Lighting plan

Please could you have a quick squiz at my lighting plan, and give your opinions. I think that the family room and dining room switches are in a funny place. Shouldn't they be on the wall (back to back with the passage) at the entrance of the main big room?

What about no exhaust fans in the bathrooms? The Sales guy said that there are windows so they are not needed (they are only in the loo's). The window in the main bathroom is not very big. (He called it a vent window or something, so I think it is not an opening window other than a vent).

My last entry seems to have moved and now I can't find it??!!

I personally would put exhaust fans in the barthrooms, especially if you can see through to a neighbours window through the window.... Imagine having the window open whilst showering and getting out to see someone in their bedroom/kitchen or whatever next door looking at you

I agree with you, I think all 3 of the switches in this area should be on that wall. Better still, keep the ones near the back door too and have them as two way switches.

Although ours is a bit like yours, and it isn't too bad, so if you can't change it don't stress!

I would put exhaust fans in the bathrooms rather than always having that bit of open window there if at all possible.

The dining room light I'd put on the other side of the pantry.

The family room light I'd put on the wall just near the entrance to the passage to the minor bedrooms. But I'd probaly move the kitchen and hallway light to there as well so the switches were grouped together.

Our bathrooms will have big windows but still have exhaust fans over the showers.... I'd still want them.

The lights at the front door.... I'd put that switch for the porch and entry way on the other wall that adjoins the garage and then move the hallway light to the same postion. Again just so they were grouped together.

Then when you come in from the garage both the hallway switch and front entry switch are easy to find as sometimes you'll be going straight to the kitchen, but sometimes you may be taking things into the bedroom.

Jo

That is a good idea about the passage light, thanks. Thanks also all, for the advice about the exhaust fans. I kept thinking they should be added, but you know how you just get moved along, and in my gut I knew I should!! I will make a bit more of a deal about it when I go and see the SC.

My computer at home is on the blink (I am lost without it!), so keep having to sneak into the forum from work!! Hopefully I won't be at the top of the internet usage list this week!!

Can I comment on your electricals?

I'd be puting an extra double GPO in each of the minor bedrooms, incase you want to move the bed/desk etc around and there is nothing on the wall for clock/lamp.

Is three lights for your kitchen, meals and living area going to be enough? I'd be looking at adding an extra one over the dining table, and an extra one in the living room as a start.

Would the 1st hallway be long enough to support 2 lights instead of 1? There could be a 'dark' area near the garage internal door.

Add a GPO in the 1st hallway for vacuuming, a GPO opposite the front door incase you want a lamp on a table, a GPO on each wall in the lounge (room opposite the front door), for vacuuming, lamps, or laptop! And probably another somewhere in the living/meals just in case! You can never have enough powerpoints!! Although with a single storey things can easily be moved and added, but best to do it now rather than put holes in the wall!

An exhaust fan is a must, and directly over the shower recess is even better!

I could probably think of a few more things, but I have niggling children to contend with!

..one more thing, GPO's in the garage on the back wall just in case of spare drinks fridge or power tools, or even battery chargers.

We poured over our lighting and electrical plan for weeks, then added more as a PCV!

Excellent ideas!! Boy, am I glad I posted the plan!! I am definitely putting a fridge in the garage, and didn't even think of the GPO! Same as with a lamp on the wall opposite the front door!

We are curently living in a newly built Masterton home that doesn't have any exhaust fans in the bathrooms We couldn't believe our eyes when we noticed that they had been overlooked.

I would never not install exhaust fans - fine to have windows open in summer but am not looking forward to leaving a window open in the middle of Winter when a cold breeze comes through the screen

We have even installed exhaust fans in all four bathrooms, the two powder rooms as well as our walk in pantry - overkill maybe but I cannot stand the idea of mould / lingering smells.

That's why it's really important to sit down with a glass of something, and think about where you might possibly put the furniture, then think about will you have enough overhead light to read a book, or something while sitting there. Think about tables and lamps, or even floor lamps. what about the Christmas tree with the lights? You'll need a GPO for that as well! . If you're not having ducted vacuuming, then think about ease of getting to a GPO unstead of having to move the bed or unplugging the TV to plug in the vacuum. We added 2 double GPO's almost in the centre of both storeys for vacuuming!

Also, as Joles has mentioned, placement of switches is essential. We mentally walked through every room in the house and decided where we needed to turn the lights on and sometimes off, so we weren't walking in the dark, and also tried to group them together so there weren't switches everywhere!

With regards to your kitchen, where the light is, you will be working in your shadow at the sink washing dishes after a huge party , would you consider about having over bench pendant or low voltage lights as well or instead? The same applies to the stove too, although the rangehood should have lights.

In your entrance on the right wall adjoining your bedroom, that's a bit of a 'dead' area, and may be a good idea to think about having a GPO here too, incase you want a feature table with another lamp or even artwork with the above picture lighting.

Is one of the minor bedrooms going to be a dedicated study? Defiinitely need more GPO's there then! Two won't cut it !!

Good luck!

go for a exhaust fan for the bathrooms. Vent window is not going to work as well as the exhaust fan.