Where the charger goes, and why the distance to the panel is the whole project

Start from the car, not from the wall

Charging ports are not in the same place on every vehicle. Front left, front right, rear quarter, the position decides which side of the parking space the cable has to reach, and whether it has to cross in front of or behind the vehicle to get there.

Two practical checks before anything is mounted. Park where you actually park, not where you would park for a photograph. Then walk the cable route with a tape measure, at the height the unit will be mounted, allowing for the cable to hang rather than stretch.

A cable pulled taut across a walkway is the most common regret in this category, and it is entirely avoidable at the planning stage.

Height, reach and the second vehicle

• Mounting height is a compromise between cable weight, connector reach and keeping the unit clear of damage. Manufacturers publish a recommended range, follow the one for your equipment rather than a general rule.
• Cable length is specified with the equipment. Longer is not automatically better: a long cable that lives on the floor gets driven over.
• If a second vehicle is likely, decide now whether it parks on the same side. Positioning the unit centrally, between two spaces, is often the cheapest future-proofing available.
• Where a second charger may follow, running an oversized conduit while the wall is open costs very little compared with opening it again.

Routes, in order of cost

Along an unfinished wall

The cheapest case, and the reason a charger in an unfinished garage next to the panel is close to trivial work. Conduit is surface-mounted, nothing is opened, nothing is repaired.

Through finished space

Cost follows what has to be opened and put back. A route through a basement ceiling that is already exposed is cheap. The same distance through a finished, occupied floor involves drywall, paint and someone else's schedule.

Outdoors along the building

Weather-rated conduit and fittings, penetrations sealed properly, and a mounting arrangement designed for exposure. Straightforward work that is simply more work than the indoor equivalent.

Under ground to a detached structure

The step change. A trench of specified depth, conduit, backfill, and reinstatement of the driveway, path or lawn on top. It also raises questions about what else the detached structure is fed by, and whether that feed can carry a charger at all.

Common positions, and what each costs you later

• Next to the panel because it is easy: cheap to install, and a permanent daily inconvenience if the car does not park there.
• On the far wall for tidiness: a long run through finished space, paid once, for an aesthetic gain.
• Outside, on the driveway side: fine, provided the equipment is rated for it and the cable is not left on the ground.
• In the middle of the garage bay: often the best compromise for two vehicles, and it is worth checking that a person can still walk past.

None of these is wrong. They cost different amounts, and the difference is predictable, which is exactly the sort of thing that belongs in a quote rather than in a conversation afterwards. See what drives the cost.

Frequently asked