Building a new home in Aiken, SC is an opportunity to get your electrical system exactly right from the start. Unlike remodeling, where you are constrained by existing walls and wiring, new construction lets you plan every circuit, outlet, switch, and fixture location before the first wall goes up. The decisions you make during the planning and rough-in phases will determine how well your electrical system serves you for decades to come.
This checklist covers the electrical planning considerations that Aiken homeowners should address before and during new home construction. Use it as a guide when working with your builder and electrician to ensure nothing is missed.
Pre-Construction Electrical Planning
The best time to plan your electrical system is before construction begins, ideally during the design phase when changes are still on paper rather than in drywall. Here are the key planning decisions to make early.
Determine your electrical service size. Most new homes in Aiken should be built with 200-amp electrical service as a minimum. This provides adequate capacity for modern electrical demands including HVAC, kitchen appliances, laundry, lighting, and electronics. If your home will include high-draw features like an electric range, electric water heater, hot tub, pool equipment, workshop, or EV charger, you may want to consider 320-amp or 400-amp service to ensure you have enough capacity without maxing out the panel.
Choose your panel location. The electrical panel should be located in an accessible area that is protected from the elements. Common locations include the garage, a utility room, or a dedicated electrical closet. Avoid locating the panel in a bedroom closet (which the NEC restricts), in a bathroom, or in a location that requires walking through the house to reach from the exterior. A garage or utility room near the exterior wall where the meter base will be mounted is usually the most practical location.
Walk through your floor plan room by room. Before the electrician prices the job, walk through the floor plan with your builder and electrician and discuss the specific electrical needs of each room. This is where you specify outlet locations, switch locations, fixture types, and any special circuits or features. The more detail you provide at this stage, the better the result and the fewer change orders during construction.
Outlet Placement: More Is Better
One of the most common regrets in new construction is not installing enough outlets. The NEC sets minimum outlet requirements, but minimum is rarely optimal. Here is how to plan outlet placement for maximum convenience.
The NEC requires outlets every 12 feet along walls and within 6 feet of any doorway. This means no point along a wall should be more than 6 feet from an outlet. These are minimums. In practice, you should add outlets at every location where you anticipate plugging something in: beside beds on both sides, at desk locations, next to reading chairs, at entertainment center locations, and anywhere you might set up a phone charger, lamp, or small appliance.
In the kitchen, the NEC requires countertop outlets every 4 feet and at least two 20-amp small appliance circuits serving the countertop outlets. Kitchen islands require at least one outlet, and in practice you should plan for two to four outlets depending on the island size and how you plan to use it.
In the garage, plan outlets at workbench locations, near the garage door opener, at each vehicle parking position (for potential future EV charging), and along the walls at a height convenient for power tools and compressors. Garage outlets should be on 20-amp circuits, and at least one dedicated 20-amp circuit for a future EV charger is a smart investment even if you do not currently drive an electric vehicle.
In bathrooms, the NEC requires at least one 20-amp GFCI-protected outlet adjacent to each sink. For master bathrooms with dual sinks or larger vanity areas, add outlets at both ends of the vanity. Consider an outlet inside the bathroom cabinet for electric toothbrush and razor chargers.
Outdoor outlets should be placed at the front entry, back patio, on each side of the house, and at any outdoor entertainment area. All outdoor outlets must be GFCI-protected and installed in weatherproof enclosures. If you plan to have landscape lighting, outdoor audio, or holiday decorations, plan dedicated circuits for these uses.
Circuit Count: Planning for Today and Tomorrow
The number of circuits in your new home determines how many devices and systems can operate simultaneously without overloading. Here is a guide to circuit planning for common areas and appliances.
Dedicated appliance circuits. Each of the following should have its own dedicated circuit: refrigerator, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, electric range or cooktop, wall oven, clothes washer, clothes dryer, HVAC system (one circuit for the air handler and one for the condenser unit), water heater (if electric), garage door opener, and sump pump (if applicable).
General-purpose circuits. The NEC requires a minimum of one 15-amp or 20-amp general-purpose circuit for every 600 square feet of living space. In practice, each bedroom should have its own circuit, and larger living areas should have two or more circuits. This prevents a tripped breaker in one room from affecting other rooms.
Lighting circuits. Lighting should be on separate circuits from outlets so that a tripped outlet circuit does not leave you in the dark. Plan at least one lighting circuit per floor, and separate circuits for kitchen lighting, bathroom lighting, and exterior lighting.
Spare capacity. Leave at least four to six empty spaces in your electrical panel for future additions. Over the life of a home, you will almost certainly want to add circuits for things you have not yet anticipated: a hot tub, a workshop tool, a home server, additional outdoor lighting, or a home addition.
Panel Sizing: Getting It Right from the Start
Your electrical panel is the heart of your home's electrical system, and sizing it correctly during new construction avoids expensive upgrades later. Here is how to approach panel sizing.
A 200-amp panel with 40 to 42 circuit spaces is the standard for new construction homes in the Aiken area. This provides adequate capacity and room for future expansion for most homes up to about 3,000 square feet. For larger homes, homes with high-draw features, or homes where the owner wants maximum future flexibility, a 320-amp or 400-amp service with multiple subpanels may be appropriate.
When counting circuit spaces, remember that 240-volt circuits (for ranges, dryers, HVAC, and water heaters) each take up two spaces in the panel. A home with 15 dedicated 240-volt circuits and 20 general-purpose 120-volt circuits would need a minimum of 50 spaces (30 for the 240-volt circuits and 20 for the 120-volt circuits). Adding spare capacity brings the total to 56 or more spaces, which would require either a larger panel or a subpanel.
Do not let your builder's standard electrical package dictate your panel size. Many production builders include a basic panel in their standard package and charge upgrades for larger panels. The cost difference between a 30-space panel and a 42-space panel is minimal during construction, but upgrading later is expensive and disruptive.
Low-Voltage Pre-Wire: Do It Now or Pay Later
Low-voltage wiring includes Ethernet (data) cables, coaxial cable for television, speaker wire for built-in audio, HDMI runs for media systems, security camera cables, and doorbell wiring. Running these cables during new construction, when the walls are open, is dramatically less expensive and easier than retrofitting them into finished walls later.
At a minimum, pre-wire the following locations with Cat6a Ethernet cable: the home office or study, the living room or media room, the master bedroom, and any room where you might place a smart TV, gaming console, or streaming device. Pull two cables to each location, even if you plan to use only one initially. The cable cost is minimal and having a spare run saves significant expense if you need it later.
Run coaxial cable to every room where you might want a television, even if you plan to use streaming services exclusively. Your preferences may change, and the cable is inexpensive during construction.
If you want whole-home audio, pre-wire speaker locations in the kitchen, living room, master bedroom, patio, and any other areas where you want built-in speakers. In-wall and in-ceiling speakers require speaker wire run from the speaker locations to a central media closet or equipment location.
Pre-wire security camera locations at the four corners of the house, at the front door, at the garage, and at any other point where you want surveillance coverage. Running Cat6 cable to these locations during construction provides the option for high-quality Power over Ethernet (PoE) cameras that are far more reliable than wireless alternatives.
Smart Home Preparation
Even if you do not plan to install a full smart home system immediately, preparing your wiring during construction is the most cost-effective approach. Here are the key preparations.
Smart switch-ready wiring. Many smart switches and dimmers require a neutral wire at the switch box. In older wiring practices, the neutral wire was not always brought to the switch box, which limits smart switch compatibility. Ensure your electrician runs a neutral wire to every switch box in the house. This is standard practice under current NEC but is worth confirming in your specifications.
Central hub location. Designate a closet, cabinet, or structured wiring enclosure as the central location for your smart home hub, network equipment, and related devices. This location should have dedicated power (preferably on a circuit with a small UPS battery backup), adequate ventilation, and access to the low-voltage cabling from throughout the house.
Wi-Fi access point locations. Rather than relying on a single Wi-Fi router to cover your entire home, plan locations for ceiling-mounted or wall-mounted wireless access points that distribute Wi-Fi coverage evenly. Run Cat6a Ethernet cable to these locations during construction. Typical access point locations include the central hallway, the kitchen or great room, and the master bedroom wing. This approach provides far better Wi-Fi coverage and performance than a single router.
EV Charger Preparation
Even if you do not currently drive an electric vehicle, preparing for EV charging during new construction is a smart investment. The adoption of electric vehicles continues to accelerate, and having EV-ready wiring adds value to your home whether you use it yourself or a future buyer does.
At minimum, install a dedicated 240-volt, 50-amp circuit from the panel to the garage, terminated in a NEMA 14-50 outlet at the planned charging location. This provides enough power for a Level 2 EV charger that can fully charge most electric vehicles overnight. The cost of running this circuit during construction is a fraction of what it would cost to retrofit it later through finished walls and ceilings.
If your panel and service have the capacity, consider running two EV-ready circuits to the garage, one for each parking space. As two-car EV households become more common, having both circuits pre-wired is a significant convenience and value addition.
Lighting Plan: Beyond the Basics
Your lighting plan should go beyond simply placing a fixture in the center of each room. Good lighting design uses layers of light (ambient, task, and accent) and controls (dimmers, timers, and sensors) to create comfortable, functional, and energy-efficient illumination throughout your home.
Plan recessed lighting layouts with your electrician and interior designer to ensure even coverage and eliminate dark spots. Specify LED-compatible dimmers for all dimmable circuits. Include under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen (hardwired, not plug-in). Plan exterior lighting for security, landscaping, and outdoor living areas. Consider occupancy sensors in garages, closets, pantries, and utility rooms. Include pathway and step lighting for stairs and hallways.
The Construction Sequence
Understanding when electrical work happens during construction helps you plan and make decisions on the right timeline. The electrical work in new construction happens in three main phases.
Rough-in occurs after the framing is complete but before insulation and drywall. This is when all the wiring is run through the walls, ceiling, and floor framing, outlet and switch boxes are installed, and the panel is mounted and wired. This is your last opportunity to make changes to outlet locations, switch locations, and circuit routing without significant additional cost.
Trim-out occurs after drywall, painting, and flooring are complete. This is when outlets, switches, cover plates, light fixtures, fans, and the panel cover are installed. Fixtures and devices are connected to the wiring that was installed during rough-in.
Final inspection is the last step, where the building inspector verifies that all electrical work meets code and that everything is properly connected and functioning. The inspection must pass before the home receives its certificate of occupancy.
Next Steps
Unity Power & Light provides complete new construction electrical services for homeowners building in Aiken, SC and the surrounding CSRA area. From pre-construction planning and load calculations through rough-in, trim-out, and final inspection, we handle every phase of your new home's electrical system.
We work directly with your builder and other trades to ensure the electrical work is coordinated with the construction schedule and that no detail is missed. Every home we wire meets current NEC code, passes inspection, and is designed to serve your family's needs today and well into the future.