JP Electrical Services Company’s Terry Cramer (left) and Mark Jajowka work with a mini excavator to install underground conduit for a new Raising Cane’s restaurant in North Olmsted, OH.

JP Electrical Services Company President Jamie Pickens, with his wife, Jessica.

When Cleveland-area builders call Jamie Pickens in for new projects like restaurants and apartments, it’s because they know his JP Electrical Services Company (JP Electric) will be there from start to finish, providing electrical infrastructure at every stage of the construction process.

“On a new build, we’re among the first ones in and the last ones out,” says Jamie, JP Electric’s President and Owner. “At the beginning, we dig the trenches and lay the lines for power to the site. As construction progresses, we install all the interior wiring. For the final touches, we’re the ones who install the light fixtures and connect the appliances.”

Many electricians prefer to limit themselves to interior wiring or just running the underground services, Jamie notes. By providing both the initial prep and the interior work, JP Electric offers owners and general contractors comprehensive services that save them money, help keep them on schedule and free them from having to coordinate multiple contractors.

During its eight years in business, the company has developed a reputation for meeting tight schedules and providing exceptional service. “We’ve never missed a deadline, and we finish every project on budget,” Jamie says.

‘Just Me, Last Week’s Paycheck and a Van’

Jamie began working in construction when he was 14 and decided on an electrician’s career several years later. He started an electrical apprenticeship in 2003 and completed his training six years later. Along the way, he pursued independent projects on the side while working for established electricians.

Encouraged by the example of his older brother Glenn, who founded his own construction company, Icon Interiors, he decided to create an electrical business, even though he knew that doing so entailed big risks.

“When I started out, it was just me, last week’s paycheck and a van,” he says. He started small, seeking residential jobs and gradually worked his way into larger commercial projects.

He incorporated JP Electrical Services Company in 2012.

Today, at age 34, he employs a workforce of 15 electricians and recently moved the company into new headquarters near Cleveland’s West Park area, more than doubling his space to some 12,000 square feet.

“I’ve been fortunate in finding clients who recognize our value and have relied on us for multiple projects,” Jamie says. These include North Royalton-based Gross Residential, which builds and manages apartment units geared to the “55-plus” residential market throughout Ohio and other states. JP Electric’s success with Gross Residential has led to additional owner relationships building apartment complexes.

RCO Limited, a Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Ohio franchisee, has been building new outlets throughout the state’s northeastern region. The work reflects a sort of restaurant subspecialty for JP Electric. Other clients have included a Taco Bell franchise, Donatos Pizza chain, the casual dining Piada Italian Street Food restaurants and the high-end Summer House on the Gold Coast in suburban Lakewood, Ohio. About 10% of the company’s work involves renovations for single-family homes. Jamie’s team upgrades kitchens, bathrooms and basements, he says, but they don’t do much new single-family construction. He prefers to focus his efforts on commercial projects.

Shoehorned in Small Spaces

Putting electrical infrastructure into a small restaurant like a Raising Cane’s involves more than just the heavy electrical loads required for commercial kitchens—refrigerators, fryers, hoods, turbo ovens and walk-in freezers.

Commercial kitchen construction generally takes place on tight schedules, with all that equipment shoehorned into a relatively small area. Often, plumbers, carpenters, tilers and other trades are all working at the same time.

“Typically, the timeframe from rolling up on-site to handing the keys to the owner is about 16 weeks,” Jamie says. “In some restaurants, we have about a week and a half to get things done, and at any given time, there can be 18 to 20 subcontractors working in the building. You have to make sure everyone can do their work efficiently.”

A fine-dining establishment like Summer House offers a more relaxed schedule. Their kitchen situation is not that different—perhaps a little roomier—but their dining areas tend to involve more elaborate set ups for lighting controls, decorative fixtures and complex lighting schemes.

One Less Piece of the Puzzle

Compared to restaurants, multifamily apartments offer less crowded spaces to work in and more time to complete the project. “We’re usually involved in one or two buildings at any given time, usually four-story buildings that each hold 53 to 76 units,” Jamie says. “We’re there at the start with our Takeuchi mini excavator digging trenches, dropping conduit and adding temporary power to the site. A lot of times, project managers hire excavators as subcontractors, but that increases the costs and leads to scheduling conflicts. When I used subcontractors to do this work, I found the scheduling difficult and the prices too high. I tried renting machines, but that still created issues. So, I bought the Takeuchi to have more control over the process and to win more business for my company.”

He adds, “It paid for itself in the first year. And, it’s attractive to construction managers for us to have that capability. It lets us take care of all their electrical needs and is one less piece of the puzzle for them to worry about.”

After the groundwork is laid in and the framing started, the electricians lay out all the switches, outlets, conduits and panels, and pull the wiring into place. For the work, JP Electric provides all the parts except the light fixtures. The owners typically supply those. “We start with the rough wiring on the fourth floor and work our way down to the first,” Jamie says. “As the building progresses, we start back on the fourth floor with the finished wiring and work our way down again. We try to keep it simple.”

To better meet builders’ timeframes, they prefabricate as many elements as possible—assembling conduits, prepping electrical boxes with ground wires, fittings and covers, and preparing wiring assemblies. That’s done either in the JP Electric shop or in a CONEX shipping container on-site. The company’s new quarters in west Cleveland will provide more space for prep work in the shop.

Whatever is Needed

One might expect that, with a thriving business to run, Jamie spends less hands-on time in the field. That’s somewhat true. He supervises multiple sites, focuses on seeking new business, negotiates and plans projects and ensures that budgets line up and deadlines are met. But it’s not uncommon for his hands to be needed on-site.

“Things come up,” he says. “Last week we were in a severe time crunch on a project. With the deadline approaching, I went out and helped pour concrete for light pole bases on a Raising Cane’s restaurant.

“Our clients know that we will do whatever is needed to accomplish the job. That’s why they keep hiring us. I have a great crew of skilled employees who are committed to quality work.”

Turnover among employees is low. Jamie feels they appreciate his steady, straightforward approach. “I don’t B.S. the guys,” he says. “I try to support them both in work and personally. When someone needs help on-site, I do my best to provide it. If I know a single dad needs time off to take care of his kids, I’m fine with that, as well.

“It has always been my dream to own a successful contracting business, and I work very hard every day to make that dream a reality.”