Home Improvement Ideas DIY Home Electrical Tips & Guides How to Draw a Home Electrical Plan Planning a major remodel or DIY project? Plan out the electrical work beforehand. Trust us, it's not as difficult as it looks. By Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole Instagram Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of interior design expertise. She has vast experience with digital media, including SEO, photo shoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on October 21, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email A carefully drawn home electrical plan helps show the building inspector that you've thought through your project. And spending an extra hour or two with pencil and paper helps you spot potential problems before you begin tearing into walls, saving you time and expense in the long run. A drawing must include the locations and types of fixtures, switches, receptacles, hardwired appliances, and cables. Then, on an attached sheet, provide a list of materials. How to Use Kitchen Pendants for a Beautifully Lit Space Know the Layout Get a pad of graph paper, a straightedge, a compass, and several colored pencils if you're installing several circuits. Make a scale drawing of the room, including features such as counters and cabinets. Using widely accepted symbols, make a quick freehand drawing using colored pencils to indicate each circuit. Are the switches in convenient locations? Are all the circuits correctly loaded? Do you have enough receptacles, and are they easy to reach? Once you've made your final decisions, draw a neat, final version of the plan. See an Example Our plan for wiring a kitchen includes a 15-amp circuit for lights, some controlled by three-way switches. A 20-amp refrigerator circuit, two 20-amp small-appliance circuits, and a 20-amp circuit for the dishwasher and garbage disposer are included. The range has its own circuit. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit