Temporary Builders Supply for Construction Sites

What Is a Temporary Builders Supply?

A temporary builders supply (TBS) is an on-site, metered connection that provides electricity and, where needed, water to a construction site before the permanent connection is available. It powers everything a live site depends on: hand tools and machinery, site lighting, site cabins and offices, welfare facilities, and generators.

A temporary supply is typically used for up to 12 months. If power is needed beyond that, a permanent connection is required instead. Crucially, taking a temporary supply does not commit you to a permanent one, and it can be decommissioned when the works finish or, more efficiently, converted into the permanent connection the finished development needs.

When Do You Need One?

You typically need a temporary builders supply when:

• A new development site has no existing power or water
• An existing supply has been disconnected for demolition and the site still needs power during the rebuild
• The permanent connection will not be ready before construction starts
• Site offices, welfare units or security need a reliable metered supply
• Heavy machinery or plant needs more power than a generator can economically provide

Getting the temporary supply in early keeps the build moving while the permanent connection is designed and delivered in the background.

Temporary Builders Supply Services

• Temporary electricity connections, single-phase and three-phase
• Temporary water connections for site works and welfare
• Load assessment to size the supply correctly
• DNO and supplier coordination, including the MPAN and supply contract
• Meter operator (MOP) contract arrangement for larger supplies
• Weatherproof, secure supply housing for the site
• Capacity adjustments as the site's needs change through the build
• Conversion to permanent supply or full decommissioning on completion

Single-Phase or Three-Phase, and How Much Power

The right temporary supply depends on the size of your site and what it has to run. Supplies split broadly by capacity, with 70 kVA the usual dividing line.

Smaller sites running basic tools, lighting and a site office are usually single-phase. Larger developments with multiple units, heavy plant and multiple site offices need a three-phase supply, and above 70 kVA the process also requires a meter operator (MOP) contract, which we arrange as part of the service.

Convert to Permanent, or Decommission

One of the biggest advantages of arranging your temporary supply with a provider that also delivers permanent connections is what happens at the end. When the build completes, your temporary builders supply can either be:

• Converted into the permanent connection the development needs, which is often more cost-effective and faster than starting a permanent connection from scratch, or
• Decommissioned and removed cleanly if no permanent supply is required

Because Air Utilities delivers both, we plan the temporary supply with the permanent connection in mind from the start, so you are not paying twice for work that could have been done once.

What We Need to Arrange Your Supply

To get your temporary supply moving quickly, it helps to have:

• The site address and access details
• A site contact name, telephone and email
• The expected load, what you need to power on site
• Whether you need electricity, water, or both
• Your programme dates and how long the supply is needed

Where the load is not yet clear, we assess it for you and recommend the right supply configuration.

How Long Does a Temporary Builders Supply Take?

Timescales depend on whether there is existing infrastructure nearby and how much work the network operator has to do. As a general industry guide, a straightforward temporary supply where the network is close can be arranged in a few weeks, while sites that need new cabling or a longer connection to reach the network take longer. Because the temporary supply often sits on the critical path at the very start of a build, it is worth arranging as early as possible. We start the DNO and supplier coordination straight away so power is on site when your programme needs it.

Our Temporary Builders Supply Process

1. 1

   Site assessment

   We review the site, evaluate the load and determine the right temporary supply configuration.

2. 2

   Application and coordination

   We prepare and submit the applications, coordinating with the DNO and supplier to secure approvals and the MPAN.

3. 3

   Contract and metering

   We arrange the temporary supply contract and, for larger supplies, the meter operator (MOP) contract.

4. 4

   Installation

   We install the metered connection, cabling and secure supply housing.

5. 5

   Connection, support and handover

   We connect and test the supply, support any capacity changes during the build, and convert or decommission it on completion.

Frequently Asked Questions