Whether you’ve been contracted to do so or you’re building it for yourself, building a brand new home can be an incredibly exciting and fulfilling Endeavour. There’s no feeling quite like looking at a gigantic project like a house and feeling the satisfaction of a job completed… but before you get to that stage, there’s a whole host of complications and obligations to get through first.
One of the chief roadblocks to house construction is in electricity. Electrics are complex, technical, not immediately accessible, and can only be outfitted by trained professionals. Knowing what to do with electrics in your installation can be the difference between a successful, fast, and ergonomic build, and a house that causes nightmares from construction to daily life for its occupants. Here are the top six things you need to know when planning and implementing the electrics for your new house.
1. ELECTRICITY IS DANGEROUS
Electricity is very, very dangerous.
This might seem like the most obvious thing in the world, but that doesn’t stop 321 electrocution deaths last decade alone, with 62% of them being entirely unintentional due to a mix of poor understanding of electrical safety and other complicating factors.
Unless you’re a trained electrician, don’t attempt to do anything that isn’t explicitly mentioned as encompassing a layman’s capacity. Instead, you should contact a trained and qualified electrician if there’s any job outside of your skill bracket. Don’t take a chance on that skill bracket either; it’s better to be down a couple of dollars for an electrician than receiving a serious injury.
2. PLAN EARLY
One of the larger issues people run into isn’t in the installation stage, but post-installation when it comes time to move in. When you’re planning wiring, outlets, and other facets of use, consider the livability of the house. Where would this element best go to suit the needs of the occupants?
If you’re envisioning an office in one room, give yourself ample power points, and consider the locations for the computer or technical equipment you’ll need to put in there. Likewise, a bedroom should have sockets useable for any lighting, especially things like bedside lamps. Consult with your electrician ahead of time to stop headaches later.
As an addition to this, feel free to speak up about what you’d like! Too many people keep a passive mind and mouth when it comes to their electrics. Tell your electrician what you’d like and see what your options are, just like with any other part of the house.
3. PLAN FOR YOUR TECHNICAL LEVEL
If you’re the sort of household that employs a lot of technical gadgets, especially ones with high power draw or always-on capabilities, and doubly so if you’re adding large audio-visual setups, you should make sure to check whether you’ll need an advanced wiring system for your house.
4. DON’T OVER-RELY ON YOUR LIGHTS
Come up with a lighting plan that makes use of both natural and artificial light sources, and take your living space into account. Having too much artificial light can mean that you’re using a ridiculous amount of power for no real additional gain, while over-reliance on natural light obviously leaves you a little lacking at night.
On top of that, remember that each light serves a purpose. Don’t put a large, glaring, unfilterable light in your bedroom, where you’ll want to be reading or relaxing before bed. Consider putting in something with a dimmer or something that can be filtered, or isn’t glaringly directional instead.
5. REMEMBER THE OUTDOORS!
Your garage and outdoors are two places that tend to have a fairly slapdash approach handed to them by most planners. While people are often meticulous in their indoor planning, when it comes to the back yard, people are more likely to throw in a few sensor lights and call it a day.
Keep some power points for anything such as fridges, electrical tools, or even just as a failsafe/just-in-case in your garage. It’ll cost a lot more to install them later on, post-construction, than it will while you’re still building the house.
Planning for the future is a big part of home construction, and electrics are no different.
In the garden, consider firstly how you’re going to light it; whether with foot lights, overheads, proximity sensors, or whichever you ultimately decide upon.
Then consider what you’ll do with it in the future. Will you be entertaining? Having the capacity for an outdoor kitchenette, extra lighting, the capacity for heating or cooling, as well as any other modern conveniences will be a great addition, and a great hindrance to do without.
6. LEARN YOUR SYSTEM
Knowledge is power. Knowledge of power – probably even moreso.
Understanding your electrical plan inside out means that you’ll be assured of your own future proofing, know your own limits to installation, and ultimately be able to choose properly exactly what you need (rather than what you think you need).
It also means that you’ll be more knowledgeable about your options. If you’d like an lighting control system, for example, you should know precisely what you’re buying and installing before doing so, or precisely how much your draw can handle.
Bowwood Electricians are Master Electricians, certified to perform any electrical work with the utmost care and precision. We deliver WOW service at any stage of your home construction and building process. Contact us today to chat about our expert advice and clever solutions.
Contact us for more detials www.bowwoodelctrical.com
Email:infobowwoodelectrical.com
Emmergency: 08160439262
Enquiry:09078652960