Ordering electrical switchgear isn’t like ordering standard material. Lead times are longer, specifications are tighter, and mistakes can ripple across an entire project schedule. Too often, switchgear issues show up late, when changes are expensive and crews are already waiting.
At All County Electric Supply, we work with contractors early in the process to help avoid common switchgear pitfalls. Before placing your next order, here are five critical things every contractor should know.
1. Lead Times Can Make or Break Your Schedule
What Contractors Miss:
Switchgear often has significantly longer lead times than other electrical equipment.
Why It Matters:
If switchgear arrives late, energization is delayed and that can stall inspections, commissioning, and occupancy.
What to Do Instead:
Engage your distributor early to confirm realistic lead times and explore alternate configurations or manufacturers when timelines are tight. Planning ahead gives you options instead of surprises.
2. Specifications Need to Be Locked Early
What Contractors Miss:
Small spec changes, ampacity, breaker type, enclosure rating can require reengineering or restart the manufacturing clock.
Why It Matters:
Late changes can push delivery weeks or months beyond the original schedule.
What to Do Instead:
Confirm all specs upfront, including voltage, fault ratings, environment, and future expansion needs. Early review helps ensure what’s ordered is exactly what the project requires.
3. Approved Substitutions Should Be Identified Up Front
What Contractors Miss:
Relying on a single specified manufacturer without approved alternatives.
Why It Matters:
If availability changes, last-minute substitutions can delay approval or increase costs.
What to Do Instead:
Work with a distributor who understands manufacturer equivalencies and can help identify approved alternates early, before procurement becomes urgent
4. Delivery Logistics Are Just as Important as the Equipment
What Contractors Miss:
Assuming switchgear delivery is a simple drop-off.
Why It Matters:
Switchgear often requires coordinated delivery, staging, and site access. Poor planning can lead to damaged equipment, storage issues, or rescheduled crews.
What to Do Instead:
Plan delivery and staging in advance. Leveraging warehousing and logistics support allows switchgear to arrive when the site is ready, not before and not too late.
5. Your Distributor Should Be a Planning Partner, Not Just a Vendor
What Contractors Miss:
Treating switchgear orders as a transaction instead of a coordinated process.
Why It Matters:
Switchgear touches design, scheduling, inspections, and commissioning. Gaps in communication create delays and cost overruns.
What to Do Instead:
Partner with a distributor who provides pricing visibility, manufacturer insight, logistics coordination, and proactive communication throughout the project lifecycle.
Plan Switchgear Smarter with All County Electric Supply
Switchgear projects succeed when planning starts early. All County Electric Supply supports contractors with trusted manufacturers, specification support, and coordinated delivery strategies that keep projects on track.
If you’re bidding or planning a project that includes switchgear, bring us in early, we’ll help you avoid delays and order with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Switchgear is often built to order and requires detailed engineering, testing, and manufacturer scheduling.
As early as possible, ideally during design finalization or immediately after award.
Yes. Experienced distributors can recommend approved alternatives that meet specs and availability needs.
Absolutely. Staging switchgear prevents site congestion and ensures delivery aligns with installation readiness.
A distributor with switchgear expertise, manufacturer relationships, and logistics capabilities, like All County Electric Supply.