What Is a Temporary Power Pole?
A temporary power pole, sometimes called a temp pole or spider box on a stick, is a metal or wood pole with a meter base, breaker panel, and outlets mounted on it, similar in purpose to the setup crews use for porta potty rental in Lehi. Utility crews tie into it so a construction site gets power before permanent service exists. It stands separate from the building and gets grounded on its own. Most jobs pull a 200 amp temporary power pole, enough for saws, lifts, lighting, and trailer hookups on a mid-size build. If you're running a mobile office trailer rental on site, this is usually what feeds it. Pair it with a light tower rental for night work and the site stays lit and powered without running extension cords across the lot. GFCI protection matters here too. OSHA 1926.404(b)(1)(ii) requires ground fault circuit interrupter protection on construction sites, and a temp pole set up wrong is one of the more common ways that requirement gets missed. Get the pole positioned before you plan temporary fence rental lines, since fence panels and power runs both need clear path.
How Much Does Temporary Power Pole Installation Cost?
Cost depends on amperage, distance from the utility connection point, and whether the site needs trenching or just a surface run. A 200 amp temp pole with a straightforward hookup costs less than a site needing a longer conduit run or a higher-capacity panel, and you can see how other site costs compare on our porta potty rental cost and dumpster rental cost pages. Get your city or county electrical inspector involved early, since Lehi permitting on temporary electrical service was not verified for this page and needs a direct check with the city before you schedule utility crews. Budget separately for the utility company's connection fee, which runs outside what Lehi Porta Pros quotes for the pole itself, the same way septic pumping service and holding tank rental get billed apart from delivery. If you're comparing this against other site costs, our construction site services page breaks down how power, fencing, and sanitation budgets usually stack together on a build in Lehi.
Where Should a Temporary Power Pole Go on a Construction Site?
Placement follows the utility company's rules for clearance and access, and every site in Lehi should confirm those distances before digging or setting the pole. Keep it clear of vehicle traffic, away from where a roll-off dumpster rental gets dropped and swapped, since a loaded truck needs about 60 feet of straight clearance behind it during delivery. Keep it out of the path where a storage container rental or 20ft storage container will sit, too. Most supervisors place the pole near the site entrance so utility crews and inspectors can reach it without crossing active work, much like the layout logic in our porta potty placement guide. If the site also needs a temporary power pole alongside standard construction dumpster rental service and portable restrooms, plan all three drop zones on one site map before anything gets delivered. Sites near American Fork, 5.9 miles southeast of Lehi, or Draper, 8.4 miles north, follow the same utility clearance logic, since it comes from the power company, not the city line, and the same holds for Saratoga Springs and Riverton crews further out.
How long does temporary power pole installation take?
Most installs take a single visit if the ground is graded and the utility connection point is confirmed ahead of time. Add time if trenching is required or if the utility company needs a separate scheduled hookup, similar to how emergency porta potty rental timelines shift around site access. Lehi Porta Pros coordinates delivery around your inspection date where possible.
Do I need a permit for a temporary power pole?
Likely yes, but permit rules vary and were not verified for this page. Confirm directly with your city or county building department before scheduling the pole and utility hookup, since inspection timing depends on their process.
What size temporary power pole do most construction sites need?
A 200 amp service covers most mid-size builds running saws, lifts, and trailer hookups. Larger sites with heavier equipment loads may need higher capacity, the same way a bigger crew needs more units, as covered in our OSHA portable toilet requirements guide. Talk through your equipment list before ordering so the panel is sized right the first time.
Can a temporary power pole run alongside portable restrooms and a dumpster?
Yes, and most active job sites in Lehi run all three together, often alongside a standard porta potty rental or an ADA accessible porta potty for crews that need it. Just map out clearance zones first, the way you would for a 10 yard dumpster rental or 20 yard dumpster rental sharing the same lot. Keep the pole away from delivery paths for dumpsters and containers, and check our how many porta potties do I need guide for restroom counts under OSHA 1926.51(c).
Does Lehi Porta Pros handle the utility company hookup too?
Lehi Porta Pros sets and grounds the pole and coordinates around your utility appointment, but the utility company completes its own connection and metering. Contact us through our request a quote page, check our FAQ or about pages for background, and we'll walk through scheduling for your Lehi site.
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