In this case study, we are going to showcase how PTX Electric can help property managers by making their job easier with efficient and timely electrical service. This was a job with one of the local property managers, Metropolitan Property Management with its office in Surrey.

While most property managers look at electricians as an expense, we will show you how an electrician can actually increase the property’s value and command higher rent, while making the property more attractive for tenants. We can also find ways to save money through rebaits which cut costs even further.

About Metropolitan Property Management

Metropolitan is a well-established property management company in Greater Vancouver. It was founded in 2016 with partners all across British Columbia, Alerta, Manitoba and Phoenix, Arizona. They care deeply about the community and support several local charities.

They specialize in:

  • Property Management 
  • Management strata
  • Leasing services

Their head office borders Surrey and Langley but also has clients all across Burnaby, Coquitlam, Cloverdale, and Delta.

With their commitment to their clients, ensuring a two-day callback time, they emphasize their customer service, which is something we also feel passionate about at PTX.  

What Was The Electrical Problem

Metropolitan came to us because they were having problems with nine of their lighting on the second floor of an office building. They couldn’t rent the vacant units out, and the tenants they did have were complaining.

They were losing out on rent, and they needed someone to help them. In addition, the building was around 80 years old and had originally been a restaurant but had been converted for a number of other uses including a performance arts studio, a community center, a hotel, before finally being converted into an office building.

How PTX Electric Helped

We have worked with Metropolitan on several properties before and they liked how fast and efficient we were because we were always there on time and came under budget. The first thing we did was a power consumption assessment which we costed out.

They currently had 159 standard fluorescent T12 lighting fixtures on the second floor between units 201 and 209 and in the hallway. We realized that they would need to be replaced within the next two years, otherwise the building would be a fire hazard. We also set them up with an account on BC Hydro for a lighting rebate which totalled $4,300 in savings against the project.

Once we got the go-ahead, we upgraded the quality of lighting. We replaced the T12 lights with 50w LED fixtures which are much more energy-efficient. We opened up the walls and found the lighting was a mess of wiring. Aluminum went into copper wiring and then back to aluminum. Knowing the history of the building, we knew that it would need a major update but we didn’t expect it to be quite as bad. In addition to the wiring, we found there weren’t enough junction boxes that splits the wires.

Lastly, we added a timer to control the lights, automatically shutting them off at night which would save them power over the lifespan of the building.

Solution

Metropolitan was extremely happy with the end results because they could now rent out the remaining units, which would give them additional income. Not only that, but by switching out the lights, they had an annual saving in their electricity bill of $10,466.71 plus the $4,300 that they would save from the rebate. Our calculations were that they would pay back the entire project, not including renting out the units in 25 months. 

This job helped to cement our relationship with Metropolitan who is a great strategic partner because they could see the value of hiring expert electricians. If you have an issue with your property then please don’t hesitate to give PTX Electric a call.