Electrics notes for extension / refurb
- Thread starter JP_
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Lights in the bathrooms?
Extractor fans? Will need isolators too.
Shaver points anywhere?
Extractor fans? Will need isolators too.
Shaver points anywhere?
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Perhaps a heat detector in the kitchen? I know the smoke detector isn't far away, but if there's a somewhere it could obstruct it? Couldn't quite decide if it was an open area or there was a door
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Is the thermostat wired or wireless? If wired might be a good time to decide where it's going.
Any outside sockets for lawnmower, jet wash etc.etc.
Any outside sockets for lawnmower, jet wash etc.etc.
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OK, job for tomorrow!
Is there a standard abbreviation list somewhere? I am just making this up as I go along ...
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Any house alarm 'bits' going in? Or CCTV?
Wired doorbell being moved?
Motorised glitterball on the toilet ceiling?
Wired doorbell being moved?
Motorised glitterball on the toilet ceiling?
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I did think about CCTV, I guess it would make sense to at least have a circuit ready .... shame the damn thing cost so much money.
Doorbell - I have a lovely Byron Bell still packaged and ready to go - battery operated and twice as loud as competitors.
Doorbell - I have a lovely Byron Bell still packaged and ready to go - battery operated and twice as loud as competitors.
The 50m of Kingspan in the front room (bottom right) is going to be a bit expensive . And make sure you use solvent-free Pinkgrip to fix the insulation...
If you're like me (and have some very precise ideas about exactly where you want your various sockets) then at the very least you want to specify some heights for the various bands- for instance the above worktop sockets, do you want them 200mm above (so they'll be in the tiled bit) or 400mm above?
Also have a think about going over the top with coax/CAT5 points- I'd be putting at least 2 double CAT5 and probably 2 coax in every room (set so wherever you want a device you can get a cable to it without crossing a doorway), if you've got the thickness in the walls then think about running the data/coax in large bore ducting or conduit (so when the Next Big Idea comes along you can do something about it). Re CAT5 and coax- specify copper for both, not CCA. WF100 or CT100 for the coax, not the cheap brown stuff. For the rooms where you're definitely having serious AV capacity, double coax points are handy (if you're on satellite rather than cable or Freeview).
Outside socket (SOS)- if it is on it's own RCBO then fine, if it is on the kitchen radial or RFC then stick a DP switch inside somewhere (so if it gets wet and starts tripping everything you can isolate it)
If you can bear to do the work, it would be worth doing elevations of each wall showing exactly where you want the sockets, rads etc (especially in the kitchen put the units and worktops on a separate layer so you can see how they're going to work but you don't clutter the drawings for the spark).
And final one, do a bill of materials for how many sockets, backboxes etc you're using (work out the cable lengths as well if you like, allow 10% for badness and adhere to safe zones for the power cables (and ideally the data/coax) as well as maintaining separation and practicalities- getting cables through a steel beam or lintel is usually a no no). Split the sockets and boxes down by room on a separate sheet- makes it easier for the people doing the job, they can dump the required bits in in each room and if there's one left over they know there's a problem.
Just to cheer you up, be prepared to realise in 20 years time that you have never used half the data and coax capacity in the house (I know, I've done it)
. And make sure you use solvent-free Pinkgrip to fix the insulation...If you're like me (and have some very precise ideas about exactly where you want your various sockets) then at the very least you want to specify some heights for the various bands- for instance the above worktop sockets, do you want them 200mm above (so they'll be in the tiled bit) or 400mm above?
Also have a think about going over the top with coax/CAT5 points- I'd be putting at least 2 double CAT5 and probably 2 coax in every room (set so wherever you want a device you can get a cable to it without crossing a doorway), if you've got the thickness in the walls then think about running the data/coax in large bore ducting or conduit (so when the Next Big Idea comes along you can do something about it). Re CAT5 and coax- specify copper for both, not CCA. WF100 or CT100 for the coax, not the cheap brown stuff. For the rooms where you're definitely having serious AV capacity, double coax points are handy (if you're on satellite rather than cable or Freeview).
Outside socket (SOS)- if it is on it's own RCBO then fine, if it is on the kitchen radial or RFC then stick a DP switch inside somewhere (so if it gets wet and starts tripping everything you can isolate it)
If you can bear to do the work, it would be worth doing elevations of each wall showing exactly where you want the sockets, rads etc (especially in the kitchen put the units and worktops on a separate layer so you can see how they're going to work but you don't clutter the drawings for the spark).
And final one, do a bill of materials for how many sockets, backboxes etc you're using (work out the cable lengths as well if you like, allow 10% for badness and adhere to safe zones for the power cables (and ideally the data/coax) as well as maintaining separation and practicalities- getting cables through a steel beam or lintel is usually a no no). Split the sockets and boxes down by room on a separate sheet- makes it easier for the people doing the job, they can dump the required bits in in each room and if there's one left over they know there's a problem.
Just to cheer you up, be prepared to realise in 20 years time that you have never used half the data and coax capacity in the house (I know, I've done it)
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Great advice oldbutnotdead, many thanks.
Coax / sat - yeah, need to think this one through better - in my last house, the tv was on the outside wall so it was easy to chuck in an extra line for the satellite dish, but not so easy with tv on internal wall. Didn't think of that! Electrics are not really being touched in the existing rooms, so will leave that off or the costs will rise ...
SOS - as it happens, we did have an separate electric circuit for the garage, but that was dismantled. I was thinking that this circuit could be used for the outside socket.
Isn't Cat6 better than Cat5? My plan is to run one cable from where the BT box is to the back of the TV in the lounge, then rely on wi-fi for the rest. At the moment, everything is on wifi, so that is working. If I only have ethernet for my TV, it means that if the kids are playing on the xbox and it is disturbing my Amazon streaming, I could, in theory, turn off the wifi for a bit!
Coax / sat - yeah, need to think this one through better - in my last house, the tv was on the outside wall so it was easy to chuck in an extra line for the satellite dish, but not so easy with tv on internal wall. Didn't think of that! Electrics are not really being touched in the existing rooms, so will leave that off or the costs will rise ...
SOS - as it happens, we did have an separate electric circuit for the garage, but that was dismantled. I was thinking that this circuit could be used for the outside socket.
Isn't Cat6 better than Cat5? My plan is to run one cable from where the BT box is to the back of the TV in the lounge, then rely on wi-fi for the rest. At the moment, everything is on wifi, so that is working. If I only have ethernet for my TV, it means that if the kids are playing on the xbox and it is disturbing my Amazon streaming, I could, in theory, turn off the wifi for a bit!
In some ways, but in a home environment no one will notice any difference between 5e and 6.
Cables for devices which can have them, Wi-Fi for whatever is left.
Not necessary or desirable, even cheap-o-matic home routers support blocking access to devices for certain periods, time of day etc.
WiFi is pretty good for actual data (as in IP packets flying around the place), we'll not worry too much about security. Bonus with floodwiring the place with CAT5 is you can use them for landline phone (yeah not much call I know) and anything else that involves ELV and low current. You can also get baluns for all sorts of different applications (HDMI, VGA, ADAT are just the ones I've got). Depends on your lifestyle really.....
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