... I've never worked with any type of electrical wiring. I have experience in running networking cable, and I think I can figure it out, but I want to stay in line with building/fire codes. I'll try to be specific about my questions, but you may notice something I've left out - if you do, feel free to let me know.
- How deep do my electrical boxes need to be? I was considering using a grid of 1"x3" furring strips (first layer horizontal, second vertical) with 3/4" rigid foam board insulation (R-5) - I've heard of low profile electrical boxes, but I've also heard they won't pass code. Any suggestions?
- As I said, I only plan on roughing in the electrical. We have a breaker box in the basement, but I don't feel confident at all with messing around in it. Should I call an electrician now or should I just wait until I get everything roughed in for him? I've heard some electricians won't work in a "roughed in" environment and prefer to do everything themselves. Not sure if that's to make more money, or for some other safety reason I'm not aware of.
- What gauge wire should I use? I plan on running 2 outlets every 6' (I read this was the standard?) as well as a mix of recessed lighting throughout the ceiling. Will I use the same wiring for all of these?
- Is there a guide somewhere to roughing in electrical work? I had planned on just running all the cable to the boxes/breaker/lights and then just pulling an extra 1-2 feet to hang out for the electrician to terminate. Is that right?