Whether you are building a new home from the ground up, remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, or adding an accessory dwelling unit to your property, the electrical work happens in phases that must be coordinated with every other trade on the job. Framing dictates when rough-in begins. Insulation and drywall dictate when it must be complete. Inspections gate every transition — and if the electrical rough-in is not ready on time, the entire project schedule slips.
Getting the electrical scope right on a construction or remodel project requires a contractor who understands sequencing, communicates proactively with builders and other trades, and delivers work that passes inspection on the first visit. It also requires someone who can help you plan circuit layouts, panel sizing, and outlet placement before the walls go up — because changes are easy on paper and expensive after drywall.
CMC Electric performs new construction wiring, remodel rough-in and finish work, and ADU electrical installations across Raleigh, Clayton, and the greater Triangle area. This page answers the questions homeowners, builders, and property owners ask most often about construction-phase electrical work. For other topics, visit our FAQ Center.
Licensed electrical contractors in the Raleigh area perform new construction electrical work in two primary phases: rough-in and final trim (also called finish or hookup). Understanding the distinction matters because these phases happen at different points in the construction schedule and each requires its own inspection.
Rough-in is the first phase. It happens after framing is complete but before insulation and drywall go in. During rough-in, the electrician runs all branch circuit wiring through the wall and ceiling framing, installs outlet, switch, and junction boxes, mounts the electrical panel and runs the home-run wires from each circuit back to the panel, and installs any conduit, low-voltage wiring, or prewire for future systems (security, audio, networking). A rough-in inspection by the municipal inspector follows — and it must pass before the walls can be closed.
Final trim is the second phase. It happens after drywall, painting, and flooring are substantially complete. The electrician returns to install all outlets, switches, cover plates, light fixtures, ceiling fans, the panel breakers and labeling, appliance connections, and any exterior fixtures. A final inspection follows, and once it passes, the electrical system is approved for occupancy.
CMC Electric performs both phases for new construction projects across the Raleigh and Triangle area. We work directly with builders, general contractors, and homeowners to coordinate our schedule with the other trades on the job — because staying on sequence is how a project stays on budget.
Kitchen and bathroom remodels are among the most electrically intensive residential projects because both spaces have code requirements that go well beyond standard room wiring. Kitchens require multiple dedicated circuits — typically two 20-amp small appliance circuits for countertop outlets, a dedicated circuit for the dishwasher, a dedicated circuit for the garbage disposal, and often individual circuits for the refrigerator, range, and microwave. Bathrooms require GFCI-protected outlets, an exhaust fan circuit, and potentially a dedicated circuit for high-draw fixtures like a heated towel rack or electric radiant floor.
The remodel rough-in is the point where all of this new wiring is run through the open walls before the space is put back together. It is also the point where mistakes are cheapest to fix — moving an outlet box six inches costs almost nothing during rough-in and several hundred dollars after tile is installed.
Coordination with other trades is critical during a remodel. The electrician needs to work around (and sometimes ahead of) the plumber, the HVAC contractor, and the tile installer. Scheduling conflicts between trades are the most common cause of remodel delays, so communication between all parties matters as much as technical skill.
CMC Electric provides remodel rough-in and finish electrical work across the Raleigh and Triangle area. We coordinate directly with your general contractor or, if you are managing the project yourself, with the individual trade contractors on the job. We review the design plans before rough-in begins to confirm that outlet placement, circuit count, and switch locations match the finished layout — so there are no surprises when the cabinets and countertops go in.
An accessory dwelling unit — a detached garage apartment, a backyard cottage, a basement apartment, or an above-garage unit — needs its own electrical distribution, and that typically means a subpanel fed from the main home’s electrical service or, in some cases, a separate meter and service entirely.
A subpanel is a secondary electrical panel installed in the ADU that receives power from the main panel via a feeder circuit. It distributes electricity to the ADU’s branch circuits just like a main panel does for the primary home. The subpanel size depends on the ADU’s electrical load — a small studio with basic lighting and outlets may only need a 60-amp subpanel, while a full one-bedroom unit with an HVAC system, kitchen appliances, and a washer and dryer may need 100 amps or more.
The City of Raleigh has specific permitting and code requirements for ADUs, including electrical provisions that address panel sizing, feeder wire routing, grounding electrode installation at the ADU structure, and whether the unit requires a separate utility meter. These requirements can vary depending on whether the ADU is attached or detached and whether the primary home’s existing service has enough capacity to support the additional load.
CMC Electric installs ADU subpanels and complete ADU electrical systems across the Triangle. We assess the main panel’s available capacity, calculate the ADU’s projected load, size the feeder and subpanel accordingly, and handle the City of Raleigh electrical permit. If the main service needs an upgrade to support the ADU feeder, we include that in the scope so you have a single estimate covering the full project.
Yes. As-built electrical documentation records the actual wiring layout of your home as it exists after construction or remodeling is complete — including circuit routes, panel schedules, outlet and switch locations, junction box positions, and the location of any concealed wiring paths. This documentation is different from the original construction drawings (which show what was planned) because remodel work often deviates from the original plan once the contractor encounters real-world conditions inside the walls.
As-built documentation is valuable in several situations: future electricians working on your home can reference it instead of guessing where wires are routed, a home sale benefits from having a clear panel schedule and circuit map that the buyer’s inspector can review, and any future renovation is faster and less expensive when the contractor does not have to trace every circuit from scratch.
The level of documentation varies. At a minimum, a thorough electrician will produce an updated panel schedule (a labeled directory of every circuit and what it serves) as part of any panel upgrade or rewiring project. More comprehensive as-built packages include a floor-plan diagram showing outlet, switch, and fixture locations keyed to their circuit numbers, and notes on concealed routing paths.
CMC Electric provides updated panel schedules as standard practice on every project that involves panel work or new circuit installation. For homeowners who want a more detailed as-built package — floor-plan diagrams, photo documentation, or a complete circuit map — we offer that as an add-on service and can coordinate with BIM or as-built documentation providers for larger projects.
Electrical layout planning is one of the most consequential early decisions in a new build or major remodel — and it is one of the most commonly underinvested. A thoughtful electrical plan accounts for how you actually use each room, not just where the code requires outlets and switches to be.
Start with your daily routines. Where do you charge your phone at night? Where do you set up your laptop? Where do you plug in the stand mixer or the air fryer? Where will the TV and streaming devices go? These answers tell an electrician where to place outlets and whether dedicated circuits are needed in locations that a basic code-minimum layout would miss.
Then consider the systems you plan to install now or in the future: EV charger, whole-house generator, landscape lighting transformer, home office with a UPS, workshop with 240-volt tools, smart home hubs and low-voltage wiring, security cameras, and whole-house audio. Each of these benefits from prewiring during the rough-in phase, even if you are not installing the system immediately. Running an empty conduit or a placeholder wire during framing costs a fraction of what it costs to retrofit after the walls are finished.
CMC Electric works with homeowners and builders to plan electrical layouts before the rough-in phase begins. We walk the framed structure (or review the floor plans for homes not yet framed), discuss current and future needs room by room, and produce a circuit plan that goes beyond code minimums to match how you actually live. This planning step is included in our scope — it is not a separate design fee.
In the City of Raleigh, Wake County, and most jurisdictions across the Triangle, new construction and remodel electrical work requires at least two inspections: a rough-in inspection and a final inspection. Larger or more complex projects may require additional inspections at intermediate stages.
The rough-in inspection happens after all wiring has been pulled, boxes installed, and circuits run back to the panel — but before insulation, vapor barrier, and drywall are installed. The inspector verifies wire routing, proper stapling and support, nail plate protection on framing penetrations, box fill calculations, grounding, bonding, and correct conductor sizing. This is the most critical inspection because everything being evaluated will be concealed once the walls close. If the rough-in fails, corrections must be made and the inspector must return before the project can proceed.
The final inspection happens after all devices (outlets, switches, fixtures), the panel, and any permanent equipment connections are complete. The inspector verifies that every device is properly installed, GFCI and AFCI protection is in place where required, the panel is labeled and accessible, and the system is safe for energizing and occupancy.
CMC Electric schedules both inspections as part of every construction and remodel project. We plan our rough-in work so the inspection can be called as soon as the last circuit is run — avoiding the downtime that delays the insulation and drywall crews. On the finish side, we complete all hookups and testing before calling the final inspection so it passes cleanly on the first visit.
Trade coordination is one of the most underappreciated factors in whether a remodel stays on schedule or spirals into delays. The electrician, plumber, HVAC contractor, and sometimes a low-voltage or security installer all need access to the same wall cavities and ceiling spaces during the rough-in phase — and they cannot all be in there at the same time.
The typical sequence in a remodel follows a predictable order. Plumbing and HVAC rough-in usually go first because their components are larger and less flexible in terms of routing — drain lines, vent stacks, and ductwork dictate where other systems can and cannot go. Electrical rough-in follows, fitting wire routes around the plumbing and mechanical work that is already in place. Low-voltage and specialty wiring (security, audio, networking) come last. Once all trades complete their rough-in, the building inspector reviews each system before the walls close.
Communication is what makes this work. The electrician needs to know where the plumber is placing water lines so outlet boxes are not installed in the same stud bay. The HVAC contractor needs to know where the electrical panel is located so ductwork does not block the required clearance. These details are resolved through direct communication between trade leads, a general contractor who manages the schedule, or both.
CMC Electric coordinates directly with the other trades on every remodel project. If you are working with a general contractor, we communicate with them on scheduling and sequencing. If you are self-managing the project, we will coordinate with the plumber and HVAC contractor ourselves to make sure the rough-in sequence flows without conflicts.
Accessory dwelling units are increasingly popular across the Raleigh area, and the City of Raleigh has specific zoning, permitting, and building code requirements that affect the electrical scope of the project. Understanding these early prevents expensive mid-construction changes.
The first question is whether the ADU will share the primary home’s electrical service or have its own separate meter and service entrance. Shared service means a feeder circuit from the main panel to a subpanel in the ADU — simpler and less expensive, but limited by the main panel’s available capacity. A separate meter means the ADU has its own utility account and service entrance — more expensive to install but provides independent capacity and allows separate utility billing, which matters if you plan to rent the unit.
The second question is capacity. A typical ADU with a kitchen, bathroom, HVAC, and standard appliances will need a minimum of 60 to 100 amps depending on the load calculation. If the ADU includes an electric range, an electric dryer, an EV charger, or electric heating, the load goes up accordingly.
The third question is grounding. A detached ADU requires its own grounding electrode system — typically a pair of ground rods driven at the ADU structure and connected to the subpanel’s grounding bus. This is a code requirement, not an option, and it must be in place before the final inspection.
CMC Electric advises ADU owners and builders on all three of these decisions during the planning phase. We review the primary home’s service capacity, calculate the ADU’s projected load, recommend the feeder and subpanel sizing, and handle the City of Raleigh permit so the electrical scope is established before foundation work begins.
Construction and remodel electrical work connects to several other topics:
CMC Electric was founded in 2005 by Chris Conrad in Clayton, NC, and has grown into one of the Triangle’s most trusted residential and commercial electrical contractors. Our licensed, insured, and background-checked technicians serve Raleigh, Clayton, Garner, Durham, Chapel Hill, Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, and dozens of communities across central North Carolina.
New construction wiring and remodel electrical work have been part of CMC Electric’s service offering since day one. We work with builders, general contractors, and homeowners managing their own projects — bringing the same communication, permitting discipline, and craftsmanship whether the job is a full custom home or a single-bathroom renovation. Every project comes with upfront pricing, a lifetime craftsmanship warranty, and clear communication at every step.
Planning a build, a remodel, or an ADU? CMC Electric provides free consultations for construction-phase electrical work across Raleigh and the Triangle — including circuit layout planning, panel sizing, and a written estimate with no obligation.
