Totally agree with the “rabbit hole” comment. I’ve run into the same thing—overdesigning for every possible scenario just eats up budget and panel space. A few things I always keep in mind:
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Couldn’t agree more. Conduit’s your friend, and leaving a couple panel slots open is smart.“My rule of thumb is to focus on flexibility rather than sheer quantity.”
- One thing I’d add: don’t underestimate how much power even a small compressor or dust collector can draw. I’ve had clients surprised by tripped breakers because we tried to “right-size” too aggressively.
- Lighting’s another one—people always want stadium-bright at first, then end up using half the fixtures.
It’s a balance. Planning for what’s likely, not every wild “what if,” usually works out best.
Funny you mention lighting—I've lost count of how many times folks ask for “daylight everywhere” and then end up using just a couple fixtures. I do think it’s worth running a slightly heavier gauge wire than you think you’ll need, though. Not saying go wild, but compressors and dust collectors can spike way higher than people expect, especially if you add something down the line. Ever had someone try to run a welder off a “right-sized” circuit? That’s a quick lesson in planning for a little headroom.
Totally agree about the headroom. I’ve seen folks try to get clever and “just” run a 20A circuit, then two years later they’re calling me because they bought a bigger table saw or want to add a mini split. It’s wild how fast you outgrow what seemed like plenty. And yeah, welders are notorious for tripping breakers—seen that movie too many times. I usually tell people: it’s not just about what you have now, but what you’ll want when you get bored next winter...
I get the “plan for headroom” idea, but I’ve honestly never needed more than a single 20A circuit in my garage. Maybe it’s because I’m running a pretty tight ship—no big saws or welders, just the usual hand tools, lights, and a fridge out there. When I first wired it up, everyone told me I’d regret not going bigger, but five years in and I haven’t tripped a breaker once.
it’s not just about what you have now, but what you’ll want when you get bored next winter...
I hear you, but sometimes it’s about knowing your own limits. If I ever do decide to buy a welder or something that needs more juice, I figure I’ll cross that bridge then. For folks on a budget, running extra wire “just in case” can add up fast. Not saying it’s wrong to future-proof, just that not everyone’s needs grow as fast as people think. Maybe I’m the odd one out?
Yeah, I get where you’re coming from. Not everyone’s out here trying to turn their garage into a full-blown workshop or car restoration bay. If you know your habits and you’re not planning on adding big power tools, then a single 20A circuit totally makes sense. I did something similar in my last place—just lights, a chest freezer, and the usual drills and stuff. Never had an issue.
People love to talk about “future-proofing,” but honestly, sometimes it feels like overkill. Sure, if you’re already trenching and running conduit, it’s easier to go bigger at the start. But copper isn’t cheap, and neither is your time if you’re doing it yourself. I’ve seen folks run 60A subpanels for a garage that never sees more than a couple LED shop lights and a radio.
That said, I did once regret not running an extra circuit when I suddenly got into woodworking during lockdown... but that was more about me getting bored than anything else. Ended up just being careful not to run the heater and the miter saw at the same time.
At the end of the day, you know your own space better than anyone else. If what you’ve got works for you and hasn’t tripped in five years, that’s proof enough. Some people just like having options “just in case,” but there’s nothing wrong with keeping things simple if that matches how you use the place.
