Physical IT Infrastructure & Mission-Critical MEP
You manage the network. We manage the physics.
Your Head of IT is a network and systems expert. They should not be calculating BTU cooling loads, arguing with electricians over UPS panels, or navigating fire-life safety codes for badge readers. Base Layer FM acts as the physical extension of your digital IT team.
Bridging the gap between IT and Construction.
When moving into a new facility or upgrading an MDF/IDF server room, the biggest failure point is the handoff between the IT department and the physical contractors. We speak both languages. We step in as your Owner's Rep to manage the MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) requirements specific to high-density compute environments.
Precision Cooling (HVAC)
Standard office air conditioning shuts off on weekends. We engineer and oversee the installation of dedicated CRAC/CRAH units, calculate sensible heat loads, and ensure 24/7 redundant cooling so your servers never melt down.
Mission-Critical Power (Electrical)
We manage the electrical contractors to ensure your racks have dedicated 208V/220V circuits, integrated UPS battery backups, Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS), and properly grounded isolated receptacles.
Risk Mitigation (Plumbing)
We protect your hardware from the building. We oversee the routing of condensate lines, install under-floor leak detection systems, and navigate pre-action dry-pipe fire suppression to prevent catastrophic water damage.
The Line of Demarcation
We establish a strict boundary between facility infrastructure and IT operations. We build the physical room and pull the cables; your team racks the gear and provisions the software.
- Installing precision CRAC/HVAC cooling
- Overseeing UPS electrical panel & circuit installs
- Managing low-voltage cable pulls & pathways
- Physical mounting of security cameras & badge readers
- Fire-life safety & fire marshal integration
- Managing all physical construction contractors
- Racking and stacking servers & switches
- Configuring network topology & firewalls
- Provisioning software & assigning IP addresses
- Managing active directory & user permissions
- Configuring access control software (e.g., Okta/Brivo)
- Managing cybersecurity & data integrity
Low-Voltage & Security Vendor Management
Pulling fiber through a drop ceiling and mounting cameras is a construction project, not a software deployment. We manage the physical installation of your network and security ecosystem.
Low-Voltage & ISPs
We oversee your cabling contractors. We manage cable trays, coordinate ISP fiber entry points into the building (MPOE), and ensure all firewall penetrations are legally fire-stopped.
Access Control Integrations
Installing systems like Brivo, Kisi, or Verkada requires tying magnetic locks directly into the building's main fire alarm panel. We manage this highly-regulated integration with the fire marshal.
Bay Area Coverage
We provide physical IT infrastructure management and server room build-out oversight across the primary Bay Area tech and biotech corridors:
San Francisco
Silicon Valley
The Peninsula
East Bay
Tri-Valley
North Bay
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you configure our network switches or servers? +
No. We stop at the rack. Our job is to build the secure, cooled, and powered physical environment. We hand over a pristine, fully operational MDF/IDF room so your IT team can simply arrive, rack the gear, and provision the software.
Do you provide the low-voltage cabling contractors? +
We can manage your existing IT vendors, or we can bring in our vetted network of Bay Area low-voltage, security, and electrical contractors. We act as the General Contractor and Owner's Rep for the physical build.
Why can't we just use the building's standard AC for our server room? +
Standard building HVAC is designed for human comfort, not hardware. It introduces humidity and often shuts down on weekends or holidays. Servers generate massive "sensible heat" and require 24/7/365 precision cooling (CRAC units) to prevent immediate hardware failure.
What is a pre-action dry-pipe fire system? +
Standard fire sprinklers hold pressurized water directly above your servers. If a pipe leaks, your hardware is destroyed. A pre-action system keeps the pipes dry until a smoke detector confirms an actual fire, adding a critical layer of protection for high-value IT assets.
Let IT handle the cloud. We'll handle the concrete.
Whether you are moving into a new headquarters or upgrading your critical infrastructure, let’s get the physics right the first time.
Contact Gabe to Get Started
