Wiring a new house-any suggestions?

Danandrew

Hi all,

We are currently building a new house & are at the stage of pricing electricians. Just wondering if anyone has any tips/suggestions that we might not have thought about that worked well for you. E.g. Position of lights, sockets, security, etc. We don't want to be there in 12 months time wishing we had done this or that!
Thanks in advance!

Drift

Count out the number of sockets you will need in each room and then double it. Pretty much every house I've ever been in doesn't have enough plug sockets!!

Also bear in mind that Sky Plus needs two wires from the LNB to the back of the box so I think I'd be putting in three or four tv points behind your main TV location.

Also from a safety point of view you should put in a Carbon Monoxide alarm in any room with a fireplace or stove. You never know when it might save your life or one of your kids lives.

Pick a good central location for your internet modem/router to maximise the coverage from the wifi and run a CAT6 line to anywhere you plan to have a desktop computer (i.e. Home Office, etc.)

kkelliher

Danandrew wrote: »

Hi all,

We are currently building a new house & are at the stage of pricing electricians. Just wondering if anyone has any tips/suggestions that we might not have thought about that worked well for you. E.g. Position of lights, sockets, security, etc. We don't want to be there in 12 months time wishing we had done this or that!
Thanks in advance!

min 4 double sockets in each bedroom, one in each corner (1 either side of bed), an additional one at high level if you ever intend hanging a TV in the room. Wire for tv/broadband in every room (you dont have to connect it until you require it). external double socket front and back. (front one can be connected to spur so it can be powered on and off). run cables for lights and electricity to any garden areas as you might want them down the line and wont be able to get under the driveway etc. Run ducting from house to front gate in case you want to do anything down the line. The list is endless.

Drift

Enough sockets in the hallways for the hoover!

touchdown77

I'd recommend 3 cat6 cables to each data point, terminate 2 of them in a single face plate and one spare coiled up in the box.

Danandrew

Thanks everyone...some very valid suggestions there, especially for outside. I hadn't really thought of lights up the drive!!!

lownhard

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056892355

Might be some useful stuff in here too

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055263035

Danandrew

We actually got our first quote back from electrician today. He dictated the spec as we weren't sure what exactly would be required & at first glance, it seems fairly decent. He hasn't scrimped (too much!!) on the sockets but I've taken on board the advice about doubling the number of sockets we think we'll need!!

Just one or two observations/queries that ye might help me with...

1. He has 2 carbon monoxide alarms downstairs but none upstairs...should there be one upstairs?

2. There are smoke alarms in the hall, lounge, landing and in 3 bedrooms but not in master bedroom. Perhaps that was an oversight but would you put one in each room?

3. We have concrete ceilings & I've read on other threads that there may be issues with wifi. Cat6 seems to be the answer (as mentioned by Drift) but can someone explain in very basic terms what this means & how it works. Sorry, bit of a techno-dunce here!!

Gumbo

Drift wrote: »

Also from a safety point of view you should put in a Carbon Monoxide alarm in any room with a fireplace or stove. You never know when it might save your life or one of your kids lives.

Great idea, I am also advising people,doing renovations to do this now, as it will be come mandatory in new builds from September onwards.

DeeJunFan

Danandrew wrote: »

1. He has 2 carbon monoxide alarms downstairs but none upstairs...should there be one upstairs?

2. There are smoke alarms in the hall, lounge, landing and in 3 bedrooms but not in master bedroom. Perhaps that was an oversight but would you put one in each room?

3. We have concrete ceilings & I've read on other threads that there may be issues with wifi. Cat6 seems to be the answer (as mentioned by Drift) but can someone explain in very basic terms what this means & how it works. Sorry, bit of a techno-dunce here!!

1. You only really need them where you have combustion so unless you are planning to have a stove or fire upstairs i wouldn't bother.

2. Also fairly normal. Kitchen and lounge are where fires normally start. You could have one in your bedroom but not necessary.

3. Cat6 is network cable. This will take the Broadband signal from your router around the house so you don't need to rely on Wifi. Can be as simple or as complicated as you like really. If you just want Internet around the house all you will need is a small switch and cable.

travis1976

If you plan on having your Tv on the wall in the sittingroom, run some Cat5e/cat6 cable from where your Sky box is going to be to where your Tv will be. You can get Cat5/6 to hdmi convertors. Keeps it very neat.