Browse Forums Building A New House 1 May 16, 2010 10:37 pm Hi Guys/Gals, Lot of Info on this forum..thanks for sharing though...we brought a land at The ponds and we are in the process of getting few quotes to Build a SINGLE STOREY House, Please advise abt the dilema of downlights to go in with contarct or it can be done later... If it can be done later what i need to ask the Builder in the electric works being carried out. for each downlight builders are estimating between 100 to 125$ for 1 down light, But when i go in to Light shops we can get the complete set of 1 downlight between 15 to 30$. I could not figure out the huge $ difference here. can anyone point me why so much and what i need to ask Builder for minimal things where i can do downlights later? ta Reddy More info on my Blogs: http://houseatponds.blogspot.com/ Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 2May 16, 2010 10:50 pm We didn't add downlights in the contract, instead just put bayonets in instead as the price was so stupid. Pretty sure it's cheaper to get them after, so long as you know how to install them, or find a reliable installer who won't rip you off to do so. We haven't changed them over yet, so can't say how we did it unfortunately. Built with New Generation (Summit Homes) We own land!... with a slab on it! Plus a shell of a house with stuff inside ! Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 3May 16, 2010 10:56 pm Hi we are doing the same thing as candylea. We are putting the bayonets in where our downlights will go. You still pay about $40 per bayonet but for downlights through a builder you pay $120 plus $40 for the bayonet. By getting the builder to put the bayonets in you won't have to worry about filling holes and painting later as you put bayonets where you want the down lights to be. We are lucky as my brother and law is a electrian so it won't cost much to put it. Well we did pay lots in bayonets but it's the best way. Hope that helps. Good luck!! Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 4May 17, 2010 9:23 am The most cost effective way is to position the bayonet they include in the price where you want a downlight and then install the rest yourself (or get a licensed sparky). It will be waaaaaaaay cheaper than getting the builder to do it. Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 5May 17, 2010 10:50 am Thanks for the Info... www.homeatponds.blogspot.com Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 6May 17, 2010 11:24 am We've just got the builder to put junction boxes in the roofs of all the rooms we want downlights, then after handover we will get a sparky in to install them. Apparently it's heaps cheaper this way... but our house isn't anywhere near done yet so sorry I can't provide you with prices! Building with Ventura homes (WA) Building thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20516 Slab: 17/04/10, Bricking started: 12/05/10, Bricking finished: 2/06/10, Roof frame done: 11/06/10, Colorbond on: 14/07/10, Lock Up: 19/08/10, Cabinets: 25/08/10, Tiling done: 28/09/10, Electrical: 2/10/10, PCI: 29/10/10, Keys: 4/11/10 Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 7May 17, 2010 11:42 am karakarakara We've just got the builder to put junction boxes in the roofs of all the rooms we want downlights, then after handover we will get a sparky in to install them. Apparently it's heaps cheaper this way... but our house isn't anywhere near done yet so sorry I can't provide you with prices! We did this as well, junction boxes, can then decide after handover exactly how many downlights are needed & where. Were told bayonet holes & downlight holes were diff sizes which meant patching up afterwards (something we didn't want in new ceiling). Private sparkie quoted $60 per downlight including light & install....sure beats the $120 from builder!!!! Cooper's Build - Perth NOR viewtopic.php?f=31&t=30525 Prelim- mid Sept 2009, Pre Start 2 Feb, Siteworks- 21 April 2010, Slab- 10 May, Deliveries- all by 26 May Bricking- 28 May - 26 June, Roof complete 5 Aug, Float 28 Aug, Lock up 16 Sept Cabinets 1 Oct, Tiling 22 Oct, PCI 18 Nov, KEYS 3 Dec 2010 MOVED IN 17 DEC 2010 Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 8May 17, 2010 3:35 pm ANy idea how much builder charge for Junction boxes. One of my Builder quotes was saying if there are more than 2 light they need a circuit breaker, i could not understand what he was talking abt Circuit breakers. ANy idea where and when a circuit breaker is required for Downlights? Ta Heaps Reddy Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 9May 17, 2010 8:05 pm no idea about circuit breakers, they weren't mentioned to us They didn't charge us anything for the junction boxes, just got them instead of the standard lights Building with Ventura homes (WA) Building thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20516 Slab: 17/04/10, Bricking started: 12/05/10, Bricking finished: 2/06/10, Roof frame done: 11/06/10, Colorbond on: 14/07/10, Lock Up: 19/08/10, Cabinets: 25/08/10, Tiling done: 28/09/10, Electrical: 2/10/10, PCI: 29/10/10, Keys: 4/11/10 Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 10May 17, 2010 9:17 pm Without question it is cheaper to get it done later. Some of the above suggestions are good however just consider getting them all done later without junction boxes and battens put everywhere. It will work out cheaper (most will charge you $50 for a single junction/battern) and a sparkie will have no problem running all required cables after handover in a single story house. Get some quotes to satisfy yourself. Ask your builder to put in 1 battern holder in a "final" downlight location in each room so at least you have some light when you move in. Whatever you do, make sure you get a licensed electrician in to install them. Besides the legalities and insurance implications, downlights are (or were before the new regulations) responsible for a house fire each week. The fire starts in the roof, above the level of smoke detectors so you dont know you have a problem until the roof collapses and the fire has taken hold. They need to be installed correctly, with the appropriate heat shields and clearance from timber / insulation. Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 11May 17, 2010 9:26 pm Hi Reddy We have just done our electrical selections and I agree totally with the above sentiments. Do NOT pay the builder to do your downlight! We have a close friend who is an electrician and he told us just to get out standard lights and only the amount that are included free of charge. That one light per room (or more in larger rooms) should be placed where one of the downlights will go. It is easy for the electrician to run a wire from that light on to a loop that additional down lights can be placed on to. You generally only have one switch for more than the one downlight so they run off the same wire and you therefore don't need a battern holder where each downlight will go. Hope that helps. Make sure you use a qualified sparky!! Hope that helps Building the Monte Carlo with McD Jones View my building thread @ viewtopic.php?f=31&t=37255 Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 13May 17, 2010 11:32 pm I think its like alot of things with different builders charging different prices for upgrades. I'm getting 20 downlights for $800 which i thought was a good price. Or maybe there crap downlights?? The ones in there displays look the same as any other. Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 14May 18, 2010 11:12 am single storey : do them later! double storey : get the builder to do the ground floor d/lights & do the upstairs d/lights later. Built the Eden Brae Cambridge 34 Family with Boston Corner Facade Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 15May 18, 2010 12:33 pm We just did our electricals and got our builder to put normal batten's where we want the downlights (around 60 in total). This cost $35 per batten. Then after handover we will be getting my brother in law (who is a sparky) to come in and take out the batten's and replace them with downlights (we were actually told that the batten holes will be SMALLER than what's required for downlights, so the electrician will actually need to cut the hole a little bit bigger - and won't need any patchwork). He can pick up downlights for around $11-12 each, so combined each downlight would cost $46 (way better than the $110 the builder wanted to charge us). We chose this way because at least all the wiring and circuits are done and will be an easier job to do after handover. We did get the builder to install the downlights in the kitchen cupboards as this would've been difficult, and i didn't want anyone cutting into my new kitchen cupboards!!!! Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 17May 18, 2010 2:28 pm I spoke to few electricians who said just get the free ligt point. Sparky quoted 30$ to cut the zyprock and pull the wires to connect. I have looked at few light houses we can get good ones from 15$ all up for one downlight we would be looking well under 50$ whic is well 50Percent what the Builders quote. ta reddy www.houseatponds.blogspot.com Re: Down Lights In Building Contract Yes or No? 18May 18, 2010 2:37 pm We had only 4 down-lights as per the contract however when we brought our lights we brought some down-lights/transformer things and labeled where we wanted them to go. The light salesperson told us they are easy to install. Cost us no extra. If we had of thought about it properly we should have got a couple fro the alfresco area as well. You talk about deletions, are they variations or PS and PC adjustments? pleas list them 1 16548 So I'm just reading up on this ecosystem of lights. I'm planning on putting deck lights along the outside edge of a large deck. Will need about 3 packs (18 lights) plus… 0 23018 How long is a "long period"? For a few weeks, it should be ok. It also depends on the area you live in...I would let your neighbours know that you will be away too and… 1 28565 |