I ran into a similar situation when I wired up my detached garage a few years back. I went with a 30A feed, thinking it’d be plenty for lights, a fridge, and the occasional power tool. It worked fine until I picked up welding as a hobby—then suddenly I was tripping breakers if the compressor kicked on while I was welding. In hindsight, I probably should’ve planned for that possibility, but at the time it felt like overkill to run anything bigger. It’s always a balance between cost, effort, and what you *think* you’ll need versus what actually happens down the line.
Man, this is the classic garage power trap. You think, “Eh, 30 amps? That’s more than enough for a few lights and a drill,” and then next thing you know you’re eyeing a plasma cutter or a big ol’ dust collector and suddenly you’re playing breaker roulette every time you flip a switch. I’ve been there. I actually went the opposite way—ran a 60A subpanel out to mine, and my buddies all said I was nuts. “What are you building, a spaceship?” they joked. But now I’ve got room for my table saw, heater, and even that random beer fridge my wife banished from the kitchen.
Honestly, it’s wild how fast “just a little workshop” turns into “mini industrial park.” The thing is, it’s way easier to run a bigger feed once than to dig up your yard again when you realize you want to add something else. Not saying everyone needs to go overboard, but if there’s even a remote chance you’ll get into something like welding or woodworking (or just want to plug in a bunch of stuff without thinking), it’s worth the extra wire and breaker cost up front.
I get the cost/effort thing though—trenching is no joke, especially if you hit rocks or roots. But man, nothing kills the creative flow like having to reset breakers every time you get on a roll. If I could go back, I’d probably have run conduit big enough for future upgrades too... hindsight is always 20/20.
Anyway, don’t beat yourself up about it. Most of us only learn this stuff by living through it. At least now you’ve got an excuse to upgrade—and maybe sneak in that bigger compressor while you’re at it.
Man, you nailed it with the “mini industrial park” vibe. I’ve seen so many garages start out as a spot for a lawnmower and some paint cans, then morph into full-on workshops with more power needs than half the houses on the block. I always tell folks—if you’re already digging that trench, just go bigger on the wire and conduit. It’s not even about what you want now, it’s about what you’ll want after you’ve lived with it for a year or two.
I get why people hesitate though. Copper prices are wild, and nobody loves spending extra on stuff they can’t see. But from a property value angle, having a garage wired up for real work is a legit selling point down the road. Plus, if you ever rent out or sell, future buyers love seeing that kind of “overbuilt” infrastructure.
Funny thing—I once bought a place where the previous owner ran 15A out to his detached shop... with extension cords buried in the dirt. Not even kidding. Had to redo everything just to get insurance to sign off. Lesson learned: do it right once, save yourself headaches later.
Running power out to a garage always turns into a bigger deal than people expect. I’ve seen clients get super frustrated when they realize their “just a few outlets” plan won’t cut it once they start adding tools, a beer fridge, or even just better lighting. I totally get the sticker shock on copper, but honestly, it’s one of those things where you’ll regret cutting corners.
Funny thing—I once bought a place where the previous owner ran 15A out to his detached shop... with extension cords buried in the dirt. Not even kidding.
That’s wild, but honestly, not even the worst I’ve seen. One place had a literal lamp cord running out to a shed for years—no conduit, just half-buried under gravel. Insurance wouldn’t touch it either.
From a design perspective, I always tell people: if you’re already opening up walls or digging trenches, future-proof it. Even if you don’t think you’ll ever need a welder or an EV charger, the next person might. And yeah, it’s not glamorous spending money on stuff you can’t see, but it pays off in peace of mind and resale value. Cutting corners on this stuff just isn’t worth the hassle later.
You nailed it—future-proofing is the way to go, even if it feels like overkill in the moment. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been called back a year later because someone “just needed one more circuit” after filling their garage with new gear.
- Running proper conduit and upsizing wire isn’t glamorous, but it’s way cheaper than re-trenching or patching up mistakes down the road.
- Insurance companies are getting pickier about DIY electrical, especially with all the horror stories out there (lamp cords under gravel... yikes).
- Even if you’re not planning for heavy loads now, things change—EV chargers, woodworking tools, or just better lighting can sneak up on you.
It’s easy to get sticker shock on copper and labor, but honestly, peace of mind and safety are worth every penny. Plus, if you ever sell, buyers notice when things are done right. Cutting corners might save a few bucks short-term, but it almost always comes back to bite you.
