There are several things to consider. Do you actually have 5 spaces
available in the panel, or just 5 breaker knockouts in the cover?

All panels are not designed to accept half sized breakers, so even if you
have 5 spaces in the buss, you may not be able to install six breakers.

If your service is of sufficient size for the existing loads plus the
additional loads of the basement, it would probably make sense to add a sub
panel. If it's an easy run to the basement from the garage location, you may
just want to install a sub panel adjacent to the service panel. If the
existing service in not adequate, typical 200 amp panels can be bought to
accommodate up to 40 full sized breakers



wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm finishing my basement and am planning to add 6 new circuits (2:
lights, 1: outlets, 1: GFI in bath, 1: sewage pump, 1: misc devices
such as bath fan). I currently have 5 blank spaces in my main panel,
which is in my garage. I am comfortable installing new breakers, and
had planned on doing the wiring myself, and installing 2 thin breakers
and 4 full-size 20A breakers to feed the 6 circuits. However, I
realize another option is to install a sub-panel in the basement,
which I feel is probably outside my realm of comfortable-ness and
would require a pro installation. I did pull the electical permit
myself, so I will be getting it inspected, which I feel is important
to ensure I am doing everything correctly and safely, but I wanted an
outside opinion on whether it would be best to just run the new
circuits into the old panel (thereby filling it up), or hire an
electrician to put in a new sub panel, which I would then populate
myself.

Thanks in advance!