Estimating receptacle and lighting runs based on SQFT(Custom residential)

[JoeNorm]

I know, I know, I know.......we cannot accurately estimate a custom home based on SQFT. But how about ball parking at least the amount of 12-2 and 14-2 I'd need for receptacles and lighting? Are there general rules people use for this based on SQFT?

 

[James L]

I generally figure 1 ft of 14/2 for each 1 sq ft of finished floor space, and I've rarely been off. However, I'm very proficient with wire usage. It's easy to burn a thousand extra feet by being foolish in routing circuits

12/2 can be a bit trickier depending on how elaborate the kitchen is, how far kitchen is from panel, how many baths, and the likes

14/3 can be tricky also because of how many smoke etectors, 3-ways, etc.

But *generally speaking* I've found it's 25-30% of however much 14/2 you need

6000 sf house I'm bringing:
6000' 14/2
1500' 12/2 (more if kitchen is far away)
1500' 14/3 (more if lotsa 3-ways)

 

[cdslotz]

$3 sq/ft

 

[JoeNorm]

I generally figure 1 ft of 14/2 for each 1 sq ft of finished floor space, and I've rarely been off. However, I'm very proficient with wire usage. It's easy to burn a thousand extra feet by being foolish in routing circuits

12/2 can be a bit trickier depending on how elaborate the kitchen is, how far kitchen is from panel, how many baths, and the likes

14/3 can be tricky also because of how many smoke etectors, 3-ways, etc.

But *generally speaking* I've found it's 25-30% of however much 14/2 you need

6000 sf house I'm bringing:
6000' 14/2
1500' 12/2 (more if kitchen is far away)
1500' 14/3 (more if lotsa 3-ways)

Thanks, very helpful as a reference point

 

[JoeNorm]

$3 sq/ft

What does this include/refer to?

 

[Amps]

I generally figure 1 ft of 14/2 for each 1 sq ft of finished floor space, and I've rarely been off. However, I'm very proficient with wire usage. It's easy to burn a thousand extra feet by being foolish in routing circuits

12/2 can be a bit trickier depending on how elaborate the kitchen is, how far kitchen is from panel, how many baths, and the likes

14/3 can be tricky also because of how many smoke etectors, 3-ways, etc.

But *generally speaking* I've found it's 25-30% of however much 14/2 you need

6000 sf house I'm bringing:
6000' 14/2
1500' 12/2 (more if kitchen is far away)
1500' 14/3 (more if lotsa 3-ways)

"I'm very proficient with wire usage". I can't believe how many times I've seen like 10 extra feet on each romex home run at the main panel and 2-3ft hanging out of switch and receptacle boxes. I could retire from the scrap!

 

[LarryFine]

"I'm very proficient with wire usage". I can't believe how many times I've seen like 10 extra feet on each romex home run at the main panel and 2-3ft hanging out of switch and receptacle boxes. I could retire from the scrap!

When I wire a roomful of receptacles, the only scrap is the EGCs I cut short for the greenies.

 

[James L]

"I'm very proficient with wire usage". I can't believe how many times I've seen like 10 extra feet on each romex home run at the main panel and 2-3ft hanging out of switch and receptacle boxes. I could retire from the scrap!

I leave at least 15 extra feet on a 14/2 or 12/2 home run. Long enough to use somewhere on the next house.

I do leave a good amount of wire at devices. Saves so much time.

But I've seen guys who wire with a standard circuiting method and don't have sense enough to adjust.

I've seen guys who always wire entry with living room, always hallway with bedroom, always bath lights with bedroom, etc, and never catch outlets on both sides a wall onto the same circuit unless it fits their standard mold.

Worst example was a 2-foot wall at the top of stairs into a loft. There were switches on with an "only lighting" circuit, a loft receptacle on an "only loft" circuit and a bedroom receptacle facing the other side on an "only bedroom" circuit - all in 1 stud bay

The waste of time and wire going up an over 3 times to feed into and out of that wall was ridiculous. And the number of cables on different circuits made for an awful waste of time keeping them straight.

I've seen the same thing in bedrooms with Hollywood bath. 3 different 15-amp circuits passing within 5 feet of each other, all the wires jumping up an over from wall to wall, nothing drilled though studs

I hired a goofball 10-year 'lektrishun to wire an 1,800 sf ranch and he used almost 3,000 ft of 14/2

 

[AC\DC]

"I'm very proficient with wire usage". I can't believe how many times I've seen like 10 extra feet on each romex home run at the main panel and 2-3ft hanging out of switch and receptacle boxes. I could retire from the scrap!

You can also go the other way and spend an extra 10 minutes trying to save some wire, and would of cost less just cut it long.
At $150 and hour that’s $2.5 a minute with 14-2 at .36 cent a foot
6.9 feet equal a minute of my time.
I’ll cut long and use it else were.

 

[Amps]

You can also go the other way and spend an extra 10 minutes trying to save some wire, and would of cost less just cut it long.
At $150 and hour that’s $2.5 a minute with 14-2 at .36 cent a foot
6.9 feet equal a minute of my time.
I’ll cut long and use it else were.

Don't forget to factor in the time it takes to collect those extra length cut offs and carry to and stack them in the truck, move them out of the way when looking for something in the truck and then figuring out which one is long enough to use on that next job. $150 an hour seems high for residential new construction. Good for you!

 

[cdslotz]

What does this include/refer to?

My sick sense of humor....lol

 

[cdslotz]

When I started wiring houses in the 70's (yes, aluminum, copper clad, bakalite boxes), we were doing we would have smaller houses to wire and my frugal boss would dedicate it to scrap day. We would load up scrap use nearly every piece incluing some short home runs, AC circuits, etc.
He didn't waste anything...lol

 

[James L]

When I started wiring houses in the 70's (yes, aluminum, copper clad, bakalite boxes), we were doing we would have smaller houses to wire and my frugal boss would dedicate it to scrap day. We would load up scrap use nearly every piece incluing some short home runs, AC circuits, etc.
He didn't waste anything...lol

I started in '92

In '94 I started with a large EC, and all the scrap was brought to the shop to bankroll the annual Christmas party. We had huge bins full. One year I was noticing a lot of really long pieces of wire rolled up in the bins.

Boss started noticing too, and had a "we ain't scrappin' this" week. He pulled out hundreds of pieces of "scrap" Romex that were 15, 25, up to 50 feet long, and drove around to every job passing out a dozen pieces to each guy to install, and giving lectures about throwing stuff like that in the scrap bin.

 

[readydave8]

When I wire a roomful of receptacles, the only scrap is the EGCs I cut short for the greenies.

I fold back instead of cutting, makes it easier for inevitable changes