Lighting costs

alfa_aficionado

Hi,

considering the installation of a whole house automated lighting system (approx 4500 sq ft over 3 floors; top floor is an attic conversion with only 2 rooms, one of which will be a home cinema/games room).

I was wondering how much you think it could cost to wire a house like this conventionally for lighting only (with the view to asking our contractor if he could take off this amount so that we can pay someone else to install the automated system)?

The basic lighting spec is as follows:

Utility Rm: 4 spots & 1 outside light
WC: 1 ceiling light
Hallway: 6 spots
Cupboard: 1 ceiling light
Shower Rm: 2 spots
Guest bedroom: 1 ceiling light
Lobby: 1 ceiling light & 1 outside light
Study: 1 ceiling light
Sitting Rm: 2 ceiling lights & 4x 5A sockets (in the corners)
Living Rm: 1 ceiling light & 4 spots & 4x 5A sockets
Dining area: 2 ceiling lights
Kitchen area: 10 spots
Master bedroom: 10 spots & 3x 5A sockets & 1 outside light (balcony)
Dressing Rm: 1 ceiling light
Ensuite: 2 spots
Bedroom 2: 2 ceiling lights
Bedroom 3: 2 ceiling lights
Bedroom 4: 1 ceiling light
Bathroom: 3 spots
Hotpress: 1 ceiling light
Closet: 1 pull light
Landing: 6 spots
Attic: 3 ceiling lights

Thanks for any advice.

alfa_aficionado

anyone able to help with this - wondering about the cost of conventional wiring as considering the installation of an automated system - to wire for both is both costly and difficult (& unneccessary)?

Maybe this is not in the correct part of the forum?

Technophobe

Can't really help with your main question...but I know from my own recent quote on a new build, that you are seriously driving up costs with the number of Spots you are speccing...
....not to mention possibly inefficiencies regarding air-tightness etc;)

hope it helps..

knx

You'll need to supply some more information for an estimate. How many circuits will be switched or dimmed and if they are dimmed what kind of loads are we talkin about. How many switches/controls do ya want. Do you want remote access to the system. Loads more to be honest.

You should consider incorporating your heating into it as well and wire for electric blinds or curtains as if your doin the lights it wouldn't be a whole lot more. If you already have a sparks on site then you might be as well letting him wire it according to plans supplied by the integrator. Then your only paying a specialist to configure and commission it. Maybe connecting up the panel as well.

Pm me for any advice you require. This is my line of business.

alfa_aficionado

Thanks KNX - I will definitely PM for further information down the line as there doesn't seem to be many CIs around this island! Whereabouts are you based and what systems do you work with?

I don't have any answers to your questions presently as I have only just spoken to a lighting designer (might as well do it properly if you're gonna install an automated system).

I was simply wondering if anyone had an idea how much my "current" lighting setup would cost to provide and wire for (so that I could guage how much I should be asking my main contractor to remove from his quote)?

JuniorB

Technophobe wrote: »

Can't really help with your main question...but I know from my own recent quote on a new build, that you are seriously driving up costs with the number of Spots you are speccing...
....not to mention possibly inefficiencies regarding air-tightness etc;)

hope it helps..

LOL ... our spec (which is out for pricing) has 92 spots, 20 wall lights and 5 std light fittings !! :cool: The boss doesn't like 'hangy down' lights. Will be re-evaluating when quotes come back - might as well start big and work back!
Investigating the whole air tightness issues (which will be the main reason for cutting back) and will post back when we hopefully have a cost effective solution.

Technophobe

Well, the way I did it was to tell "the boss" that there were none going upstairs as they would be a breach in the airtightness barrier and she accepted that..surprisingly....;) So then, I only had to battle her on the ground floor so to speak...;)

That amount of spots should be the makings of a high quote Junior..best of luck...!!

knx

alfa_aficionado wrote: »

I was simply wondering if anyone had an idea how much my "current" lighting setup would cost to provide and wire for (so that I could guage how much I should be asking my main contractor to remove from his quote)?

Sorry I misunderstood your question. If you already have an electrical contractor imo it will definitely work out cheaper to have him first fix the lighting and obviously second fix all the light fittings themselves. All the cabling will have to be pulled in anyway. It will be wired differently to the traditional system. All circuits will be wired in 1.5 t&e and run directly back to the consumer unit/control panel area without any switches to worry about. So essentially he (or she) wont be supplying any switches and won't have to worry about two way switching and switch feeds/wires etc. However you do need to decide on a system before the first fix starts because obviously the switches and controls have to be first fixed and wired with the appropriate cabling (contrary to popular belief cat 5 isn't the answer to everything). So I suppose to answer your question you won 't really be asking the contractor to knock off much in the grand scheme of things as the expense of an automation system is in the second fix stage and would be on top of the contractors fee if your gonna get separate companies. Ultimately the contractor will still have the same amount of work. Maybe not what you wanted to hear but the reality of it. I'll pm you some more info..