Most people think about powering the house.
Very few think about powering the driveway.
Here’s how to plan ahead so you're not cutting through concrete to run wire for a gate, driveway lighting, security cameras, or a keypad!
Plan for Future Power
Even if you don't plan on installing anything right away, I'd still prepare for it.
If there's even a chance you'll add a driveway gate, entry lighting, cameras, a keypad, or landscape lighting, get power out there while everything is still open.
Hardwired systems are simply more reliable than solar. You don't have to worry about dead batteries, inconsistent charging, or dim lights after a few cloudy days.
Run Conduit Under the Driveway
This is one of my favorite pieces of advice.
Before the driveway gets poured, have your contractor install a stick of conduit underneath it. It costs around $20 in material and takes almost no extra labor while the trench is already open.
You may never use it.
But if you ever need to get power or low-voltage wiring to the other side of the driveway, you'll be incredibly glad it's there.
Otherwise, you're looking at cutting concrete or boring underneath it later.
Don't Stop at the Driveway
If I'm building a house, I'm running conduit almost anywhere future wiring might need to cross concrete.
That includes front walkways, sidewalks, patios, and even potential routes where the cable or internet company may need to bring service to the house someday.
Conduit is cheap. Concrete isn't.
Plan for the Upgrades Before the Concrete Gets Poured
This is exactly the kind of detail that gets missed during a build because you're focused on finishes instead of infrastructure.
That's why I created the Ultimate Home Building Checklist. It walks you through upgrades like this during the right phase of construction, so you don't finish your house wishing you had planned just a little further ahead.
Because once the concrete is poured, every wire becomes a lot more expensive.
