
Most mobile home connections complete in 1 working day once material is on site and the permit is issued. Permit pulls run 3–7 business days. Utility drop scheduling (where a new drop is required) sits at 1–3 weeks depending on CenterPoint load.
Where does the service disconnect for a mobile home get located?+
Within sight of the home and not further than what the AHJ and NEC 550 require — typically at the meter loop pole or on an adjacent pedestal. Mounting it inside the home or at an invisible location is the fast path to a rejected inspection.
Do you handle utility coordination for a new mobile home service drop?+
Yes. CenterPoint Energy (or the local co-op) service request, transformer sizing, primary feeder coordination, and the final connection. You are not chasing the utility.
Can you replace the meter loop and feeder on an existing mobile home site?+
Often — when the meter base is cracked, the feeder is undersized for modern load, or the grounding is missing. The whole scope gets replaced as one permitted package.
What size feeder does a mobile home need?+
NEC 550 sets the minimum at 100A for new installations, with the feeder sized to the calculated load. Most modern mobile homes with electric HVAC and water heat calc out to a 100A or 125A feeder — the 60A services you see on older installs are replaced on any new connection.
Do you install mobile home park infrastructure — meter banks, distribution?+
Yes. Park service entrance, meter bank arrays, feeder distribution to pedestals, and the per-site service disconnects are all in our commercial scope.
Can you handle an emergency mobile home service failure?+
Yes — our 24-hour emergency line covers mobile home service outages, burnt meter loops, and lost-feeder situations. A licensed electrician picks up any hour.
08 — Service
New Home Builds — Single & Multi-Family.
What shapes the quote on new-construction electrical?+
Square footage and the fixture package set the baseline, with smart-home add-ons, EV make-ready, and generator provisioning moving it from there. Multi-family per-unit scope compresses as the building count scales. Final pricing is a design-build conversation against the plans, quoted as one fixed number.
How long does new-construction electrical take?+
A typical 3,000 sq ft single-family home takes 4–7 weeks of on-site electrical work phased across the GC schedule — underground, rough-in after frame, trim after drywall and flooring. Multi-family buildings run 8–16 weeks per building depending on unit count, with multiple buildings sequenced back-to-back.
Do you do single-family custom homes and spec builds?+
Yes — custom high-end residential, production-builder spec homes, and in-between. Fixture packages range from builder-grade to designer-spec; the electrical scope and install quality is the same either way.
What counts as multi-family in your scope?+
Duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhome rows, garden-apartment buildings, stacked flats, and small-to-mid build-to-rent developments. Podium and high-rise are outside our usual scope.
Do you handle smart-home and structured cabling rough?+
We rough Cat6/Cat6a, coax, HDMI-over-Cat6, and speaker wire on the same pass as branch-circuit rough. Smart-home integration (Control4, Savant, Lutron) is coordinated with the integrator on lighting control and distributed audio.
Do you include EV make-ready in new-home builds?+
Standard on every build — 50A circuit roughed into the garage, NEMA 14-50 receptacle if the owner wants a plug-and-play charger, or hardwired terminations if they want a wall unit. No re-trenching in year three.
Do you coordinate with the GC and the other trades?+
Every day. We work to the GC master schedule — underground before slab, rough after frame and before drywall, trim after paint and flooring. HVAC, plumbing, and low-voltage coordination is part of the job.
Are you licensed for residential electrical in Texas?+
Yes. Solivance Electric LLC is a licensed Texas electrical contractor and pulls Harris County, City of Houston, or local AHJ permits depending on the jurisdiction. COI and license available on request.
09 — Service
New Commercial & Shopping Centers.
What shapes the quote on new shopping-center electrical?+
It scopes against the drawings — building size, service-entrance sizing, tenant metering, site lighting, and how much of the tenant space is vanilla-shell versus fully finished. Anchor tenants, pylon signs, and extensive site lighting push the scope up. Quoted as one design-build number against the drawings.
How long does a shopping-center electrical build take?+
A 20,000 sq ft strip center typically takes 6–12 weeks of on-site electrical phased against the GC schedule — underground, service entrance, in-wall rough, tenant metering, site lighting, trim, and commissioning. Larger centers with phased tenant openings stretch to 4–6 months.
Do you handle tenant meter banks and sub-metering?+
Yes. Per-tenant meter sockets, CT-metered switchgear for larger tenants, and submetering back-end integration where the property manager needs real-time usage data. We coordinate the meter set with CenterPoint directly.
Can you run signage and pylon power?+
Standard scope. Pylon sign feeders, tenant-identified backlit sign circuits on the exterior, photocell control, and the UL sign fitter coordination. Article 600 compliance is our problem, not yours.
Do you design the site-lighting photometric?+
Yes — IES files, footcandle plot, fixture-count spec, pole heights, and AHJ cutoff review. Shopping-center parking is a liability conversation as much as a lighting one, and the photometric is where that conversation gets settled.
What about the anchor tenant and satellite tenant fit-outs?+
Vanilla-shell is standard scope for every tenant space. Full fit-out on the anchor or any satellite is an additional line item — we scope it, bid it, and build it as a separate package inside the larger build.
How do you handle a phased tenant opening schedule?+
We sequence the electrical so the anchor opens first, the rooftop equipment for the second-phase tenants is energized on schedule, and the final meter sets land on each lease start date. The center opens in phases without electrical being the bottleneck.
Do you pull the Harris County or municipal permit for shopping centers?+
Every time. Commercial permit, plan review, rough-in inspection, underground inspection, above-ceiling inspection, trim inspection, and final. You are not chasing the city or county.
10 — Service
Soffit Lighting.
What shapes the quote on soffit lighting?+
Linear footage of soffit and the fixture type drive it — recessed 4-inch downlights, continuous LED ribbon, and RGBW color-changing systems each scope differently — plus whether a dedicated 20A circuit has to be run from the panel. Larger custom homes and commercial buildings scope per linear foot of soffit covered. Quoted after a free layout walk.
How long does a soffit lighting install take?+
Most single-family soffit-lighting installs are a 1–2 day install once material is on site. Larger homes with more than 300 linear feet of soffit, or commercial buildings, run 3–5 days. Lift work and weather are the two scheduling variables. Permits where required are pulled inside the 1–2 week window before install.
What is soffit lighting and where does it go?+
Soffit lighting is a row of LED fixtures recessed up under the eave, rake, or overhang of the roofline. Most installs run continuously along the front and side facades, washing the wall down from above. The fixtures are not visible from the ground — only the light is — which gives a clean architectural look without exposed yard lights or wall packs.
Recessed downlights or LED ribbon — which should I pick?+
Recessed 4-inch LED downlights spaced every 6–8 feet give a spotlight-pattern wash on the wall and the ground below — best for accenting columns, garage doors, and entry features. Continuous LED ribbon (low-profile aluminum channel) gives an unbroken line of light at the roof edge — best for defining the architecture and uplighting the trim. RGBW color-changing ribbon adds holiday and accent control on top of either look.
Do you handle color-changing soffit lights for holidays?+
Yes. RGBW addressable systems (Jellyfish, Trimlight-grade, and similar commercial ribbon) give per-pixel control of the entire perimeter — warm white for everyday, red-white-blue for the Fourth, red and green for the holidays, school colors on game day. Programmed through the manufacturer app or tied to a smart-home controller. The wiring and driver work is on us.
Will soffit lighting need a new circuit or breaker?+
Often, yes. Most existing exterior circuits are already running landscape lights, garage receptacles, or a coach light or two — adding a 200-foot soffit run pushes the load past the existing breaker. We pull a load calc against the existing exterior circuit, and if it is tight we run a dedicated 20A circuit from the panel. The dedicated circuit also keeps the soffit on its own photocell and timer instead of riding on whatever else is on that breaker.
Are the fixtures rated for the Houston rain and humidity?+
Every fixture we install is damp-rated minimum, wet-rated where the soffit is exposed to wind-driven rain (porches and overhangs facing west and south). Aluminum housings, gasketed lenses, and IP65-or-better drivers. The Houston spring rains and the Gulf humidity are exactly what these fixtures are built for — but only if the rating matches the location. We match it.
Can soffit lighting be added to an existing home, or only new construction?+
Both. Retrofits on existing homes are the bulk of the work — we measure the existing soffit, plan the wire path through the attic or behind the fascia, cut the fixture holes from below, fish the cable, and tie into the panel. New construction gets the rough-in done while the soffit is open before the first paint coat, which is cleaner and slightly cheaper. Either way the finished install is invisible from the ground.
How bright will the soffit lights be — will they bother neighbors?+
Soffit downlights face down at the wall and the ground, which is exactly the opposite of the up-and-out glare that bothers neighbors. We pick beam angles (typically 38° on recessed, full-cutoff on ribbon) that keep the light below the horizontal — no light trespass into the next yard, and no roof spill into the night sky. Memorial Villages and other municipalities with dark-sky language enforce this exactly the way we install it.
Do you offer soffit lighting on commercial buildings — offices, retail, multi-family?+
Yes. Multi-family and townhome rows get continuous LED ribbon along the soffit for a unified roofline at night. Office buildings and retail pads get recessed downlights spaced for column-and-entry accent. Photocell and 7-day astronomical timer on every commercial install. Larger commercial runs typically share the photometric design pass with the parking-lot lighting on the same property.
Service Area
Southwest Houston, TX.
S Post Oak Rd HQ · Med Center to Sugar Land · 77045
Where is Solivance Electric physically located in Southwest Houston?+
The shop is at 13035 S Post Oak Rd Suite I, Houston, TX 77045 — off S Post Oak between Fondren Southwest and West Bellfort, a short drive to Westbury, Meyerland, the Medical Center, and NRG. Trucks dispatch from that address daily.
Do you serve both commercial and residential in Southwest Houston?+
Yes. Commercial is the bulk of the work — panel upgrades up to 3-phase, parking-lot lighting, EV charger builds for office lots and multi-tenant retail, and warehouse electrical toward Stafford and Sugar Land. Residential runs in parallel: 200A and 320A service upgrades on older Westbury/Meyerland homes, whole-home standby generators through Bellaire and West U, and Tesla/Level 2 EV installs on a weekly basis.
How fast can you get to a Southwest Houston emergency?+
Inside the 610/Beltway triangle around 77045, a truck is usually on site inside 45 minutes on a business day, faster after hours when traffic clears. The 24-hour line is answered by a licensed electrician.
Do you pull City of Houston, Bellaire, West U, and Fort Bend permits?+
Every week. Houston Permitting Center for the City of Houston footprint (77045, 77035, 77096, 77025, 77074, 77036, 77042, 77054, 77030). Bellaire and West University Place each have their own AHJ and we file through them. Fort Bend County cities (Stafford, Missouri City, Sugar Land) get their own routing. We confirm jurisdiction by address before the quote goes out.
Do you work the Medical Center and NRG area?+
Yes. Medical office panel upgrades, standby generator installs for clinics and imaging suites, parking-structure lighting retrofits, and EV charging station builds for clinic campuses and NRG-adjacent lots.
Service Area
Houston Heights, TX.
Houston Heights · Garden Oaks · Oak Forest · Timbergrove
Do you work Heights historic district addresses under HAHC overlay?+
Yes. Service mast relocation, meter placement, and exterior conduit routing on HAHC-protected addresses need a certificate of appropriateness before permitting. We handle the HAHC submission as part of the scope — no passing that paperwork back to the homeowner.
Can you upgrade the 60A/100A services common on older Heights bungalows?+
Routinely. Most 1920s–1940s Heights homes are on original or mid-century services that cannot carry a modern kitchen, mini-split HVAC, and EV charger on the same day. The typical upgrade path is 60A → 200A with a new meter loop, main panel, and dedicated circuits for the kitchen and HVAC. Inspection passes the first walk.
Do you handle tenant finish-out for Heights retail and restaurant spaces?+
Yes. White Oak, 19th Street, Studewood, and the Heights Mercantile corridor get regular tenant finish-out scope — panel sizing, sub-panels, hood and kitchen equipment circuits, data/POS rough-in, and final inspection tied to the opening date.
Do you cover Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, and Timbergrove too?+
Yes — same route. Older mid-century homes across Garden Oaks and Oak Forest have the same panel-upgrade demand as the Heights proper, and Timbergrove sees steady whole-home generator and EV install work.
Service Area
Bellaire, TX.
Bellaire · West University Place · Braeswood · Premium residential + retail
Do you pull Bellaire and West University permits?+
Every week. Bellaire permit office and West University Place permit office are both separate AHJs from City of Houston — smaller staffs, faster turnarounds, and inspectors who see our trucks regularly. We file, schedule, and walk the inspection.
Can you handle 400A new-construction services in West U and Bellaire?+
Routinely. New builds in West University and Bellaire are almost all spec-ing 320A or 400A services now to handle modern load: dual HVAC, EV make-ready in the garage, pool equipment, and standby generator tie-in. We size the service to the 2023 NEC demand calc, not a guess.
Do you install whole-home generators in Bellaire and West U?+
Yes — multiple per month. Generac, Kohler, and Cummins air-cooled and liquid-cooled standby installs with ATS commissioning, fuel plumbing, emissions paperwork, and the first annual service on the calendar before we leave.
Do you handle Tesla Wall Connector and Level 2 EV installs?+
Routinely. Most West U and Bellaire homes need a panel capacity check and often a sub-panel in the garage before the charger goes in. We pull the permit, size the circuit, and commission the charger on the Tesla app or the OEM app before leaving.
Service Area
Memorial Villages, TX.
Hunters Creek · Spring Valley · Bunker Hill · Piney Point · Hedwig
Do you serve all six Memorial Villages?+
Yes — Hunters Creek, Spring Valley, Bunker Hill, Piney Point, Hedwig, and Hilshire. Each village is its own AHJ with its own permit office and inspector; we know the path for each and file accordingly.
Do Piney Point and Hedwig have special rules on generator placement or exterior lighting?+
Yes. Both villages enforce exterior-equipment setback requirements (generator and ATS enclosure placement) and dark-sky cutoff requirements on exterior lighting. We flag those in the quote before the gen-set is sited — nobody wants to move a 1,500-pound Generac after the slab is poured.
Can you handle 400A residential service upgrades in the Villages?+
Routinely. Older services on 1970s–1990s Villages homes are being upsized to 320A or 400A to carry dual HVAC, a standby generator tie-in, EV charging, and pool equipment on one modern panel. We pull the village permit, coordinate the CenterPoint cut-over, and pass inspection the first walk.
How fast can you get to a Memorial Villages emergency?+
From the 77045 shop, a truck is usually on site in 25–40 minutes on a business day, depending on traffic on 610 and Beltway 8. The 24-hour line is answered by a licensed electrician.
Service Area
Houston, TX.
Inside the Beltway · Harris County · 2.3M residents
Do you serve commercial buildings inside the 610 Loop?+
Yes — Downtown, Midtown, EaDo, Montrose, Heights, Rice Village, Medical Center perimeter, and the south-side industrial corridors. Most of that footprint is City of Houston AHJ; we pull Houston permits daily.
Are you a licensed City of Houston electrical contractor?+
Yes. Licensed Texas Electrical Contractor with an active filing with the City of Houston Permitting Center. License number and COI available on request.
How fast can you get on a Houston commercial emergency?+
Our 24-hour line is answered by a licensed electrician. Inside the Loop, a truck is usually on site inside two hours on business-day evenings, sometimes faster on weekdays.
Do you pull permits at the Houston Permitting Center?+
Every time. Online filing, plan review if the scope requires it, rough-in and final inspections scheduled through the city portal, and the final walk with the inspector is part of the job.
Service Area
Memorial, Houston.
West Houston · Memorial Villages · Premium residential
Do you serve all the Memorial Villages?+
All six — Hedwig Village, Piney Point, Hunters Creek, Bunker Hill, Spring Valley, and Hilshire Village. Each village is its own AHJ with its own permit office; we know the path for each.
Do the Memorial Villages have special rules on generator placement or exterior lighting?+
Yes — Piney Point and Hedwig Village in particular enforce exterior-equipment setbacks (gen-sets, ATS boxes) and dark-sky cutoff requirements on exterior lighting. We flag those in the quote before the gen-set is sited.
Can you handle premium residential panel upgrades in Memorial?+
Routinely. Older services due for upsizing to 320A or 400A, meter relocation where the original placement fails current code, whole-home generator tie-in, and EV charger installs — same crew that does the commercial scope.
Do you work commercial inventory along I-10 / Memorial Drive?+
Yes. Spring Branch retail, Town & Country office, the I-10 north-side corridor, and the Tanglewood premium. Panel upgrades, generator, EV, parking-lot lighting.
Service Area
Katy, TX.
W Harris + Fort Bend · I-10 corridor · Fast-growing
Does your Katy service area cross all three county lines?+
Yes — Harris, Fort Bend, and Waller. Each has its own permit portal and inspection schedule; we verify the AHJ by the exact address before filing.
Do you work the I-10 Energy Corridor warehouse inventory?+
Yes. Ground-up tilt-wall and metal-building warehouse electrical for the new inventory going up west of the Grand Parkway — service entrance, distribution, high-bay, dock, office fit-out.
Can you handle Cinco Ranch and Cross Creek residential panel and generator work?+
Yes. Panel upgrades, whole-home standby generators, EV chargers, and service-entrance work. HOA architectural-committee submissions for exterior gen-set placement are part of our scope.
How far west on I-10 do you cover?+
Practically, to Brookshire / Pattison on the west, FM 1093 on the south, and the Hempstead Highway on the north. Call if you are close — we usually cover it.
Service Area
Cypress, TX.
NW Harris County · US-290 corridor · 200,000+ residents
Do you work unincorporated Cypress outside City of Houston jurisdiction?+
Yes — most of the Cypress territory is unincorporated Harris County. Harris County Permits is where we file, the county electrical inspector is who we meet.
Do you serve the Bridgeland and Towne Lake master-planned communities?+
Yes. Panel upgrades, generator installs, EV chargers, and service-entrance work across those neighborhoods. HOA and ACC submissions for exterior work (generator sites, EV bollards) are part of the job where required.
Can you handle warehouse electrical on the 290 corridor?+
Yes. Ground-up tilt-wall and metal-building warehouse electrical for the inventory going up along US-290 — service entrance, distribution, high-bay LED, dock power, office fit-out. Design-build against the GC schedule.
How far west does the Cypress service area extend?+
Practically, we cover the territory bounded by US-290 on the north, the Grand Parkway on the east, FM 529 on the south, and the Waller County line on the west. Call if you are close — we usually cover it.
Still curious?
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