BUILDING BASE STRUCTURES—WHAT IF YOU HAD TO START OVER?
Honestly, I’ve had more regrets about what I *didn’t* add than what I did. Skipped conduit runs in a couple walls thinking “I’ll never need that there,” and sure enough, three years later, I’m fishing wires with a coat hanger and cursing past me. Overbuilding on outlets is one thing I never regret—there’s always something new to plug in. The wild card stuff? Sometimes it sits unused, but at least it’s easier to ignore than to retrofit.
Overbuilding on outlets is one thing I never regret—there’s always something new to plug in.
Funny how true that is. I used to think two outlets per wall was plenty—turns out, it never is. But I do get nervous about adding too much “just in case.” Every extra run adds up, especially if you’re counting pennies like me. Still, fishing wires after the fact... yeah, that’s not worth the savings.
I get the logic behind “just add more outlets,” but honestly, where do you draw the line? I mean, I’d rather save a few bucks now and maybe deal with a power strip later than pay for wiring I might never use. Has anyone actually regretted not going all-out, or is it just one of those hindsight things?
I’d rather save a few bucks now and maybe deal with a power strip later than pay for wiring I might never use.
Honestly, I’m with you on this. When we built our place, I kept hearing “future-proof it!” but I just couldn’t justify the extra cost for outlets everywhere. Years later, I’ve got a couple of power strips tucked behind furniture, and it’s never really bothered me. Maybe if you’re planning a home office or something, it’s worth it, but for regular rooms? I’d rather keep the cash in my pocket.
Title: Building Base Structures—What If You Had to Start Over?
I get the temptation to skip extra outlets, especially when you’re staring down a big bill and thinking, “Do I really need a plug behind the couch?” But I’ll admit, I’ve had a few moments where I wished I’d just run that extra wire. Like, when we rearranged the living room and suddenly every lamp cord was stretched across the floor like some kind of obstacle course.
That said, power strips do the trick most of the time. The only thing that bugs me is when they start looking like a spaghetti monster behind the TV. Ever tried to vacuum back there? Not fun.
Curious—did anyone actually regret not adding more outlets later on? Or is it mostly just a minor annoyance? I keep wondering if it’s one of those things people only notice once in a blue moon, or if it’s a “once you know, you know” kind of regret.