Pre-Construction Planning: Installing a Home EV Charger in New Home Builds

Building a new home is exciting, and it's also the perfect time to think about your future transportation needs. With electric vehicles becoming more common and practical, installing a home EV charger during the construction phase just makes sense. Instead of trying to add charging later, planning ahead can save you money and headaches down the road.

Why Plan EV Charging During Construction?

When you're building from scratch, you get to design your electrical system with EV charging in mind. This beats trying to figure out how to add it to a finished home later.

Here's why it's smart to plan ahead:

• Costs way less than retrofitting later

• Cleaner look with wiring hidden in walls

• Your electrical system gets designed right from the start

• Your home is ready for whatever EVs come next

• Adds value to your home

Getting Your Electrical System Right

Your new home's electrical system should handle what you need now and what you might need later. Think bigger picture here - you might get a second EV someday, or charging might get faster.

What to think about:

• 240V outlet in your garage or wherever you'll park

• Big enough electrical panel (200-amp is usually good)

• Right size circuits for Level 2 charging

• Extra conduit for future stuff

• Making sure everything adds up power-wise

Most new homes can handle a 40-amp circuit for EV charging pretty easily. That's plenty of juice for charging overnight. But if you think you might want multiple EVs or super-fast charging, talk to your builder about beefier options.

Picking the Right Spot

Where you put your charging setup matters a lot. You want it convenient but not in the way of normal garage stuff.

Things to consider:

• How far from your electrical panel (shorter = cheaper)

• Protection from weather if it's outside

• Room to move around when you're plugging in

• Easy to get to for maintenance

• Charging cord reaches where you park

The cost to install an EV charger at home drops big time when the wiring doesn't have to snake through finished walls. Planning during construction means you can run wires the easy way.

Smart Charging Makes Sense

New homes today benefit from smart electrical systems that manage power automatically. Getting an EMS install during construction means everything works together smoothly.

These systems can:

• Balance power use around your house

• Keep you from overloading circuits

• Charge your car when electricity is cheapest

• Work with solar panels if you get them

• Let you see how much power you're using

We at Celtex Electric & Automation work with builders and homeowners to design electrical systems that work for today but are ready for tomorrow. Our experience with home EV charger installation in new builds helps make sure everything gets planned right.

Talking to Your Builder

You'll need to have good conversations with your builder about this stuff. Many builders are still figuring out EV infrastructure, so you might need to help them understand what you want.

What to discuss:

• How big your electrical panel should be and where it goes

• What circuits you need for charging

• Extra conduit for future upgrades

• Making sure everything meets code

• When electrical work happens in the building process

Make sure whoever does your electrical work knows about EV charging. Not every electrician has done much installing a home EV charger, so pick someone who knows what they're doing.

Planning for What's Next

Even if you don't have an EV yet, getting your new home ready for one is smart. The infrastructure costs almost nothing during construction compared to adding it later.

Think about adding:

• Extra conduit for more charging stations later

• Bigger electrical service than you need right now

• Spots for multiple charging locations

• Smart panels that can manage loads automatically

Getting Started

Planning for installing a home EV charger in your new home isn't rocket science, but you do need to think about it early in the design process. The trick is working with people who understand both building schedules and EV charging.

Ready to get your new home set up right for electric vehicles? We at Celtex Electric & Automation help homeowners and builders add EV charging to new construction projects. Get in touch early in your building process so your new home is ready for electric cars from day one.