EV Charger Installation and Infrastructure: What Every Los Angeles Property Owner Needs to Know

Electric vehicles (EVs) are changing the way Los Angeles drives—and they’re transforming our homes, workplaces, and communities too. As EV adoption accelerates, the need for reliable, scalable, and future-ready EV charging infrastructure becomes mission-critical. Whether you’re a facility manager, multifamily owner, or homeowner, understanding the ins-and-outs of EV charger installation is key to making smart investments that last and support your sustainability goals.

Why EV Charging Infrastructure Matters

Managing EV Chargers as a New Asset Category

Common Pitfalls and Regulatory Lessons

Best Practices for Future-Proofing Your Charging Investment

The Importance of Quality Over Low Cost

Charger Upgradability and Obsolescence

Conclusion: How Shaffer Construction, Inc. Can Help

Why EV Charging Infrastructure Matters

EV adoption is at an all-time high, driven by consumer demand, government incentives, and California’s push toward zero-emission transportation. In Los Angeles, there’s a growing expectation for building owners and managers to provide access to reliable charging—at home, at work, and in the community.

Investing in charging infrastructure isn’t just about attracting tenants and keeping up with trends. It’s about future-proofing your property, reducing emissions, and supporting a cleaner city. As public charging networks expand and property owners roll out charging at scale, the spotlight is on smart planning and quality implementation.

Managing EV Chargers as a New Asset Category

Facility managers are used to taking care of elevators, HVAC, and lighting. But EV chargers introduce a complex mix of hardware, software, electrical safety, and connectivity. Unlike traditional assets, they require:

Scheduled electrical and safety maintenance (as per manufacturer guidelines)

Software monitoring for uptime, diagnostics, and even remote troubleshooting

Protection from external threats, such as vandalism or cable theft

Integration into broader asset management frameworks (lifecycles, cost, replacement planning)

EV charging downtime isn’t just inconvenient; it interrupts building operations, frustrates tenants, and can cause loss of revenue or productivity. That’s why proactive maintenance and specialized support are crucial to minimize disruptions and maximize return on your investment.

Common Pitfalls and Regulatory Lessons

Global case studies offer warnings and inspiration:

Poor Planning Leads to Obstacles: In Dublin, a lack of sensible rules for on-street or multi-unit charger installation led to neighbors battling over charging arms, cable ramps, and unclear regulations—slowing wider adoption [The Irish Times].

Smart Expansion: In West Sussex, UK, authorities not only expand on-street charging but also upgrade underlying wiring to ensure networks can be scaled as demand grows. Their community-led consultation process is a model for cities everywhere [BBC News].

The lesson: don’t wait to plan for future demand, and always check local regulations before making any installation permanent. As public expectations and building codes evolve, it’s essential to stay informed so your investment doesn’t become a liability.

Best Practices for Future-Proofing Your Charging Investment

Conduct a Site Assessment: Evaluate your property’s current electrical capacity, parking allocation, and likely EV demand in the next 5-10 years.

Install Scalable Infrastructure: Lay conduit and wiring for more stations than you think you need. The cost to add more later is much higher if you don’t plan for it now [BBC News].

Choose Reliable, Upgradeable Chargers: Some cheaper chargers are sealed, single-use units destined for landfill if standards change or new features are needed. Look for units with replaceable parts, software upgradability, and industry certifications [Devon Live].

Protect Assets with Smart Monitoring: Choose units and vendors that provide ongoing remote diagnostics and can escalate to on-site support if needed. This keeps downtime to a minimum and saves money.

Whether addressing multifamily, commercial, or residential needs, make sure to account for accessibility, grid integration, and potential for smart charging or vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology in the future.

The Importance of Quality Over Low Cost

Everyone loves a deal, but when it comes to EV chargers, cheapest isn’t always best. In Costa Rica, a flood of low-cost (but uncertified) chargers and adapters entering the market threatened the safety of users and the viability of charger networks. Without oversight, these products caused:

Melted connectors

Damaged public charging equipment

Increased maintenance costs—offsetting any upfront savings

Local industry leaders called for stricter standards, technical regulation, and public education to safeguard infrastructure and ensure user safety [Mobility Portal].

For LA property owners, this means always insisting on certified, well-supported products backed by local technical expertise. The risk of saving upfront only to pay more in repairs and lost uptime isn’t worth it.

Charger Upgradability and Obsolescence

EV charging technology is advancing at lightning pace. Some chargers bought today—including those installed on countless California driveways—are sealed units that can’t be updated or repaired. As new standards and features emerge (such as bi-directional vehicle-to-grid capability, load balancing, or utility tariff integration), these obsolete models may need to be thrown out and replaced, sending thousands of units to landfill by 2030 [Devon Live].

To avoid waste and avoidable cost, property owners should:

Ask for hardware that supports remote software updates and component upgrades

Check that chargers are compatible with current and upcoming utility incentives (smart tariffs, demand response)

Ensure that multi-tenant properties can meter usage and bill appropriately—future charges may rely on this flexibility

Total Cost of Ownership: Energy Costs, Maintenance, and Reliability

Operating costs matter as much as installation costs. One field report sums it up:

DC fast-charging on the highway is currently more expensive per mile than gasoline—around $0.14 per mile versus $0.10 per mile in a hybrid. Planning and app reliability can swing trip budgets by $40 or more over long distances [Torque News].

Level 2 home charging, especially when scheduled for overnight off-peak rates, delivers much lower costs and is usually the best deal for daily driving.

Charger reliability is crucial: networked monitoring allows vendors and owners to spot and fix issues before users get stuck, maximizing uptime.

Smart software, integration with utility programs, and robust installation practices ensure that your investment brings ongoing value—not headaches.

Creating Confidence Through Education

Many property owners and facility managers are still learning about charger management and maintenance. There is a spectrum of maintenance models, from self-managed (with regular inspection) to fully-managed service contracts. Education around basic troubleshooting, user habits (don’t flip the isolator switch!), and when to call for specialist help prevents simple errors from becoming costly outages [Fleet EV News].

Conclusion: How Shaffer Construction, Inc. Can Help

Shaffer Construction, Inc. is an electrical and general contractor serving all of Los Angeles, specializing in high-quality EV charger installations and infrastructure planning. Our team helps you:

Choose certified, upgradeable, and reliable charging hardware

Plan scalable conduit and wiring during installation

Integrate smart software and monitoring

Stay ahead of local and state regulations

Manage maintenance proactively to avoid downtime and surprise costs

Invest in EV charging now—do it the smart way, and you’ll be ready for the future, not stuck with expensive surprises or landfill waste.

Ready to take the next step? Call Shaffer Construction, Inc. at 323-642-8509, email hello@shaffercon.com, or visit us at 325 N Larchmont Blvd. #202, Los Angeles, CA 90004.