Case Study: 12-Room Accommodation Electrical Refurb at Darlo Bar, Darlinghurst
Saunders Electrical Group delivered a full electrical refurbishment across all 12 upstairs guest rooms, 5 bathrooms, and communal areas at Darlo Bar in Darlinghurst, in partnership with hospitality group Solotel — completed in three staged visits over roughly three weeks to work around a live, operating venue. Contractor Licence 344815C.
The Brief
Darlo Bar’s upstairs accommodation rooms needed a full electrical refresh as part of a wider refurbishment. As a working hospitality venue, the job couldn’t be run as a single continuous block like a residential renovation — the electrical works had to be staged around the bar and accommodation remaining partially operational, with defined windows for rough-in and fit-off rather than open-ended access.
Scope of Works
Each of the 12 upstairs rooms received:
- TV installation
- Additional powerpoints
- Bedside lighting
- Surface-mounted directional downlights
- Dimmer control
In addition to the 12 rooms, the job included a full lighting upgrade across all 5 guest bathrooms and a communal lighting upgrade across the shared upstairs areas — delivering one consistent electrical standard across the entire upstairs footprint rather than a room-by-room patchwork.
How the Job Was Staged
Rather than one continuous block, the job was delivered across three separate visits to fit around Darlo Bar’s operating schedule:
- Week 1 — 3 days: Rough-in electrical works across the rooms and communal areas
- Week 2 — 3 days: Fit-off, completing switches, powerpoints, downlights, and dimmer controls
- 2 weeks later — 2 days: A final stage of rough-in and fit-off on the last bedroom
This staged approach — rough-in and fit-off split across defined visits, with a final room completed as its own mini-stage two weeks after the main works — reflects how commercial accommodation refurbs actually run in practice: around the business, not instead of it. It’s a different planning discipline to a standard residential job, where an electrician typically has continuous, unrestricted access to the property.
The Result
All 12 rooms, 5 bathrooms, and communal areas were brought up to a single consistent standard — TV points, powerpoints, bedside lighting, directional downlights, and dimmer control in every room, and matching lighting upgrades through the shared spaces and bathrooms. Saunders Electrical Group continues to partner with Solotel on commercial refurbishment electrical works across their hospitality venues.
Why This Matters for Commercial and Hospitality Clients
A residential electrician and a commercial refurbishment electrician aren’t solving the same problem. Working across 12 rooms for a hospitality operator means staging works around live trading hours, coordinating fit-off windows with other trades, and delivering a uniform standard across every room rather than treating each as a one-off job. Saunders Electrical Group (Contractor Licence 344815C) delivers this kind of staged, multi-room commercial electrical work alongside its residential services across the Hills District, Hawkesbury, and greater Sydney region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an electrician work in a venue while it’s still trading?
Yes. Commercial electrical works can be staged around a venue’s trading hours by splitting the job into defined rough-in and fit-off visits, rather than requiring continuous, uninterrupted access. The Darlo Bar refurbishment was completed this way, working around the venue’s ongoing operation.
How long does a 12-room accommodation electrical refurb take?
The Darlo Bar 12-room refurbishment was completed across three staged visits: 3 days of rough-in, 3 days of fit-off the following week, and a final 2-day stage two weeks later for the last room. Total on-site time was 8 days, spread across roughly three weeks to accommodate the venue’s operating schedule.
Do I need to close my venue for an electrical refurbishment?
Not necessarily. A staged approach, separating rough-in and fit-off into planned visits, allows electrical works to proceed while a venue remains partially operational, rather than requiring a full closure for the duration of the job.
Enquire About Your Commercial Refurbishment
Saunders Electrical Group is a trusted commercial refurbishment partner to Solotel and delivers staged electrical works for hospitality venues, multi-room accommodation refurbishments, and commercial fit-outs. Contact us to discuss your commercial electrical project.