Clever electrics

[BlackAlys]

Will you wow me with your clever electrics please? Meeting with electrician tomorrow who wants a 1st draft plan of electrics - it's a total re-wiring job in the existing building and a brand new fit for the extension.

I'd like soft white LED's up the staircases on a sensor and timer and I'd also like to have soft side lights/lamps wired into separate wall switches. LED's for kitchen but some softer wall lights too as I have no cabinets to have under cabinet lighting.

Do any of you have any ideas that I should be considering? Huge TIA!

I have visited relatives who have LED lights on sensors throughout the house. I HATE them - the lights turn on very bright if you so much as move. So if you want to go quietly to the bathroom in the night (which could easily be done with the light from the bedroom), the whole corridor lights up in a blaze of light enough to wake the kids. Everywhere you move after dark, this blaze of light follows you. horrible.

I would have lots of electric sockets, ideally on every wall so that you never have to stretch a cord past a door in order to plug in a gadget. And otherwise, keep things minimal and don't put in too much automation.

Don’t know if you are redoing lighting too but a light directly above the kitchen sink. Any house I’ve had the lights seem to be behind your head!
Intelligent dimmer switches for LED ceiling lights, stops your lights flickering.
More sockets than you think you’ll need and not just on one wall. Also usb sockets integrated into standard sockets.

We have a couple of automatic lights inside cupboards, like the pantry and under the stairs.

Just get normal light sockets and put smart bulbs in. Don't do dimmers. Yes do light above the sink. Yes usb sockets. No to hard working lamps.

If you use a window sill for your kitchen radio or Alexa for example, get a socket in the reveal of the window so you won't have trailing wires.

Definitely get dimmers. Don't get overhead lighting over your bathroom mirror, light will be terrible for makeup!

plug sockets outdoor in the back garden for things like lawn mowers. One at the front of the house incase you ever need it.

Sensor lights wired into the house at front,side and back of house so you don’5 have to worry about changing batteries or solar panels not working in the winter.

If you have an electric shower up rate the cable cross sectional area (csa) to a sufficiently high size so that you can put a greater than 10kW unit in when you replace it.

Outside wall weather proof socket for patio area, good for parties/bbq. Or running power tools.

Thinking of an electric car in the future? Run suitable cabling in the walls while you can to avoid upheaval later for charging unit.

Mains operated smoke heat detectors.

@parietal

I have visited relatives who have LED lights on sensors throughout the house. I HATE them - the lights turn on very bright if you so much as move. So if you want to go quietly to the bathroom in the night (which could easily be done with the light from the bedroom), the whole corridor lights up in a blaze of light enough to wake the kids. Everywhere you move after dark, this blaze of light follows you. horrible.

I would have lots of electric sockets, ideally on every wall so that you never have to stretch a cord past a door in order to plug in a gadget. And otherwise, keep things minimal and don't put in too much automation.

Very much planning on the lights being low level and soft like little fairy lights running up the stairs.

Agree re overhead LED's - airport runway!

And automation only on the stairs perhaps!

I'd also love to be able to switch on lights from my phone. The house is at the end of a very dark lane - pitch Black in fact, so being able to switch on lights before I approach would be great.

By my front door ( I live in a flat), I have two master switches that turn off all the lights in the flat. I turn them off when I go out and on when I come in.

Saves walking around turning lights off every time you go out.

A lamp is plugged in for the burglars of course.

We have a double switch each side of the bed and a triple switch at the bedroom door so we can control the bedside wall lights, really handy.
Also loads of sockets every corner and by every doorway. Outside sockets front and back with a switch to turn them on and off just inside (perfect for Christmas lights!)
Don't bother with USB sockets as they are expensive and not as powerful as wall charger bricks

@BlackAlys

And automation only on the stairs perhaps!

I'd also love to be able to switch on lights from my phone. The house is at the end of a very dark lane - pitch Black in fact, so being able to switch on lights before I approach would be great.

You can do this with smart bulbs in normal sockets. I've got them and I LOVE them. As well as being able to manually control them from my phone, my entrance light is set to automatically come on as I approach the house and some of my other lights are on a timed schedule so the place looks occupied even while I'm out. They're also linked to Alexa so I can voice control them.

One of my mates works for a tech magazine and has just reviewed pro install home automation, it was a crestron system that cost £14k for three rooms, which works amazingly. If you're not going to go that far, I'd look at Philips hue bulbs, and, thinking where to hardwire light strips.

Hue does all the sensors, automation and app control you could reasonably want.

Ask if they’ll fit a neutral to the light switches. You’ll get more “smart” options for switches otherwise you need dimmer modules (or smart bulbs, but they limit your lighting choices)

@parietal

That made me laugh so much 😂🤣.

Blaze of light everywhere.

If you have an open plan kitchen, you need to really think about the different lighting you need in different scenarios - nice and bright for cooking, homework, washing up, mood lighting for a romantic dinner (and not just over the table but for the whole room).

Don't assume LEDs - even overhead ones - have to mean "airport runway". Sure, downlights/spots can be a bit harsh, but the right LED bulbs in pendants over tables, kitchen Islands etc can be as nice as any other bulb.

Despite what others have said about USB sockets charging devices slower than "proper" adapters, I'd still get a few in strategic locations. They're not only useful for charging your iPhone. All kinds of devices use usb adapters for power - we have the kids' nightlights, smart speakers, all sorts.

Finally, consider how the whole setup will work for visitors, or if your phone dies. Switching and dimming lights from your phone is one thing, but to my mind there's a lot to be said for a seingly old fashioned dimmer switch on the wall.

If you are having wall hung vanity unit in the bathroom then get a soft motion sensor light underneath

@Calendulaaaaa

Just get normal light sockets and put smart bulbs in. Don't do dimmers. Yes do light above the sink. Yes usb sockets. No to hard working lamps.

Thanks. What are hard working lamps?

@Pottytraining37473

plug sockets outdoor in the back garden for things like lawn mowers. One at the front of the house incase you ever need it.

Sensor lights wired into the house at front,side and back of house so you don’5 have to worry about changing batteries or solar panels not working in the winter.

Car cable! Yes! Thanks!

I'm finding this thread so useful . Huge thanks to you all.