The workbench is in, the tools are organised, and there’s finally somewhere to tackle those weekend projects. Then you switch on the dust extractor and realise the garage has one power point—and it’s beside the door.
If you’re setting up a workshop, upgrading a detached garage or building a new shed, planning the electrical installation early makes the space much easier to use.
At Plains Electrical, we help homeowners across Christchurch and Selwyn get practical power and lighting where they need it.
Start with what you’ll actually use
A garage used for parking and storage has different needs from a workshop with woodworking equipment, a compressor and a freezer.
Before deciding where the sockets should go, think about the equipment you’ll use now and what you might add later.
Useful things to tell your electrician include:
- What machinery and power tools you own.
- Which items you expect to run together.
- Whether you want heating or ventilation.
- Where benches, shelving and fixed equipment will sit.
- Whether an EV charger could be part of the future plan.
Photos of equipment rating plates can help with the initial discussion. “A few tools” can mean anything from a battery charger to several substantial machines.
Put power points where the work happens
Socket placement makes a big difference in a workshop.
Outlets above a bench are easier to reach than ones hidden behind drawers. A socket near the garage door can be useful for cleaning the car, while another near your storage area gives battery chargers a permanent home.
It’s worth planning around the finished layout. Consider where long lengths of timber will sit, how cupboard doors open and whether a machine might block access.
The aim is to make everyday jobs convenient without extension leads running through the workspace.
Give the lighting some thought
A single light in the middle of the ceiling might be adequate for finding the lawnmower. Detailed work needs more consideration.
Your body, shelving and an open garage door can all cast shadows over the area you’re trying to see.
A useful lighting plan considers general coverage alongside the places where you’ll measure, cut, repair or assemble things. Workbench lighting can help with close tasks, while well-positioned exterior lighting makes access easier after dark.
Separate switching also lets you light the area you’re using without turning on everything.
What if the garage is detached?
Getting electricity to a separate building needs planning around the property.
The route from the house, the distance involved, existing surfaces and access all influence the installation. If you’re about to pour a driveway, lay paths or landscape the garden, speak to your electrician first.
That’s the time to discuss cable routes and any provisions worth making for future work.
The existing supply also needs assessing. Having electricity in the garage already doesn’t tell us whether it will suit the equipment you want to add.
Is a garage sub-board worthwhile?
For a garage or workshop with several circuits, a local distribution board may be worth considering.
Whether it makes sense depends on the proposed loads, the existing installation and the building’s use. We can assess the options and explain what each would involve before the work starts.
It’s also a good opportunity to discuss likely future additions, so the design accounts for more than the first stage of your setup.
Get a clear scope before comparing prices
“Power to the shed” can describe very different jobs.
A useful quote should explain what’s included: the supply arrangement, cable route, sockets, lighting, switchboard work and any associated excavation or reinstatement.
Clear details help you compare quotes and understand what the finished installation will provide.
Planning a garage or workshop upgrade?
Plains Electrical provides electrical installations for garages, sheds and home workshops throughout Christchurch and Selwyn, including Prebbleton and Rolleston.
Send us a few photos of the space, your proposed layout and the equipment you want to use. We’ll arrange an assessment and put together a quote around how you want the workshop to function.