Need advice wiring my basement?

Question

I have read some books and have convinced myself to try wiring my unfinished basement myself. If anyone is willing to message me and take additional questions I would appreciate it. My two biggest things right now are.... The main breaker is up a level and in my garage, do I need to create a subpanel, or will I end up sending 8 circuits through the ceiling to the main panel? How should i route the wires in the basement? Should I put a hole in a lot of the studs or run them up and then through the trusses? Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

There are some good books out there about this kind of project, so assuming you have read them, what you need to know next is the specifics of your local building code.   The people here telling you to hire an electrician are forgetting an option that is available in some jurisdictions.  If you own the house and live in it yourself, some jurisdictions allow you to pull your own permit for electrical work.  That means you can save the expense of an electrician, but still get the inspection by a qualified person to reduce the risk of a mistake that could start a fire or injure someone.  I think in your case it might be a nice compromise between going it alone, and paying full price for a licensed electrician.

So, call your local building inspector and ask if a homeowner can get a permit to wire a basement.  If they say yes, ask where you can get a copy of the building code that is in force in your area.  That will address issues like the routes allowed for romex wire in a basement etc.

Then, talk to the inspectors before you start your project, show them your diagram and materials list etc.  That way when they come out to look at what you've done, you have a lower probability of having to redo it because something isn't to code.

They are picky, things like the height from the floor for your outlets matter.  How many outlets there are matter, things that you might think would be up to you are governed by the code.   But its a good public policy, and it protects future owners of your home, as well as your own family.

I applaud your can-do spirit, and I believe you are capable of doing this.  But do get a permit and have it inspected, as you'll never forgive yourself if you make a mistake and someone is hurt.

Good luck

Answer 2

Call an electrician and let him know that you want to do some of the work yourself. They typically will lay it out for you. I've had them do this and they will write on the floor what you need to do. It will save you allot of money and they won't have to do all the stuff they don't want to do.

Answer 3

If you need eight circuits, a sub panel is the way to go.

only one three wire feeder to snake up to the main panel,

only one more two pole breaker in that existing box,

and lots less wire total.

It would be a lot easier to run your wire in the ceiling trusses

than through the wall, unless the outlets are in the same wall of course.

(Some inspectors will not permit exposed Romex on concrete walls but it's Ok in the ceiling.)

It's mostly common sense.

EMail me.

Answer 4

    Hi Guy : I'm a carpenter, have been for 47 years, guys like you slay me. Your going to put the lives and safety of your family in harms way, good luck.

     If it was a wire, I'd help but, it isn't. I don't even wire and, I've been around a lot. I have my son-in-law at least come over and show me, he's been a master electrician for many years now. He doesn't do carpentry work, I don't do electricity.

     What your saying is that your going to take on something that a man has to go to school for many months to learn and make many mistakes to finally learn to do right. In the middle is your family, there at risk.

      It has to be inspected, I rather doubt the inspector would even look at it knowing your not an electrician.

       I don't think you could do all this without making a bunch of mistakes and create a monster.

       I think you better hire a electrician or at least, have a friend that's an electrician give you some advice from time to time.

Answer 5

A sub panel would be an excellent decision, but first you need to know how many circuits and how many amps you need. Most often in a basement you will not have that much going on. I would recommend that you use heavy enough wire to handle the load now and in the future. Put a sub panel down there and go for it. my expertise is in high voltage protection, and running communications into such an environment. You are going to get a lot of responses evading your question and telling you to get an electrical contractor. Your choice, my experience with electrical contractors is that they are clueless. You can do it yourself with the proper safety precautions, which you already know if you have researched it.

You will do just fine.

Answer 6

I do renovations for a living for 18 years and I have done wiring that you describe. Having said that, I strongly suggest you hire an electrician to do it. There is a LOT that can go wrong doing it yourself.

Good Luck

Answer 7

I agree with blast. After all the fire will burn up. If you are asking these questions here you really need a pro. Or a library.