Ok so let’s talk building! Most of you know that we have now done two self-builds and I recently worked on a total renovation on a 3-bed semi. I have always loved home design, interiors and decorating.
In this blog I want to highlight how planning ahead and research is vital when building or renovating. I’m going to share some important things to consider – most of these tips are centred around your electrical plan – so grab yourself a cuppa, have a seat and I hope it helps.
The whole building process can be extremely stressful and once things start moving you will get decisions fired at you daily. The more prepared you are with your research done, the easier it will be. The longer it takes for you to make decisions the more money it will cost because time is money when you are building a house. When we were building I always tried to be ten steps ahead with my research, so for example when our builders were on site making a start on our blockwork, I was measuring up and researching some interior finishes.
If you’re preparing to build a new home or renovate, there’s a lot that needs planning. Unfortunately, there are often details disregarded or forgotten early on and it’s not until later on when people notice and it’s too late to rectify. When designing and building a new home, it’s essential to plan for the future. I always recommend to take each room separately and imagine yourself walking around the room – What is the space used for? What electrical sockets do you need? Think about your lighting and switches? What appliances will you use or need in this room?
Thinking carefully about your electrical plan can save you from electrical renovations down the road. Here I’m sharing some tips to consider when you are starting out on your build journey.
- Think about your lighting plan in the early stages of your build. Speak to your electrician, listen to their advice. Are you wanting led mirrors in bathrooms? Plan for the future.
- Where do you want fixtures, outlets and switches to go? Think about every room separately. Consider your furniture and how you want to layout each room. Imagine yourself walking in and out of rooms so you can decide what wall you want your switches to go on.
- Put an all-in-one bedroom lighting switch at the side of the bed. Put all the lights that cannot be reached on that bedside light switch circuit.
- Consider a usb port socket for beside your bed for charging phones.
- Place an electrical outlet inside a bathroom vanity drawer so you can charge electric toothbrush/shaver etc.
- Imagine yourself walking through every room – look at the natural light and think about your light fittings. What atmosphere are you wanting to create with your interiors? Think about areas that might be dark at night and do you need to add some extra light in these areas for safety reasons.
- Light switches to closets, pantries etc to be placed outside so you don’t enter a dark room.
- Do not place light directly above your head as you stand in front of the bathroom vanity. You’ll get unattractive shadows on your face.
- Plan where your dining table will go and place the lighting fixture to the centre.
- Where do you plan on putting your Christmas tree and decorations? Have sockets in these areas.
- Adding under counter lights in the kitchen will brighten an area when prepping, cooking and cleaning.
- Put a socket in your large cupboard/closet for recharging your hoover/mop and other small appliances.
- Think about an outlet in your pantry for a food mixer or blender. Some people like their microwave in their pantry too.
- TV units – are you wanting spot lighting or led strip lighting on your built-in unit?
- Put weatherproof outlets outside. You can have the power switch inside.
- Take pictures of all your wiring and switches before it gets sheeted.
- Run a conduit along your driveway for future outdoor writing needs. It’s always an option then to add outdoor lighting along pathways or driveways to make it safer to walk.
- Add a master switch that controls all exterior lights at once.
- If you are considering solar panels make sure to mention it to your electrician early on.
- Think about your kitchen layout and where you want your appliances to go.
Careful planning at the start of any project will help you get the end results that you want. Having a well-designed electrical plan will ensure that you have the wiring and power you need. They say you need to build a house three times to get it right but I firmly believe if you plan and research correctly, you can get it right first time. I hope some of the points shared have helped and feel free to pop over to my Instagram @emilyindonegal to say hi or message me with a question.
