1Heights — measure to TOP of box
- Standard outlets: 14" to top of box — cut a story-pole block and use it everywhere. Consistency matters more than the number.
- Switch boxes: 48" to top (already laid out).
- Kitchen counter outlets: 44" to top (clears 36" counter + backsplash).
- Bathroom vanity outlets: 44" to top.
- Laundry: 44" to top.
- Garage outlets: 48" to top — above workbench height.
- Exterior outlets: 18–24" to top, accessible from the ground.
2Outlet spacing — living areas
- No point along a wall more than 6 ft from an outlet = max 12 ft between outlets.
- Any wall section 2 ft or wider needs its own outlet.
- Doorways and fireplaces break a wall into separate sections — measure each one.
- Corners do NOT break a wall. The tape bends around the corner — two 3-ft walls meeting in a corner = one 6-ft run, one outlet near the corner covers both.
- Hallways 10 ft or longer need at least one outlet.
3Kitchen
- Countertop: no point more than 24" from an outlet = one every 4 ft max.
- Any counter section 12" or wider gets one.
- Island / peninsula: follow the plan exactly — don't guess, the rules changed recently.
4Bathrooms
- At least one outlet within 3 ft of the edge of each sink basin.
- Nothing face-up in a countertop.
- No boxes inside the tub or shower footprint.
5Garage
- At least one outlet per car bay.
- Outlets dedicated to an appliance (freezer, opener) don't count toward the required ones.
- Keep boxes clear of planned cabinets, workbenches, and shelving — check the plan.
6Exterior
- At least one outlet at the front and one at the back of the house, reachable from grade.
- One outlet on any balcony, deck, or porch you can walk onto from inside.
- All exterior boxes must be weatherproof-rated — flag anything that isn't before mounting.
7Lights & ceiling boxes
- Every habitable room, bathroom, hallway, stairway, and garage needs switch-controlled lighting. In bedrooms/living areas a switched outlet can count — but here, follow the lighting plan.
- Stairways: a 3-way switch at the top AND bottom of every stair run.
- An outdoor light at every exterior door with grade-level access.
- Ceiling fan locations: use a fan-rated box — a regular box will not hold a fan. If a room might ever get a fan, use a fan-rated box now.
- Recessed cans in insulated ceilings must be IC-rated.
- Closets: keep fixtures off the plan unless shown — surface fixtures need 12" clearance from shelves, recessed/LED need 6".
- Center ceiling boxes in the room (or over the planned furniture spot per plan) — measure, don't eyeball.
8Smoke & CO detectors
- One smoke detector inside every bedroom.
- One in the hallway outside each sleeping area.
- At least one on every floor, including the basement.
- All hardwired and interconnected (they all sound together) with battery backup — run 14/3 between them so the interconnect wire is there.
- Ceiling mount: at least 4" from any wall. Wall mount: top of detector 4–12" down from ceiling.
- Keep detectors at least 3 ft from HVAC supply registers, ceiling fan blades, and bathroom doors (steam = false alarms).
- Keep at least 10 ft from the cooking range.
- CO detectors: outside each sleeping area and on every level with a fuel appliance or the attached garage — combo smoke/CO units count.
9Keep boxes away from
- 2 blocks minimum from door openings — trim needs the room. Same rule as switches.
- Anywhere a cabinet, appliance, mirror, or tub/shower wall is going — check the plan first.
- Switches go on the knob side of the door, never behind the swing.
10Rough-in workmanship
- Box edge flush with the finished drywall face — set the box proud of the stud by the drywall thickness (½" most walls, ⅝" garage ceilings).
- Where cable runs closer than 1¼" to the stud edge, add a nail plate.
- Staple cable within 8" of a single-gang box without clamps (12" with clamps), and every 4½ ft along runs.
- Leave at least 6" of free wire in every box, and 3" past the box face.
- Don't overstuff boxes — bigger box beats a crammed one.
- Drill holes in the center of studs, not the edges.
⚠️ When in doubt about ANY location — ask Scott before nailing it off. Moving a box now is free. Moving it after drywall isn't.
💡 The full interactive plan with every fixture and circuit is at house.teamcramer.com/electrical — cross-check kitchen, island, and lighting locations there.