The single most expensive moment in a remodel is the call from your inspector saying you failed the rough — because nothing else can close up behind drywall until that sticker goes green. An electrical rough in inspection is the inspector’s chance to see every wire, box, staple, and connection before the walls hide them forever. Pass it cleanly and the drywall trucks roll on schedule; fail it and you eat days or weeks of delay while you correct, re-call, and re-inspect. The good news: roughs fail for a short list of repeat reasons, and every one of them is preventable with a pre-inspection walkthrough.
- What the Inspector Actually Looks At
- Box Fill and Depth — The Number One Failure
- Cable Routing, Stapling, and Bushings
- Circuit Layout and AFCI/GFCI Requirements
- Grounding, Bonding, and the Service
- Pre-Inspection Walkthrough Checklist
- Cost of Inspection and Common Re-Inspection Fees
- When to Hire a Licensed Electrician
What the Inspector Actually Looks At
The rough inspection covers everything that becomes invisible after drywall: cable routing, box placement and depth, staple spacing, conductor count per box, grounding, and the bonding of the service. Finish fixtures, devices, and trim are not inspected at rough — they belong to the final.
Most inspectors carry a marked-up copy of the National Electrical Code (NEC) — typically the 2023 cycle in 2026, though some jurisdictions are still on 2020. Ask your AHJ which cycle is enforced before you wire anything. A 2023 NEC requires GFCI on basement receptacles that 2017 NEC did not — the difference is a failed inspection.
Box Fill and Depth — The Number One Failure
NEC 314.16 limits how many conductors a box can hold. A standard 18-cubic-inch single-gang plastic nail-on box holds eight 14 AWG conductors or seven 12 AWG conductors — and every device, every internal clamp, and every ground counts toward the total per the rule’s deductions.
Stuffing two 12-2 cables plus a 12-3 cable plus a device into a single-gang 18-cubic-inch box is an automatic fail. Use a 22.5-cubic-inch deep box ($1.85 at Home Depot, Carlon B122ADJ) or upsize to a 4-square metal box with a single-gang plaster ring.
Boxes must also sit flush with the finished wall surface or recessed no more than 1/4 inch. Plastic nail-on boxes have a depth gauge on the front — line it up with your drywall thickness before driving nails.
Cable Routing, Stapling, and Bushings
Romex (Type NM-B) cable must be stapled within 12 inches of every box and at intervals not exceeding 4-1/2 feet through framing. Use insulated staples or plastic cable straps rated for NM cable — Gardner Bender’s PSS-1450 ($6 for 100) are widely accepted by inspectors.
- Bore holes through stud centers, not edges, to keep cables at least 1-1/4 inches from the face of the stud (NEC 300.4(A)(1)).
- Where you can’t meet the 1-1/4-inch setback, install a 16-gauge steel nail plate.
- Through metal studs, every penetration needs a snap-in bushing or grommet — a missing bushing is a guaranteed write-up.
Inspectors also check for “kinks” — sharp bends below the NEC’s 5x cable diameter minimum radius. Pull cable gently around corners; if you see a sharp crease, cut it back and re-pull.
Circuit Layout and AFCI/GFCI Requirements
Modern code requires AFCI protection on most dwelling-unit branch circuits: bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, hallways, closets, laundry, and kitchens. GFCI is required at bathrooms, kitchens (countertop receptacles), garages, outdoors, basements, laundry, and within 6 feet of any sink. Dual-function AFCI/GFCI breakers like the Square D HOM115DF (about $52) cover both.
The inspector will trace your home runs from each box back to the panel and check that every required circuit is in place — typically two 20-amp small-appliance circuits in the kitchen, a 20-amp laundry circuit, a 20-amp bathroom receptacle circuit, and dedicated circuits for the dishwasher, disposal, microwave, and refrigerator if specified by your plans.
Grounding, Bonding, and the Service
If the rough includes a panel change or new service, the grounding electrode system must be visible: two ground rods at least 6 feet apart, bonded by a continuous #6 copper conductor with no splices, plus a bond to the metal water service within 5 feet of entry. NEC 250.50 also requires bonding any concrete-encased electrode (Ufer) when accessible.
Panel labeling matters at rough. Hand-write circuit numbers and intended loads in pencil if the directory isn’t finalized — blank directories sometimes draw a write-up.
Pre-Inspection Walkthrough Checklist
Walk the job yourself the day before the inspector arrives. Bring a tape measure, a flashlight, and a clipboard. Check:
- Every box flush or within 1/4 inch of the future drywall plane
- Staples within 12 inches of every box and at 4-1/2 feet max in runs
- Nail plates on any cable closer than 1-1/4 inches to a stud edge
- 6 inches of free conductor inside each box from the point the cable enters
- Grounds twisted together and pigtailed in every metal box
- Smoke and CO detector boxes in every required location per IRC R314 and R315
- Panel directory legible, dead front off for inspection
Take photos as you walk. They become your documentation if a later inspector questions concealed work.
Cost of Inspection and Common Re-Inspection Fees
Permit fees vary by jurisdiction — Los Angeles charges roughly $185 for a single-family rough electrical inspection in 2026, while a smaller town might bill $65. A failed rough triggers a re-inspection fee of $50 to $150 per visit. Build that buffer into your remodel budget.
When to Hire a Licensed Electrician
If you’re wiring more than a couple of circuits, panel work, or service changes, the math usually favors a licensed electrician. National median pricing is $85 to $145 per hour, and a full rough on a 1,800-square-foot single-story remodel runs $4,800 to $8,500. Electricians know the local inspectors and the local amendments to the NEC — both worth more than the labor hours alone. A clean electrical rough in inspection is a sign the rest of the job is being run with the same attention.
