I’m with you—exposed EMT just feels right in a garage. There’s something about seeing all the runs and boxes that makes me want to grab a wrench and pretend I know what I’m doing. I rewired mine last year and went full “industrial chic” (aka, didn’t want to mess with drywall dust again). The inspector actually liked how tidy it was, but made me swap out a couple of connectors for the “right” ones. Apparently, my local code is allergic to set-screw fittings. Go figure... At least now if I need to add an outlet, it’s just a matter of popping in another box instead of cursing at studs behind drywall.
You nailed it with the exposed EMT—makes future changes a breeze, and honestly, it just looks right in a workspace. Inspectors can be sticklers about fittings, though. I’ve run into the same thing with set-screw vs. compression connectors, and it’s always a local code quirk. At least you got points for neatness. I’d take a clean conduit run over fishing wire through finished walls any day.
Totally agree on the clean conduit run—makes life so much easier if you ever want to add outlets or change lighting down the line. I’ve seen some wild setups where folks try to hide everything, but honestly, exposed EMT just fits the vibe in a garage or workshop. Plus, you don’t have to patch drywall later... which is a win in my book. The code quirks can be a pain, though—sometimes I wonder if inspectors are just making it up as they go.
Couldn’t agree more—exposed EMT just *works* in a garage. Hiding everything behind drywall sounds nice in theory, but when you’re on a budget and thinking about future changes, it’s just not worth the hassle or the cost. Plus, I’ve yet to meet an inspector who interprets code the same way twice... Drives me nuts, but I guess it keeps us on our toes. If it’s neat and safe, that’s what matters most.
If it’s neat and safe, that’s what matters most.
Totally get where you’re coming from, but I’ll admit I tried to hide everything behind drywall once—looked slick for about a week, then I needed to add a 240V outlet for a welder. Ended up tearing half the wall down. Ever wish inspectors would just hand out a “common sense” badge instead of nitpicking every little thing? I swear, every project turns into a code scavenger hunt.