I get where you’re coming from—there’s always that balance between “do it right” and “don’t overcomplicate it.” I’ve seen both sides play out. Years ago, I wired up a detached garage for a client who insisted on just direct burial UF cable for a single 20A circuit. At the time, it made sense—cheaper, quicker, and he swore he’d never need more than a few outlets and lights.
Fast forward six or seven years, suddenly he’s got an EV charger in his sights and wants to run a small woodworking setup out there. Pulling new wire? That was a nightmare. We ended up trenching again because fishing anything through the ground just wasn’t happening. He kicked himself for not spending the extra $100 or so on PVC conduit back then.
On the flip side, I’ve also had folks put in 1-1/2" conduit for what ends up being nothing but a couple of outlets and a fridge... feels like overkill in those cases. But honestly, if you think there’s even a slight chance you’ll want to upgrade down the road—maybe add a subpanel or heavier loads—conduit is worth it. Not just for future pulls, but also if you ever have to replace damaged wire (mice, moisture, whatever), it’s way less hassle.
The cost difference isn’t massive when you look at the whole project (trenching, wire, etc). If you’re already digging a trench, tossing in some PVC usually adds maybe 10-15% to the material cost but can save hours of labor later.
I guess my take is: if you like future-proofing and hate digging twice, conduit isn’t overkill. If you’re absolutely positive your needs won’t change... direct burial is fine. But most people underestimate how much they’ll want from their garage later on.
Yeah, that hits close to home. When I did my garage, I was all about keeping costs down, so I went with direct burial too. At the time, I just wanted a few lights and a freezer out there, nothing fancy. Now I’m kicking myself because I kinda want a heater and maybe a welder, but I’d have to dig everything up again. I didn’t think I’d ever need more, but here I am... hindsight’s 20/20, right? Conduit felt like overkill back then, but I get why people say it’s worth it.
Man, I hear you. I did almost the exact same thing about ten years ago—ran UF cable straight in the trench because it was cheaper and seemed like plenty for what I needed. At the time, I figured, “How much power could a garage possibly need?” Fast forward, and now I’m wishing I’d just spent the extra on conduit. Ended up wanting to put in a small air compressor and a bigger table saw, and suddenly that 15-amp circuit wasn’t cutting it.
Digging it all up is such a pain, especially if you’ve already got concrete or landscaping over it. If I ever do another outbuilding, I’m running conduit with a couple extra pull strings—future me will thank me for it. It’s one of those things where saving a few bucks up front can really bite you later. But hey, live and learn... at least we’re not alone in making these calls.
But hey, live and learn...
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen plenty of folks run UF cable direct-buried and never have an issue, even years down the line. Conduit’s great for flexibility, sure, but it’s not always necessary if you’re certain about your long-term needs. Sometimes overbuilding can be just as wasteful as underbuilding. That said, I do like your idea of extra pull strings—makes life easier if you ever change your mind.
I hear you on the overbuilding thing—my garage project turned into a “just in case” extravaganza and now I have more empty conduit than actual wiring. Sometimes I wonder if I’m prepping for a future hot tub or just giving myself more to dust. Out of curiosity, has anyone regretted not running conduit for lighting upgrades later? Or is that just my inner planner talking...