I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve been burned by “just enough” wiring more than once. Last year, I thought a single 20A line would be plenty for my garage—then I bought a table saw and suddenly I’m tripping breakers every weekend. Ended up trenching again in August heat. If you can swing it, running a bigger conduit or extra circuits up front saves a lot of sweat (and swearing) later. Sometimes “overkill” is just being realistic about how projects tend to snowball.
Totally get that—been there with the “just enough” approach and regretted it. I ran a 12/2 thinking I’d only ever need lights and a charger, then suddenly I’m eyeing a mini-split and an EV charger. Extra conduit is cheap insurance, honestly.
I get where you’re coming from with the “extra conduit is cheap insurance” mindset, but I’ve actually found that overbuilding can sometimes backfire, especially if you’re aiming for a lower-impact remodel. There’s a tendency to assume we’ll need all this extra capacity, but in my experience, being intentional about what you really want to power can save resources and money.
Extra conduit is cheap insurance, honestly.
It’s true, conduit itself isn’t expensive, but the more you run, the more you’re tempted to fill it up later with stuff you might not actually need. I went minimal in my last garage project—just enough for LED lighting and a single 20A outlet—and it forced me to get creative with energy use. Ended up going solar for the mini-split instead of running more wire. Not saying it’s for everyone, but sometimes constraints spark better solutions than just planning for “maybe someday.”
I totally get what you mean about constraints sparking creativity. When I was running power to my old carriage house, I kept thinking, “Should I just future-proof everything?” But honestly, the more I planned for “someday,” the more overwhelmed I got. Ended up just wiring for what I actually needed—lights and a couple outlets. Years later, I haven’t really missed the extra capacity. Sometimes less really is more, especially in these old places where every new wire feels like a negotiation with the past.
I hear you on the “negotiation with the past” part—every time I open up a wall in my 1920s place, it’s like unearthing a time capsule. I get the urge to future-proof, but honestly, I think there’s a point where it just doesn’t make sense. Overwiring can be a headache, especially if you’re trying to preserve original plaster or trim. I’ve found that sticking to what you actually use keeps things simpler and respects the house’s character. If you ever do need more power down the line, there are usually creative ways to add it without tearing everything apart.
