Meeting with electrician for new build!

Paudi04

Hi all, I'm meeting with the builder and electrician on Wednesday. House should be sealed by then. The purpose of the meeting is to determine how many sockets, lights etc go in each room and also on the exterior.

I'm gonna get him to put 4 sockets in the corner of the main living (for main tv location), one other tv point with double sockets in the other corners and something similar in the other rooms downstairs. Gonna get it wired for CCTV in the corners of the building, wired for elec gates, outdoor power points down the garden... Just don't want to miss anything that I could get done so any suggestions or comments welcomed! Thanks!

davebuck

Make sure you have at least 3 co-ax cables and a cat 6 cable at the main TV points in each room much easier to cable now then when the house is finished.Don't forget the alarm wiring around the house plenty of 8 core alarm cables back to a central location.
No harm in having plenty of external lighting points wired it'll help with the CCTV etc....

fclauson

also put a couple of outside sockets (but have them isolatable from the inside - don't want those pesky burglars stealing you electricity to drill out your own locks !!)

Cat 5 - but be pragmatic - most things are wireless - but wifi is not so good at streaming video unless you go for a good quality router

thermostats (assuming you are having them)

wiring for a HRV boost switch by each bathroom door (we have a rule - click on the way in and click on the way out - HRV set to run for 20 mins at boost)

CCTV cable to each corner of the building

Well power (plus a socket - always useful if you need to run a drill etc in the well area)

Sewage system power (and a socket may for Xmas lights)

sockets under the sofits for xmas lights (but again isolatable from the inside)

power to your gates + intercom + CCTV cable

power for flood lights/xmas lights in the middle of the lawn

have a single central locating to which all cables return (e.g the building "hub")

HP cabling - depending what sort you are using

2 x HDMI (and other audio/visual control cables) from behind TV in sitting room to location where Sky/SAT/DVD box will sit

burglar alarm - but be aware getting a cable to the window frame edge past your airtight layer etc can be tricky

have a number of lights switched from your HUB so that later you can put them on a timer to have them coming on at dusk

SAT cables to dish location

power to garage / shed

Cat 5 to garage/shed for alarm/controlling garage doors

think about putting meter box on shed to not have a cold bridge on the main building (a meter box will come in about 800 from the outside wall)

and THINK ABOUT how all of these cables come in without breaking airtight envelope

and - you will still forget something

Paudi04

fclauson wrote: »

also put a couple of outside sockets (but have them isolatable from the inside - don't want those pesky burglars stealing you electricity to drill out your own locks !!)

Cat 5 - but be pragmatic - most things are wireless - but wifi is not so good at streaming video unless you go for a good quality router

thermostats (assuming you are having them)

wiring for a HRV boost switch by each bathroom door (we have a rule - click on the way in and click on the way out - HRV set to run for 20 mins at boost)

CCTV cable to each corner of the building

Well power (plus a socket - always useful if you need to run a drill etc in the well area)

Sewage system power (and a socket may for Xmas lights)

sockets under the sofits for xmas lights (but again isolatable from the inside)

power to your gates + intercom + CCTV cable

power for flood lights/xmas lights in the middle of the lawn

have a single central locating to which all cables return (e.g the building "hub")

HP cabling - depending what sort you are using

2 x HDMI (and other audio/visual control cables) from behind TV in sitting room to location where Sky/SAT/DVD box will sit

burglar alarm - but be aware getting a cable to the window frame edge past your airtight layer etc can be tricky

have a number of lights switched from your HUB so that later you can put them on a timer to have them coming on at dusk

SAT cables to dish location

power to garage / shed

Cat 5 to garage/shed for alarm/controlling garage doors

think about putting meter box on shed to not have a cold bridge on the main building (a meter box will come in about 800 from the outside wall)

and THINK ABOUT how all of these cables come in without breaking airtight envelope

and - you will still forget something

Thanks for the great posts.. A lot to go on because I suspect that after Wednesday if I say to put any extra after that day = more money. I think ou have most covered. Never really thought about the airtight envelope being broken. I think that it will be minimal (hopefully). I like the idea of the boost button for hrv in bathroom!

TheBody

Get a light in your hotpress!! I hate having to pull out all the clothes to see what I'm looking at!!

fclauson

Paudi04 wrote: »

Thanks for the great posts.. A lot to go on because I suspect that after Wednesday if I say to put any extra after that day = more money. I think ou have most covered. Never really thought about the airtight envelope being broken. I think that it will be minimal (hopefully). I like the idea of the boost button for hrv in bathroom!

OUTSIDE BATHROOM - no switches allowed inside

also walk around the house and work out where switches should be - make sure you can switch off lights from where you want (no switches behind doors because you failed to work out which way door opened) also work out if switches should be out side a room (i.e. doors open inwards to room you do not want to have to go searching for a switch)

Switch beside bed to turn off main light (this can save a marriage as to who should get out to turn it off !)

Motion sensor in loft space so that you never leave the light on up there

if you have hot water circulation boost pump (i.e. a h/w return from say the kitchen) then a boost switch next to the sink is handy)

have all outside lights switchable from inside

have a single "FLOOD" switch to switch on all outside lights in case you hear mr/ms nasty creeping about :cool:

if using a HP make sure you understand what the Boost button does - if I boost mine and the compressor and immersions cut in and with ovens on etc then the master fuse will blow (its can only take 63 amps) this is a real gotcha (when it happens on Easter Saturday night with a house full of guest and a full dinner being cooked )

My electrical spec ran to 10 pages with diagrams - etc - I only wish he had followed it completely !!!!!!

esox28

Sorry to hijack . . But what options are there for tv points about 25 mtrs from hub, im told HDMI cabling only runs in lenghts of 15mts max plus has high cost implications.

the data cable cat 6 could tranfer from sky hd+ how is this done and do you need specific adapter and will the magic eye work same as using coax.

wclarke20

Just to add my bit...
I put a switch beside the bed in the main bedroom for turning off the light. Saves having to get up and walk over!

Also have a switch in the bedroom which turns on the outside lights.
Alarm keypad beside the bed.

5amp sockets in the sitting room. Good for lamps in the corners controlled by a wall switch.

Dont forget lights for your kitchen presses, socket in the attic.

If you've an office, put the sockets at bench level instead. Missus has a spot in the bedroom earmarked for a dressing table and sockets are at bench level there too.

Tifosi

Don't forget smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

You are probably best marking the drawings up yourself then reviewing with your electrician and then agreeing thereafter.. Plenty of sockets in the kitchen , think about all the appliances that require plugging in. Similar at the TV location/s allowing at least 3no doubles.

Another item which maybe handy a USB wall socket for charging, simply wires from the nearest socket.

fclauson

Tifosi wrote: »

Don't forget smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

....

good point - alarms have to be mains wired - but its also handy to
a) have these patched into the burglar alarm (but remember fire alarms must be independently powered iI.e. via battery as well as mains)
b) have the alarm put on lights when it goes off

1. so that it makes your exit easy in case of a fire
2. it scares away whatever set off the alarm (except spiders who don't care if its bright or dark )

Agree with the comment about drawing up what you want - take time - your only get one chance

I wish ..... I had put more switched circuits back to the hub so I can turn on even more lights via a timer

A2LUE42

Why has no one mentioned the requirements for kitchen alliances and sockets, which should also match with your kitchen plan?

wclarke20

Tifosi wrote: »

Another item which maybe handy a USB wall socket for charging, simply wires from the nearest socket.

I got one of those pop up power sockets for the island in the kitchen and they have an built in USB socket.

One thing i wish i did was wire a few speakers into the ceilings and back to an input. Handy for radio/music.

Paudi04

Met with the electrician and all the above points really helped when mapping out the house. Prob the best one for the wife was the switch beside the bed to turn all outside lights on when she hears something. The electrician stated that that PIR sensors would be better than wiring each window for the alarm because you wouldn't get any any false alarms and the alarm would only activate when an intruder was inside. I thought this to be a good idea.

Thanks all who contributed!!!

fclauson

There are two arguments

no window contacts = no warnings that any windows are open
PIRs - only detects one someone is inside - but will always detect (window sensors can be easily circumnavigated)

Paudi04

I understand your point about not being able to see if windows are still open or not but with the MHRV system the windows shouldn't be open anyways.... still trying to explain that concept to the other half!!

fclauson

so I visited the doyen of Passives Houses in Ireland (Mr O'L) - he had a window open but I promised not to tell anyone :eek:

I also today had a window or two open - its a myth that you cannot open widows (or in my case big sliding doors) but you don't need to for pure ventilation purposes

Its was such a nice day I had top open then