The rewarding feeling of building your own home is truly satisfying. But at times the stress can be overwhelming.
Planning where to put your electronic devices is a critical and challenging issue that you need to deal with.
To help make your journey a bit easier we’re sharing a few tips from what we’ve learned along the way.
Firstly, before you consider decorating the interior ask your Designer to show you where the planned electrical outlets are located.
From there take a moment to consider each room of your house. Ask what the purpose of the room is, how you plan to furnish it and what appliances will be utilised.
Take the master bedroom as an example, are you planning to install a TV and where will you put it. Do you have enough outlets for the hair dryer, alarm clock, electric blanket and other important devices you use?
For children’s rooms consider how their needs may change over time. Very young children need lighting and a place to plug in the baby monitor. As they grow you need to add plugs for the stereo, alarm clock, mobile phone charger, mp3 player, laptop and light.
Remember, a room’s purpose will change over time so planning ahead for the needs of teenagers reduces costs in the future. It also helps when it comes to sell as a potential buyers purpose for the room may differ.
Tackling the kitchen can be a trickier area and is best done in consultation with the person who uses it the most. Planning for your major appliances such as the oven, fridge and dishwasher is somewhat simple. The real issue is strategically positioning power outlets for small appliances such as the kettle, toaster, blender, electric fry pan and extractor fans.
It’s worth considering how you want to be able to control the lighting. And that your layout may change as your family grows.
Your concern for the main living area should be around lighting and powering major electrics. Consider where you will be placing the dinner table and lounge suite. These areas are often used for reading, homework or as place to use the laptop when not in proper use.
Ask how the sound system will be connected to the TV and if you will be utilising wireless speakers, in wall mounting and advanced control systems.
Also, are there enough sockets to power the TV, DVD recorder, Sky Decoder and the wireless headset?
It’s also worth noting that most modern phones require power for the answer machine or the cordless dock.
If you plan to install carpet you will need to use the vacuum cleaner and an extra outlet that is not stuck behind a bed is pretty handy.
The focus for lighting should be not just where you would like it but how you wish to control it. Dimming lights or multiple smaller voltage lights help provide ambiance but place an extra strain on power resources that should be planned for to avoid problems.
Internet modems, printers and screens for desktop pcs require their own power source and are often overlooked. Crowded multi-boxes are used to supplement and hidden behind study desks.
These are the cause of many house fires and used improperly are dangerous so plan adequately and keep your family safe.
Heating systems such as heat pumps or on the wall heaters are convenient but require installation. Gas heaters also require power for the fan component included in mains units.
Taking the above questions into consideration will not only help you work out your electrical requirements but avoid the need to use unsightly extension cords and multi boxes.
Spend time considering your electrical requirements before decorating the interiors of your new home. It is a good time investment that you will be glad you made.