# Electrical takeoff for new circuits

> 3 circuits: 515 ft of cable, 3 breakers, the boxes and devices, and a voltage-drop check. For electricians: cable by gauge, boxes, devices, breakers and the permit for new circuits.

## What to buy (3 circuits)

Every line shows the quantity to buy and how StudSheet got it: the spacing, the waste and the package size, so you can check it before the supply house or the quote.

| Buy | Material | How StudSheet counts it | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| **515 ft — 2 × 250 ft rolls + 1 × 25 ft roll** | NM cable 12/2 with ground (NM-B) | General receptacles: 3 × (40 ft home run + 7 × 14 ft between boxes + 18 ft slack) + 10%. Slack: 3 ft at the panel and 1 ft for every cable end in a box. | NM-B (NMD90 in Canada): 20 A circuits — receptacles, kitchen, bath, laundry. |
| **24 boxes** | Single-gang box, new work | One per receptacle and switch. Size each for its fill: 2.0 cu in per 14 AWG and 2.25 per 12 AWG conductor, the device counts as two (NEC 314.16). | Nail-on plastic device box for open framing; 18–22 cu in (check the box fill). |
| **24 receptacles** | Receptacle, 20 A tamper-resistant | 24 for general receptacles. 15 A receptacles are allowed on a 20 A circuit with two or more of them (NEC 210.21(B)(3)); a single receptacle on its own 20 A circuit must be 20 A. Tamper-resistant throughout a home (NEC 406.12). | Duplex 5-20R (T-slot). A single receptacle on its own 20 A circuit must be 20 A rated. |
| **24 plates** | Wall plates, single-gang | One per device. | Duplex, decorator or toggle to match the devices (and plates sized for 30/50 A receptacles). |
| **3 breakers** | AFCI breaker (combination type) (20 A) | 3 for general receptacles (arc-fault). Only breakers listed for this panel’s brand and type (NEC 110.3(B)). | Arc-fault protection for the whole circuit. |
| **2 packs of 100** | Cable staples (100) | About 165 staples: within 12″ of each box and every 4½ ft (NEC 334.30). | Insulated staples for NM cable; bigger ones for 8 and 6 AWG. |
| **3 connectors** | NM cable connectors | One where each cable enters the panel, plus one per metal box. | Clamp connectors where NM cable enters the panel or a metal box. |
| **1 × 100** | Wire connectors (100) | About 3 per box (splices and ground pigtails) for 24 boxes. | Twist-on or push-in connectors for splices and ground pigtails. |

### In Canada (3 circuits)

Set to Canada, the Sheet works the job out again for Ontario: metric sizes, bag sizes, the frost depth and the code notes. It doesn't just convert feet to meters. The first lines:

- **156.97 m — 3 × 75 m coils, NM cable 14/2 with ground:** General receptacles: 3 × (12.19 m home run + 7 × 4.27 m between boxes + 5.49 m slack) + 10%. Slack: 914 mm at the panel and 305 mm for every cable end in a box.
- **24 boxes, Single-gang box, new work:** One per receptacle and switch, each sized for its conductors and device (the CEC box-fill tables).
- **24 receptacles, Receptacle, 15 A tamper-resistant:** 24 for general receptacles. Tamper-resistant throughout a home.
- **24 plates, Wall plates, single-gang:** One per device.
- **3 breakers, AFCI breaker (combination type):** 3 for general receptacles (arc-fault). Only breakers listed for this panel’s brand and type.
- **2 packs of 100, Cable staples (100):** About 153 staples: within 300 mm of each box and every 1.5 m.

## The order of work, for the licensed pro

> **PRO JOB: a licensed contractor’s job. The order of work is here so you know what’s involved and what to ask.** About 14–21 hours of work for this example.

1. Check the panel and the service: 3 spaces needed, 8 open.
2. Pull the electrical permit (electrical subcode) from the town’s construction office.
3. Lay out the boxes and home runs; mark which panel spaces each circuit takes.
4. Rough-in: boxes, NM-B, supports and connectors as listed.
5. Rough-in inspection before cover — no insulation or drywall until it passes.
6. Trim-out: devices, plates and breakers (AFCI and GFCI as listed).
7. Test every circuit: polarity, GFCI and AFCI trip, and terminals torqued to the label.
8. Label the panel directory with each new circuit’s purpose (NEC 408.4).
9. Final inspection; give the client the approval.

## Tools (16)

Must-have tools first, then the ones that help and the ones to rent for the day.

| Tool | Need | Why |
|---|---|---|
| **Non-contact voltage tester** | **Must have** | Prove circuits dead before working in the panel or a box |
| **Digital multimeter** | **Must have** | Verify dead, then check voltage and continuity at trim-out |
| **Lockout/tagout kit** | **Must have** | Lock the main or the branch breaker off while you work |
| **Wire strippers** | **Must have** | Strip 14–10 AWG cleanly |
| **Lineman’s pliers** | **Must have** | Heavy pliers that cut, twist and pull wire. |
| **Insulated screwdrivers (1000 V)** | **Must have** | Panel and device terminals |
| **Torque screwdriver** | **Must have** | Terminal torque from the labels (NEC 110.14(D)) |
| **Receptacle (GFCI) tester** | **Must have** | Polarity, ground and GFCI trip at every receptacle |
| **Tape measure (25 ft)** | **Must have** | The red boxes every 16″ on the blade are stud spacing. |
| **Cordless drill/driver** | **Must have** | Drills holes, drives screws, mixes small batches. |
| **NM cable stripper** | **Must have** | Slit the NM jacket without nicking the wires |
| **Right-angle drill** | Good to have | Bore studs and joists fast |
| **Auger bit set** | **Must have** | Holes through studs and joists, centered |
| **Knockout punch set** | Good to have | Clean panel knockouts for connectors |
| **Step ladder (6 ft)** | **Must have** | Reaches 8-ft ceilings safely. |
| **Safety glasses** | **Must have** | Every cut, every nail, every time. |

## Mistakes and how the math works

### Mistakes that cost a callback or a second trip

- **Covering before the rough-in inspection:** Insulation or drywall over uninspected wiring gets opened back up at your cost.
- **Breakers that aren’t listed for the panel:** Another brand’s breaker that “fits” voids the listing and fails inspection. Match the panel’s label.

### What the calculator assumes

- Small conductors: 14 AWG copper on 15 A, 12 AWG on 20 A, 10 AWG on 30 A at most (NEC 240.4(D)); breakers in the standard sizes of 240.6(A).
- Ampacity: NM-B at the 60 °C column (NEC 334.80); MC and THHN at 75 °C on circuits over 30 A where both ends are rated 75 °C (110.14(C)), Table 310.16.
- Continuous loads at 125%: EV chargers at their setting (NEC 625.41, 625.42) and storage water heaters at the nameplate (422.13).
- AC and heat pumps: conductors from the nameplate MCA, breaker no larger than the MOP (NEC 440.4(B), 440.22, 240.4(G)).
- Cable per circuit: the home run + the cable between boxes (lighting 8 ft, receptacles 14 ft, kitchen 6 ft, bath and laundry 8 ft) + 3 ft at the panel + 1 ft per cable end in a box, + 10% for the route.
- Voltage drop: over the home run at 80% of the breaker (EV, water heater and AC at their load; past the first box the load spreads out), copper at 75 °C (NEC Chapter 9 Table 8); 3% in a branch circuit is the NEC’s suggestion, not a rule.
- Supports: NM-B within 12″ of each box and every 4½ ft (NEC 334.30); 1¼″ from the stud face or a steel plate (300.4(A)).
- AFCI and GFCI follow the NEC 2020 (210.8, 210.12); local amendments win.
- Labor: typical production rates for open framing with NM-B; your crew’s numbers win.

## Code, permits and safety

The Sheet sets its code notes for the job's state or province. These are New Jersey's and Ontario's; the [code reference](https://studsheet.com/codes) has more. Always confirm with your building department.

- **Licensed electrical work: permit and inspections:** New circuits need an electrical permit (the electrical subcode) from your town’s construction office, filed by an electrical contractor licensed by the NJ Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors — the license number and seal go on the application. The owner of a single-family home may do electrical work on the home they own under a homeowner permit (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.15), inspected the same way. Rules change — your town’s construction office has the last word.
- **Code: NEC 2020:** New Jersey enforces the NEC 2020 (N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.16, with New Jersey’s changes). Towns can amend it. Rules change — your town’s construction office has the last word.
- **AFCI and GFCI (NEC 2020):** General receptacles: AFCI breaker — bedrooms and living areas (210.12(A)). New Jersey deletes the AFCI rule for extending existing circuits (210.12(D)); new circuits still follow it.
- **Labor by circuit type:** General receptacles × 3: 14.5 h; testing, labels and inspections 1.5 h.
- **Code: Ontario Electrical Safety Code 2024:** Ontario enforces the 2024 Ontario Electrical Safety Code (CEC 2024 with Ontario amendments, in force May 1, 2025). The Sheet follows the CEC 2024 rules; check your province’s amendments.
- **AFCI and GFCI (CEC 2024):** General receptacles: AFCI breaker — receptacle circuits (Rule 26-658).

## Questions

### What materials do I need to run new electrical circuits?

For the worked example, a 3 circuits, the Sheet counts 8 lines with waste included, starting with nM cable 12/2 with ground (515 ft — 2 × 250 ft rolls + 1 × 25 ft roll), single-gang box, new work (24 boxes), receptacle, 20 A tamper-resistant (24 receptacles), wall plates, single-gang (24 plates). Each line's math is in the table above. Put in your own sizes in the [circuits calculator](https://app.studsheet.com/p/circuits) and every line is counted again.

### How long does it take to run new electrical circuits, and can I do it myself?

About 14 to 21 hours for the worked example, in 9 steps. StudSheet stamps it **PRO JOB**: hire this out (pros get the full Sheet).

### What tools do I need to run new electrical circuits?

16 in all. The must-haves start with non-contact voltage tester, digital multimeter, lockout/tagout kit, wire strippers, lineman’s pliers, insulated screwdrivers (1000 v). On the Sheet you mark each one as owned, to buy or to rent.

## Ask about it

Stuck while you run new electrical circuits? Ask in the [Circuits and wiring group](https://studsheet.com/forum/electrical-circuits) of the StudSheet community with this Sheet attached. Homeowners who've done it and verified pros answer, and anyone can read it.

## More electrical Sheets

- **[Electrical for contractors](https://studsheet.com/trades/electrical)**: run this takeoff at your own prices, send the estimate, and get it signed and the deposit paid.
- **[Panel or service upgrade](https://studsheet.com/sheets/panel)** (100 A to 200 A service): For electricians: panel, breakers, service cable, grounding, and the utility and permit steps.
- **[All 45 Sheets](https://studsheet.com/sheets)**, across 16 trades.
- **[Code reference](https://studsheet.com/codes):** frost depths, guard heights, stairs, retaining walls.