I always wonder, do people actually use half those outlets, or is it just “future-proofing” gone wild?
Honestly, I’ve walked into some garages where it’s like, “Did you plan to run a server farm in here?” I get the logic behind future-proofing, but sometimes it feels like overkill. That said, I once skipped running heavier wire to a detached garage on a flip, thinking no one would ever need more than basic lighting and a few outlets. Next owner wanted a workshop and ended up tearing everything out to upgrade. Guess it’s a gamble—sometimes you win, sometimes you eat the cost.
I totally get where you’re coming from. It’s easy to look at a wall of outlets and think it’s overkill, but I’ve been on both sides of that coin. When we did our garage, I tried to keep costs down and only put in what we needed—now I wish I’d added a couple more circuits for tools and maybe an EV charger down the line. It’s tough to predict what the next owner (or even your future self) might want, but ripping out finished work later is way pricier than just running a bit more wire up front. Still, if you’re on a tight budget, sometimes you just have to make the call and hope it works out.
Yeah, I’m kicking myself for not running a bigger conduit when I had the trench open. At the time, it felt like overkill, but now I’m stuck with extension cords everywhere. Planning ahead is tough when you’re new to this stuff.
Totally get where you’re coming from. I had the same debate with myself when I was running power out to my shed—kept thinking, “Do I really need a 2-inch conduit for just a couple outlets and lights?” Ended up going smaller to save a few bucks, and now I’m regretting it every time I think about adding anything new out there. It’s wild how fast you run out of space once you start wanting more than just the basics.
Curious, did you look into any of those surface-mount raceways or outdoor-rated wire covers as a workaround? I’ve been eyeing them but not sure if they’re worth the hassle or just another band-aid fix. Also, did you have to deal with any weird local code stuff? My township inspector was super picky about everything, which made me second-guess every decision.
Honestly, those surface-mount raceways can be handy for quick fixes, but they’re not always the most elegant solution, especially if you want to keep things neat or might upgrade again later. I’ve seen folks use them and then end up ripping them out a year later when they finally bite the bullet and run a bigger conduit. Inspectors can be all over the place—mine wanted GFCI everywhere, even on stuff that technically didn’t need it. Did you run into any oddball requirements about burial depth or conduit fill? Some towns get really specific about that.
