Are Equally Spaced Outlets Typica in Refurb?


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Old 05-10-08, 04:46 PM
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Are Equally Spaced Outlets Typical in Refurb?

I'm refurbing a house, have stripped drywall from 2 BR's and had marked out my outlet box placement prior to the drywall coming off. Of course, the studs aren't where my desired outlet locations were. Neither are they spaced to give any kind of equal spacing around the room or for outlets on facing walls of these small rooms.

What is typically done in a refurb concerning location of the outlets? I'm not talking about the code requirements - I have those in hand. But if I want the outlets to look balanced and neat it would mean more than half fall literally halfway between 2 studs. Do most electricians just forget about any kind of consistency and just use the existing studs on a re-wire/refurb project? Or are additional studs, 1/2 studs, etc. put in to make sure outlets are spaced nicely. 3 windows in this small room also make me want to have outlets equally far from the window sides, but that's not possible without a bunch of additional carpentry.

I'm just looking for what is usually done.

Thanks.
 

Last edited by cakins; 05-10-08 at 05:03 PM. Reason: spelling mistake in title
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Old 05-10-08, 05:52 PM
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kingsmurf

personally . . .if an owner has asked me to rewire his home or business . . .and I have first made sure he roger's that it MUST be code

then..beyond that . .and NOT in conflict .I want to know
what his desires are . . .and make it happen . .he;s buying

if you are doing this yourself . . .I would take a VERY realistic view of your personal experience level working in area that has potential for fire and death . .

poorly done paint/drywall/tile/etc wont kill you or burn your home to the ground

when I re-wired my home ( I am long time working electrician) I put in everything I wanted . . .dedicated circuits for the service trucks outside

receptacles on either SIDES of the bed..NOT one behind it
..extar circuits in kitchen so I can run Microwave/coffe pot/electric table top oven/etc etc

out side I even put in deedicated circuits for the Christmas lights . .with smart controls inside

lots of interior Smart House stuff as well


Heck yeah..as long as is it up to code . . .put in what YOU want . .if you are contracting this out . . .go to GREAT DETAIL in the contract . .of exactly what you want and where . . . . .take a good deal of time over this
 
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Old 05-10-08, 06:01 PM
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Typically in the resdentail useally spaced 12 feet [ 3.6metre] max but most electricians useally use the 6/12 rules they will start mesureing from the door and go around the room so from the door to the first receptale is 6 feet[1.8 M] max distance then therefore after that spaced out 12 feet max.

But normally I useally run 4/8 to 5/10 and also it will varies a bit depending on the layout of the room.

Oh yeah.,, We do count the space under the window [ as long it is not a door type or full window from floor to ceiling] as well., the only time we genrally don't count is behind the door but it do cover in NEC / CEC codes.

If the walls are open then yes i will nail on the boxes to the studs but for finshed wall you may have to adjust a little depending on the space and also anything in the wall cavity as well.

But however once you open the walls you can really open the cans of worms if any bad wire is there it have to be fixed and bring up to the code and if your state do required the AFCI then you have no choice but do it.

[ check with your local officals for update with code change ]

Merci,Marc
 
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Old 05-10-08, 06:18 PM
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Originally Posted by cakins
Do most electricians just forget about any kind of consistency and just use the existing studs on a re-wire/refurb project? Or are additional studs, 1/2 studs, etc. put in to make sure outlets are spaced nicely.
It depends on what the customer is willing to pay for. I'll usually mark out locations if the customer wants even spacing, but i don't do the carpentry. That is, unless they want to pay the going rate for electrical and get framing......
 
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Old 05-10-08, 06:20 PM
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It sounds like I need to clarify. I appreciate the info so far, but it's not really getting to the heart of my question.

The question is really this: In an open wall, new or old I suppose, is extra carpentry usually done to ensure even spacing of the outlets or do the outlets usually just end up wherever the studs already are. I have seen one or two blocks of 2x4 scabbed on, but what if the outlet box needs to be right in the middle of the stud cavity in order to match, for example, an outlet in the same location directly across the room?

Do pros worry about that kind of thing or just let the outlets end up where they end up - basically on the closest stud to their desired location.
 
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Old 05-10-08, 06:22 PM
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Originally Posted by cakins
It sounds like I need to clarify. I appreciate the info so far, but it's not really getting to the heart of my question.

The question is really this: In an open wall, new or old I suppose, is extra carpentry usually done to ensure even spacing of the outlets or do the outlets usually just end up wherever the studs already are. I have seen one or two blocks of 2x4 scabbed on, but what if the outlet box needs to be right in the middle of the stud cavity in order to match, for example, an outlet in the same location directly across the room?

Do pros worry about that kind of thing or just let the outlets end up where they end up - basically on the closest stud to their desired location.

Normally on the closest stud. Most framed walls are fairly consistent.
 
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Old 05-10-08, 06:27 PM
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Normally i try to space it close to the stud much as i can if not i will add a short 2by's to bring it over a little.

Really as i say above comment the spaceing will pretty much determed how the room really layout and majorty of the stud is pretty much standard spacing pattern [ most useally are on 16" {400 MM } on centre ]

Merci, Marc
 
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Old 05-10-08, 06:47 PM
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What are you going to have in the room that uses electricity and where will those things be? Put an outlet near every one of them.
 
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Old 05-10-08, 08:08 PM
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Most people are not that picky to outlet placement except when it comes putting something like an entertainment center or other piece of equipment in a specific spot that will need power. (Good tip: place power next to cable and phone openings) As long as an outlet is easy to get to (not behind a bed) and within code nail it on a stud close.
 
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Old 05-10-08, 10:00 PM
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Most electricians just mount them on the closest stud unless the customer specifies that they want the outlet at an exact location or evenly spaced.

Just toe nail an extra 2x4 where you want the outlet to be. ( cheapest way) or Caddy does make a metal bracket assembly to span the two studs. The will have to be ordered and I'm guessing around $5 a piece

http://www.erico.com/products/CADDYcfcBxMntngBrckts.asp
 
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Old 05-11-08, 10:41 AM
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Unless the customer has some particular requests, I usually don't put too much thought into it. For example if a wall requires two receptacles, I'll basically eyeball three studs in from the left side, three in the from the right side or something like that so it's balanced on the wall. Other than that basically follow the geography of the room, try not to put it directly behind the probable location of the bed or the center of the couch. Sometimes your hands are tied with the spacing requirements though and the receptacle must go in an odd or visually unbalanced location. What I definitely do not do is go around the room marking off exactly X feet and framing in extra studs or spacers to accommodate that kind of precision in spacing.
 
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Old 05-12-08, 01:04 PM
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I'd agree with the "close counts" idea. Unless it's in a very visible space (flanking both sides of a stove or similar), I wouldn't worry about it. Once you get furniture, plants, chairs, etc. in, you probably won't have an open wall anywhere that you could see if they are spaced evenly or not.

Just remember - you'll probably want more receptacles than the 6'/12' rule.
 
 

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