I live in an older home and I need to add some outdoor outlets. I’d like to install them all at once and with a plan rather than doing it ad hoc over a few years. I know code doesn’t specify anything regarding placement but perhaps there’s a rule of thumb.
Is there any standard for placement of outdoor outlets? How would it be approached on a new house?
The location will have regulations that will, almost always, apply to new fittings.
For example, there could now be a new minimum height requirement (specified to reduce the hazard due to possible flooding events.
So check the regulations that apply for your country and even location as you might find your options limited - even alterations to existing wiring might mean you are required to come up to the latest spec - grandfathers rights may not always be relevant. And grandfathers rights may take 3rd place to common sense and safety, especially given the higher demands we place on circuits now.
Outdoor requirements or even usability guidelines are very different for the exterior than they would be inside the home. There are far fewer common uses for outdoor outlets, and some areas of the home simply don't need them. Many things which might have been done with corded devices in the past are now typically done with battery powered devices, such as lights and drills. It can also compromise the home's energy efficiency to disrupt vapor barriers and insulation.
Rather than thinking about it in terms of spacing, I would focus almost entirely on usage expectation. It's simply not worth the hassle and expense of installing outlets at intervals which you may never use.
Here are a few places where outlets might be appropriate:
at key locations for holiday lighting
at decks or patios
adjacent to landscape features requiring power, such as a koi pond
where vehicles or other devices might need to be charged
