Slight thread degradation:
Is it still considered a single branch circuit if we are including a subpanel, even if it is spa panel with branch circuits of its own? This is honest curiosity on my part.
I just had this conversation, only a little more muddied, yesterday with a guy. From what I can understand, the answer is yes.
Let the rambling begin...
I ran into this issue where electricians do not want to just do the work on the main and pull the wire through and then let me run with it. Their issue is with the permit and which license number is on the permit. I've talked to them and said I'd pull the permit ($90 BTW but most are asking $150 for their time) and I'd sub out the work to them. No one is willing to touch that idea with a 8 foot ground rod.
I spoke to a guy yesterday who is sending another guy back here this weekend, a licensed electrician still but he is a home brewer, so this may be what I need. Someone who understands my needs. He didn't seem opposed to the idea of letting me join in the fun. I'm starting to understand a lot more, but still unwilling to mess with my main. I took the panel off and there is no room to run wiring downward like everything else is (including the main feed to the box). therefore, I have to either go up, out and down, or straight out the back and down. There is a maximum number of turns I can make before I need another junction box, per code. Right now they're figuring 5 turns, I'm counting 4 if we go out the back.
Point here is I've referenced this thread so much that I am feeling more confident about this and without you all chiming in, I wouldn't have known much of this. Of course @islandlizard has also read through my rambling PMs and helped outside this thread.
Eventually, once I know work is going to begin, I will be able to start my build thread and all the fun will start. I did learn that the shed people didn't put a ridge vent on the roof. It was an extra item that I simply didn't consider. With vented soffits, once I drywall and use baffles, there is no place for the air to go. I'm trying to reach the shed guys now in hopes that I can get this taken care of without hitting the pocketbook too hard.