Hi everyone
We are building a two storey home and wanted to draw on your experience on whether we should have the builder supply/install or just wire then we finish after handover. We are building a two storey home so I know that ground floor down lights need to be done during the build. Things we need to decide on:
- external sensor
- facade up/down lights
- rear and side external spotlights
- sensor in garage and butlers pantry
- hang pendent lights
- video intercom
Thanks
Electrical after handover
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Interested to know this as we are getting our builders to do the bare minimum as we are doing all the electrical after handover.
I'm not 100% sure! but after speaking with a few electrician mates it am going to get the following done, so we can sort the rest out after handover. I'm hoping this will be ok, coz I have Prestart tomorrow!
Moving all GPO to internal walls, can do the external wall easy down the cavity.
Putting in a conduit for any GPO that we require extra on internal wall
Putting in conduit for Data, tv
Conduits for TVs that will be wall mounted (floor to half way so cabling hidden)
All lighting that I am wanting to control separate lights, installing conduit so we are able to run cable down in the future.
Moving any lights to position where will put a downlight in future, and will do the rest later in same pattern.
I think that about covers it....
Hopefully I'm on the right track!
Moving all GPO to internal walls, can do the external wall easy down the cavity.
Putting in a conduit for any GPO that we require extra on internal wall
Putting in conduit for Data, tv
Conduits for TVs that will be wall mounted (floor to half way so cabling hidden)
All lighting that I am wanting to control separate lights, installing conduit so we are able to run cable down in the future.
Moving any lights to position where will put a downlight in future, and will do the rest later in same pattern.
I think that about covers it....
Hopefully I'm on the right track!
Obviously the cost of electrical is included in the build for a certain amount of points and lights per room, usually 1. Builders may be reluctant to just put in conduit.
Speak to a sparky what the cost is per GPO as the hassle factor may not be worth the save. May only be a few dollars in it. Now changing to to saturn switches and leds is a different story and one which I am doing battle with the builder presently.
I do not mind paying mark up. What erks me is when the builder charges RRP for all saturn products when it is very easy to obtain 30 - 40% discount on these items. I personally would rather not go through the hassle, pay a little bit of margin on the reduced price and receive the credit for the items not used. I just don't see the point of paying a sparky twice and throwing away a good usable product to arrive at what I want.
In theory the builder will make more than the standard and I will save on the crazy mark up... Both win, well except the sparky (assuming you went with the same one).
All of my cousins are sparkies and I offered to pay them to be the contractor for my entire job and they said it just is not worth their time. Very intensive working to the builders schedule.
Remember with light switches, you will want them linked so that you never have to walk in the dark because you have to double back and switch off.
Hopefully I have made a little sense in the word dump that just happened.
Speak to a sparky what the cost is per GPO as the hassle factor may not be worth the save. May only be a few dollars in it. Now changing to to saturn switches and leds is a different story and one which I am doing battle with the builder presently.
I do not mind paying mark up. What erks me is when the builder charges RRP for all saturn products when it is very easy to obtain 30 - 40% discount on these items. I personally would rather not go through the hassle, pay a little bit of margin on the reduced price and receive the credit for the items not used. I just don't see the point of paying a sparky twice and throwing away a good usable product to arrive at what I want.
In theory the builder will make more than the standard and I will save on the crazy mark up... Both win, well except the sparky (assuming you went with the same one).
All of my cousins are sparkies and I offered to pay them to be the contractor for my entire job and they said it just is not worth their time. Very intensive working to the builders schedule.
Remember with light switches, you will want them linked so that you never have to walk in the dark because you have to double back and switch off.
Hopefully I have made a little sense in the word dump that just happened.
I just don't think its worth the trouble and hassle. It's better to find out what you want and have it included in builder's price. Forget about mates and other contractors, if something goes wrong (even if it's builder's fault) you will give your builder exit from warranty. Don't forget electrical is a certified trade. Two certificates =split responsibility= trouble maybe?
I would have it included.. less chance to have strange issues and also all responsibility goes to one party. The savings might not justify at the end if anything goes wrong.
I agree with having it done by the builder as well, although it doesn't have to be the full setup - EG all our downlights, powerpoints etc are being done by the builder but we will install some pendants to the batten fixings in the bedrooms later on (they actually fix to the batten , example http://www.crompton.com.au/catalog/resi ... 944-amelie)
The mark up can be steep but on top of the benefit of the warranty issues mentioned there is also the convenience and actually knowing what the finished price will be. I imagine there could be a scenario where a sparky could come in after handover and be met with an unexpected issue that means it costs more or cant be done for some reason.
The mark up can be steep but on top of the benefit of the warranty issues mentioned there is also the convenience and actually knowing what the finished price will be. I imagine there could be a scenario where a sparky could come in after handover and be met with an unexpected issue that means it costs more or cant be done for some reason.
We will have the builder do all powerpoints and downlights including wire and install. The only things that I am considering after handover, due to cost are:
- external facade lights: pay $80 for a junction box and finish after handover or supply and install by builder (cost depends on light selected)
- external sensor HPM Aquascan. $300 for builder to supply and install or I could have it pre wired then install after handover
- same again for sensor in garage
- external facade lights: pay $80 for a junction box and finish after handover or supply and install by builder (cost depends on light selected)
- external sensor HPM Aquascan. $300 for builder to supply and install or I could have it pre wired then install after handover
- same again for sensor in garage
It's really hard to say what to do, as work not done by the builder's sparky can be exempted from their warranties, or at least be really difficult about it should something go wrong.
Sparkies are usually pretty much the ones that don't generally have faults, due to the dramatic results that could happen if they do the wrong thing, not saying they don't stuff up, just that they are less likely to (now I'll get dozen of posts telling me otherwise!).
Two storey houses though have very limited access in the downstair ceiling, so I'd be looking at getting the extras done for that up front. For front outdoor wall lights, you really need to get them done before the bricks go up, or at least as you've said junction boxes with the cable running back to next to the wall switch.
Sparkies are usually pretty much the ones that don't generally have faults, due to the dramatic results that could happen if they do the wrong thing, not saying they don't stuff up, just that they are less likely to (now I'll get dozen of posts telling me otherwise!).
Two storey houses though have very limited access in the downstair ceiling, so I'd be looking at getting the extras done for that up front. For front outdoor wall lights, you really need to get them done before the bricks go up, or at least as you've said junction boxes with the cable running back to next to the wall switch.
It's really hard to say what to do, as work not done by the builder's sparky can be exempted from their warranties, or at least be really difficult about it should something go wrong.
Sparkies are usually pretty much the ones that don't generally have faults, due to the dramatic results that could happen if they do the wrong thing, not saying they don't stuff up, just that they are less likely to (now I'll get dozen of posts telling me otherwise!).
Two storey houses though have very limited access in the downstair ceiling, so I'd be looking at getting the extras done for that up front. For front outdoor wall lights, you really need to get them done before the bricks go up, or at least as you've said junction boxes with the cable running back to next to the wall switch.
Sparkies are usually pretty much the ones that don't generally have faults, due to the dramatic results that could happen if they do the wrong thing, not saying they don't stuff up, just that they are less likely to (now I'll get dozen of posts telling me otherwise!).
Two storey houses though have very limited access in the downstair ceiling, so I'd be looking at getting the extras done for that up front. For front outdoor wall lights, you really need to get them done before the bricks go up, or at least as you've said junction boxes with the cable running back to next to the wall switch.
I will just need to work out which or more economical and balance with convenience. Have junction boxes installed for facade lights, cable run for outisde ceiling fan and wherever we are having a sensor; or just have the builder supply and install the lot.
I agree with having it done by the builder as well, although it doesn't have to be the full setup - EG all our downlights, powerpoints etc are being done by the builder but we will install some pendants to the batten fixings in the bedrooms later on (they actually fix to the batten , example http://www.crompton.com.au/catalog/resi ... 944-amelie)
The mark up can be steep but on top of the benefit of the warranty issues mentioned there is also the convenience and actually knowing what the finished price will be. I imagine there could be a scenario where a sparky could come in after handover and be met with an unexpected issue that means it costs more or cant be done for some reason.
The mark up can be steep but on top of the benefit of the warranty issues mentioned there is also the convenience and actually knowing what the finished price will be. I imagine there could be a scenario where a sparky could come in after handover and be met with an unexpected issue that means it costs more or cant be done for some reason.
Thanks for the sugesstion robbie55. We may use the DIY pendants in the bedrooms after handover and just use batten lights to begin with.
Lighting is pretty much a no-brainer. Get the builder to do any down lights, but everything else (sensor lights, pendants, ceiling mounted, wall mounted, external fittings etc) do after handover. Just let the builder put in their standard cheap batten lights (including where you want the sensor lights, and external light fittings) and then pick up light fittings yourself and have a sparky install them for you afterwards. You get a chance to shop around for fittings you like and get them without markup. A lot of the lighting stores have regular sales so find something you like, wait a little while if it's not on sale at the time, and pick it up at a discount.
I did exactly that myself. The kids rooms were even easier as the light fittings they liked ended up being batten mount anyway (they just screw onto the standard batten fitting) so didn't need a sparky to install.
I did exactly that myself. The kids rooms were even easier as the light fittings they liked ended up being batten mount anyway (they just screw onto the standard batten fitting) so didn't need a sparky to install.
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