Project Managing Your Residential Electrical Remodel

IMPORTANT ELECTRICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR A HOME RENOVATION PROJECT

You may be planning to add a room to your house. It may be a home office or an outdoor kitchen. These can be big renovations and you have to be careful with the planning, ensuring that the electrical factors are also taken into account. You should work with a licensed electrician who has experience with a project like yours. Proper planning can save you money and ensure that the project runs seamlessly.

Electrical Capacity

When renovating your home, it is important to determine the current electrical capacity of the building. Many old homes do not have the wiring to handle the latest appliances and technologies. You should get the help of an electrician to calculate the existing capacity. They can help in

All home renovations are going to involve some kind of additions or changes to the wiring. The different wiring concerns are as follows:

Wiring Size: If the wiring size doesn’t match the new electrical requirements in the building, it increases the risk of fires. An increase in the number of outlets for a circuit can mean excess current for the circuit. If adding more amps, it is important that you install new circuits into the panel.

Securing Wiring: Make sure that the wiring is properly secured. If the staples are not properly attached, the wires can get damaged. It is recommended to run the wiring through cable trays.

Improper Wire Connections & Lengths: The length of wiring that can be stripped is regulated by electrical codes. The wires shouldn’t be stripped too much or too short. It can increase the risk of fires or voltage drops.

Unprotected Wires: It is recommended to have a safety inspection to ensure that there is no unprotected wiring. All electrical wires should be covered to prevent exposure to the elements, humans or pets.

Electrical Power Upgrade

When you add more space to your home, this means the power demand will increase. The existing panel may not be able to handle the increased power demand due to more appliances and circuits. It may require an electric service upgrade.

GFCIs

It is also recommended to install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs). These devices will make your home a safer place. They instantly cut off power if a plugged-in appliance comes in contact with moisture. It is recommended to add these units to kitchens, bathrooms, or any other areas where there is a risk of water contact.

Things to Know About Electrics When Building a New Home

Building a new home can be incredibly exciting. But many people find that they get so consumed by the design and project management aspects of their new home that crucial elements, such as its electrical requirements, can be overlooked. If you get these wrong, the consequences facing your home can range from mere inconvenience, right through to major health and safety risks.

PLAN THE LOCATION OF OUTLETS

While you may be thinking of how rooms will be coordinated and where features will be situated, it’s necessary to first determine the position of electrical outlets and wiring for your communication devices. This is so you can then place electrical equipment in the appropriate places with connection to electricity. Consultation with a qualified and experienced master electrician can help you to achieve this end.

UNDERSTAND THE WIRING SYSTEM YOU’LL NEED

In making decisions about the electrics you’ll need in your new home, it’s important to realise that your total electrical system is comprised of the electrical service, as well as lighting outlets and a range of appliances that are hardwired. It’s worthwhile noting that your electrical service needs to be of a sufficient size to match the needs of the people living in your house. Typically, one hundred to two hundred amps are adequate for a standard-sized house and household.

KNOW IF YOU NEED EXTRA POWER

In this day and age, where technology is incredibly advanced, a number of people choose to have large systems for audio, visual, and entertainment purposes, as well as home-based offices. If you’re such a person, it’s wise to find out more about the options available for your home’s electrical system. It may be necessary for you to have an advanced wiring system in your home.

CONSIDER ENERGY EFFICIENCY

When it comes to electricity, many of us are concerned about the rising costs and negative environmental effects. Many people building new homes therefore appreciate knowing that a control system can be used to moderate the costs of energy. Such systems can be remotely controlled from your home, and while this capability may seem futuristic, they can ultimately save you money and ensure that your home is safe when you’re not there

electrical and lighting things to consider when building

I can safely say that every day of this home build journey I am learning something new. From small things like discovering new products (who knew door handles could be so exciting?!) to the bigger picture of understanding the building process

The decisions we make now will have an impact on how we live in and enjoy our home so I’m taking them pretty seriously… That’s why it took three hours of careful deliberation before finalising our electrical and lighting plan! Thankfully our electrician and lighting expert were incredibly patient and helpful!

Do not over-light your interiors

The other week we published ‘How to design a lighting plan for your home‘ and in that post, lighting expert James talks about understanding the function of each room before deciding how much and what type of light to fill it with. As we went room by room through our house, James would constantly ask me ‘What will you do in this room?’ and ‘How will you configure your furniture?’ before suggesting any lighting options. Start with function and adapt your lighting depending on the needs in the space to avoid over lighting your home — and put a dimmer on every interior light!

Consider mixing lighting solutions

James is a big believer in using as little ceiling light as possible so he suggested all sorts of other lighting solutions — wall washes, low hallway wall lights, floor lamps, pendants, step lights — and when we did talk about ceiling lights he suggested some new products, like ‘extrusion’ lighting which is a more sleek and commercial looking product. If you won’t have an expert to help you plan your lighting, I suggest taking the time to research all the lighting options out there before meeting with your electrician so you can develop a plan that works and will add interest to your home.

Be careful not to date your house with lighting that’s so 2015!

As you all know, I’m a massive Block fan. So when I asked whether or not strip lighting along the kick of the kitchen was a good idea, or if we should put some under the island bench and I got a strained look from James… it was pretty clear the answer was no, he he. He said we could do whatever we wanted — it’s our house after all — but that he wouldn’t recommend putting lighting in these places where it serves no real purpose as he thinks this lighting trend will date quickly. In a few years time you don’t want people to say ‘That’s so 2015!’.

Things for Your Electrical and Lighting Plan

After giving a general overview last week of what’s needed for the specifications for the plumbing, mechanical and electrical subs, I thought it would be helpful to go into more detail about the lighting and electrical plan that you will have to give to the electrician.  There is so much to consider.  I’ll give you a list of suggestions that you can use as a checklist to help you develop a pretty complete electrical and lighting plan before you even meet your builder or electrician for the lighting walkthrough.

The lighting walkthrough typically happens in the rough-in stage, after framing is complete and before the drywall goes up.  Usually the homeowner will walk through the framed house with the electrician and/or builder and discuss where fixtures, outlets and light switches will go.

But thinking through the electrical and lighting plan well before you do the electrical walkthrough will allow you more time to consider exactly what features and outlets we want, and where. This decreases the chances of you forgetting an outlet or light switch somewhere.  It will also give you an opportunity to develop more detailed specifications so you can get more accurate electrical bids before construction even begins.    You may want to do a walkthrough by yourself a time or two when developing your lighting plan, just so you can get your thoughts together and not feel rushed when you do the official walk through with the electrician and/or builder.

It’s probably best to make a written, room by room list of fixtures and features plus mark your house plan where the electrical fixtures, outlets and light switches will go.  You can use different colored dots or symbols for light switches, outlets, recessed can lights, under cabinet lighting, and lighting fixtures, such as wall scones, table lamps, floor lamps and chandeliers.  For example, you might symbolize all recessed can lights with black dots and light switches with red dots. Outlets could be blue and lighting fixtures could be green.  If you really want to be helpful (and a little Type A), after you figure out what exact lighting fixtures you want to go in each room, you paste a photo of the fixture to a paper copy of your house plan.  Paste each lighting fixture photo on the diagram of the room where it will go. That will serve as a master guide for your electrician when he installs your fixtures toward the end of the build

Now about these electrical and lighting plan suggestions… most likely, not all of the suggestions will work for your family, house and lifestyle.  Use what works for you and leave the rest.  And keep in mind, these tips should go to into your preliminary lighting/electrical plan. You’ll want to go over the preliminary electrical plan and marked up house plan with your electrician and/or builder to see if they have any additional suggestions that would make your lighting plan more functional or more economical. 

Lighting and Electrical Considerations for Vancouver Home Renovation

There are many things to learn whenever you renovate your house. Our decisions are incredibly crucial to making sure we can enjoy living in our homes. Electricity is an essential element in everyone’s home these days. Making bad electrical choices is something one cannot afford.

Having an experienced electrician by your side when planning for your home renovation would be a great idea for saving time and money. You will easily be able to avoid future regrets by making these important changes.

ever Over light

Overlighting the interiors is one of the most commonly made mistakes you will find in most home renovations.

Mix it Up

Using conventional lighting options and techniques time after time is one of the biggest reasons why most people are never satisfied with their lighting. This reason is why we suggest you mix it up and give your house a new look simply by changing the way you light it

Do Not Use Outdated Lighting

Using outdated lighting inside your residence is a surefire way to make it look bad. Although illumination is a primary purpose of every light, there is much more to it than that.