EV Charging Station Installation: What Is Covered
Facility First manages EV charging station installation at every location in a program, including the work below, with the same request, approval and record for each job.
- Site assessments and electrical capacity review
- Level 2 and DC fast charger installation coordination
- Permits and utility coordination where required
- Charger repair and preventive maintenance
- Signage, striping and accessible space layout
- Network and payment troubleshooting with the charger provider
Commercial EV Charger Repair
Repair requests are submitted through the platform or by phone, triaged for priority and dispatched to a vetted EV charger provider in the location’s market. Common requests include:
- Charger offline. A charger that has lost power or its network connection shows as unavailable in driver apps. The provider checks the breaker, power supply and signal, and works with the charging network on remote resets.
- Payment or authorization failures. Drivers can plug in but the card reader, app or RFID card will not start a session. The provider checks the reader and connection at the unit, while the charging network handles pricing and driver accounts.
- Damaged cables and connectors. Cables are run over, dropped on the pavement or cut for their copper. A cable with exposed conductors or a cracked connector is taken out of service until it is replaced.
- Broken holsters and cable management. A broken holster or retractor leaves the cable across the space or accessible route, where it is a trip hazard. The provider repairs or replaces the holster or cable arm.
- Vehicle impact damage. Pedestals and bollards are hit by vehicles in tight parking areas. The provider makes the unit safe, checks the mounting and wiring and notes whether bollards or wheel stops are needed.
- Tripped breakers and ground faults. Repeated breaker trips, ground fault errors or sessions that stop partway point to a problem in the circuit or the unit. A licensed electrician tests both before the charger goes back in service.
- Screen and display failures. A blank or cracked screen hides instructions and pricing. The provider confirms whether it can be replaced on site or needs a warranty repair.
Every job is closed out with photos and notes, so the repair history for each location is kept in one place.
Preventive Maintenance Schedule for EV Charging Stations
A charger that is offline, damaged or blocked is a lost service for customers, staff and fleets, and repeated failures undo the investment in the equipment. Planned work (sometimes called preventative maintenance, or planned preventive maintenance outside the U.S.) finds worn cables, damaged connectors, blocked spaces and network faults before they become outages, and leaves each location with a record of uptime and repairs. Publicly accessible chargers funded under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program or other Title 23 federal funds also carry federal uptime, maintenance and reporting requirements under 23 CFR Part 680.
| Task | Recommended frequency | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Check that each charger is online, authorizing sessions and reporting to its network | Dailythrough the charger network’s monitoring | Facility First default |
| Visually inspect chargers, cables, connectors, holsters and pedestals for damage | Monthly | U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center (check parts periodically). Frequency: Facility First default |
| Clean charger housings, screens and connectors | Monthlywith the visual inspection | U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center (keep equipment clean). Frequency: Facility First default |
| Check that cables are stored securely and that cable management systems work and do not obstruct accessible routes | At every inspection | U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center; U.S. Access Board (cables must not obstruct accessible routes, and cable management systems must be kept in good condition). Frequency: Facility First default |
| Check that charging spaces, access aisles and routes are clear of bollards, trash cans, cable slack and plowed snow | Monthlyand after each snow event | U.S. Access Board. Frequency: Facility First default |
| Inspect signage, striping, wheel stops, bollards and lighting at charging spaces | Quarterly | Facility First default |
| Apply firmware and network software updates | As released by the manufacturer or charging network | Manufacturer instructions |
| Full preventive maintenance visit by a qualified electrician or certified technician, following the manufacturer’s checklist | Annuallyor at the manufacturer’s interval where it is shorter | Manufacturer instructionsInterval: Facility First default |
| Review warranty and network maintenance plan coverage, and confirm who is responsible for repairs | Annuallyand at each renewal | U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center. Frequency: Facility First default |
| Calculate uptime for each charging port over the previous 12 months (publicly accessible NEVI and Title 23 funded chargers) | Monthly; average annual uptime must be greater than 97% | 23 CFR 680.116(b) |
Facility First default is the starting interval in each program, adjusted for each site.
The authority having jurisdiction, the charger manufacturer, the charging network and the property’s insurer can require more frequent service, and each location’s schedule is set in its program and recorded on every visit.
Urgent EV Charger Requests
Urgent requests are flagged at intake and dispatched first. Where a failure leaves a location unsecured, McCray can post an officer until the work is complete. Facility First does not publish response-time guarantees; dispatch priorities are agreed in each client’s program.
Most charger faults reduce service without creating a hazard. Calls are judged by the risk of shock or fire and how many ports are down. Requests typically treated as urgent include:
- A pedestal or charger knocked over or struck by a vehicle
- Exposed wiring, a cut cable or a cracked connector
- A burning smell, smoke or scorch marks at the charger or its panel
- Water inside a charger enclosure after flooding or damage
- Every charger at the location offline where a fleet or staff depend on them
Site Assessment and Installation Planning
Before chargers are installed, a site assessment reviews panel and service capacity, the distance from the panel to the planned spaces and where trenching would cut through paving. It also looks at accessible spaces and routes, lighting, the cellular signal the chargers need and whether the landlord must approve the work. The result sets how many chargers, and of what type, the site can support, and whether a utility upgrade is needed.
Installation is then planned around permits, utility scheduling and trading hours. Trenching and concrete pads are phased so part of the lot stays open, and the electrician, the charger supplier and the charging network are coordinated so the units are online when the work ends. Each installation is recorded with photos, serial numbers and circuit details for later repairs and warranty claims.
How EV Charger Requests Are Handled
- Request. Submitted through the platform or by phone, with photos where available.
- Triage. Facility First confirms the scope, priority and any warranty.
- Dispatch. A vetted provider for this trade in the location’s market receives the work order.
- Completion. The provider checks in, documents the work with photos and closes out.
- Verification and invoice. The work is checked against the request and invoiced in one format.
What Affects the Cost of EV Charger Work
- Charger type and number of ports. Level 2 and DC fast chargers differ in equipment, power demand and installation work, and the scope grows with each port.
- Electrical capacity. Sites where the panel or utility service cannot carry the new load need upgrades before chargers are added.
- Distance and trenching. The run from the electrical panel to the charging spaces, and whether paving must be cut or bored, sets much of the installation work.
- Permits and utility requirements. Permitting, inspections and utility coordination vary by jurisdiction and add time and fees.
- Network and software subscriptions. Networked chargers usually carry ongoing charges for connectivity, payment processing and monitoring.
- Warranty coverage. Whether a unit is under warranty or a network maintenance plan decides who pays for parts and how a repair is ordered.
Approval limits set by the client decide what proceeds automatically and what is quoted first.
EV Charging Stations for Retail, Offices and Hotels
Charger placement, access and maintenance priorities depend on who uses the chargers and how long they stay.
- Retail Facility Maintenance. Customers charge while they shop, so chargers near the entrance need to be online and clearly marked.
- Shopping Centers and Malls. Chargers often sit in landlord-controlled common parking, so the program records who owns and maintains each unit.
- Corporate Offices. Workplace charging serves staff parked for the full day, with access and billing set by the employer.
- Hotels and Hospitality. Overnight guests expect chargers to work when they arrive, and front desk or valet staff need a clear way to report a fault.
- Distribution and Logistics. Electric fleet vehicles depend on depot chargers, so a failed unit can keep a vehicle off the road.
One Standard in Every Market
Facility First manages EV charger work the same way in New York, London, Dubai or Sydney. Outside the United States, the same work is often searched for as EV charge point installation or charge point maintenance. Each market is served by vetted local providers who hold the licenses and insurance the work requires, and every location follows the same request process, approval limits and reporting.
Why Multi-Site Businesses Use Facility First for EV Charger Work
- One request process for every location
- Vetted providers with the licenses and insurance the work requires
- Photos and notes on every job
- Approval limits set by the client
- One invoice format across markets
- Security through McCray when a site needs protection during or after the work
For EV Charger Providers
Licensed and insured EV charger providers can apply to join the Facility First network for commercial work at multi-site retail and corporate locations. Apply to join the network
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Installs EV Chargers?
Installation is assigned to licensed electricians, with permits and utility coordination handled as part of the scope where required.
Can Existing Chargers Be Maintained Even If Another Company Installed Them?
Yes. Existing chargers can be brought under the program for repair and scheduled maintenance.
Is a Site Assessment Needed First?
Yes. Electrical capacity, location and access are reviewed before any installation is quoted.
Does Facility First Manage EV Charger Work Outside the United States?
Yes. Facility First runs EV charger work as a managed service in the same markets McCray serves worldwide, through vetted local providers, with the same request, approval and reporting process at every location.
How Is EV Charger Work Priced?
Pricing depends on the scope, the location, the time of day and the materials required. Routine work proceeds within the approval limits set for the program, and anything above a limit is quoted for approval before it starts.
Can EV Charger Work Be Combined with Other Trades Under One Program?
Yes. Most clients put every trade under one program, with one request process, one invoice format and one record for each location.
How Often Should EV Charger Maintenance Be Scheduled at a Commercial Site?
The Facility First program default pairs daily remote checks of charger status with a monthly inspection and cleaning visit and an annual preventive maintenance visit, or the manufacturer’s interval where it is shorter. Publicly accessible chargers funded under the NEVI Formula Program or other Title 23 federal funds must also average more than 97% annual uptime for each charging port, calculated monthly over the previous 12 months.
What Is the Difference Between Level 2 and DC Fast Chargers?
Level 2 chargers suit sites where vehicles park for an hour or more, such as offices and hotels. DC fast chargers deliver far more power for shorter stops and need a larger electrical service and more installation work.
Who Handles Network, Payment and App Problems?
The charging network manages pricing, payment and the driver app. Facility First coordinates with the network on remote resets and account issues, and sends a provider to the site when the fault is in the hardware or its power supply.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center: Operation and Maintenance for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
- eCFR: 23 CFR Part 680, National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements (680.106 and 680.116)
- U.S. Access Board: Design Recommendations for Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging Stations