Add multiple circuits or a sub panel?

[eweezy69]

Just purchased a house and am trying to plan getting more power to the garage because of course that is the most important thing to worry about when first moving into a house....right? Anyway, all comments will be appreciated.

-House is 2 stories built on a slab with attached 21x20 garage (living space above garage). Service panel is 200A with 6 open spots. Panel is on ground floor, 25 ft from garage. Garage and first floor are both finished.

- Would like to add 3 20A circuits (1 for lighting, 2 for outlets).

Finally, for the questions. Do I want to run 3 separate circuits from panel to the garage or run a sub panel? And either way I go, is removing the baseboard and cutting a few inches of drywall near the floor generally the easiest way to run cable through a finished ground floor with living space above? Thanks in advance.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Are you planning on adding anything else to the garage in the future?
If youre planning on adding a welder or bigger compressor in the future it doesnt take anymore time to drill bigger holes and feed some 6/3 out there to feed a sub panel than it does to drill holes and feed 3 seperate circuits out there.
Either way you go theres no need for a 20a lighting circuit in a garage that size,15a is plenty.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I would go with a subpanel.

And instead of ripping out the baseboard and sheetrock to drill and run the cable, which being near the floor will be a PITA, can u run exterior conduit and feed the garage panel on an exterior wall?

Where is the main service panel located at?

 

[exranger06]

I'm in pretty much the same position as you. Recently bought a house with 20x22 attached garage, and upgrading electrical is one of the first things I did. (Still working on it though) I installed a subpanel. Especially since the main panel is in the finished basement, running additional circuits to the garage is a pain. With a subpanel I have to deal with that pain just once and then I basically never have to touch the main panel again. If I ever want to add another circuit or change anything, I have my subpanel right there in the garage and it's easily accessible.

I ran conduit on the outside of the house to feed the subpanel.

 

[eweezy69]

Thanks to everyone, I think that is a great idea running it on the outside to feed the sub panel. We are planning on staying here for a bit so I think it is best to do it right. Thanks again.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

If you do feed it from the outside make sure to use fittings/materials rated for outdoor use.