Browse Forums Lighting + Lighting Design Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 341Jun 22, 2017 12:01 am Yeah you're right about those downlights - pretty standard from a builder unfortunately. I would suggest supplying your own downlights and just having the builder install them. By the sounds of it they are charging you $40 for a downlight that they probably pay $10 for. You could buy your own for $30-40 that are far better lights, such as the Trend Lighting ResiLED or Domus Neo or Domus Deep. Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 342Jun 22, 2017 2:05 am Hi, We have just started about to budget for our lighting. Are down lights the preferred option as these seem to be mentioned more often than not. We are on a tight budget, can standard light bulbs give good lighting? What considerations do we need to make? Cheers Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 344Jun 23, 2017 7:40 pm Cellaraso Hi, We have just started about to budget for our lighting. Are down lights the preferred option as these seem to be mentioned more often than not. We are on a tight budget, can standard light bulbs give good lighting? What considerations do we need to make? Cheers Totally comes down to budget. You can just put in bayonets with standard bulbs and stick some DIY light shades over them. Then once you can afford it you can get an electrician in to do something a bit nicer. People have lived with a standard light bulb in the middle of a room since Edison invented the light bulb... It does seem popular for people to litter their ceilings with rows and rows of poor quality LED downlights, which in my view is not a great solution, so just because something is popular doesn't mean it's good (like some music for example...) Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 345Jun 24, 2017 7:20 pm Hi, I am still early in the construction phase, but am starting to do research for anything I have to do post-handover. I've started thinking about my LED downlights, and am worried particularly with 'shadowing' - i.e. the downlights casting a shadow of objects/people in the room. Have you got any tips for eliminating, or reducing the potential for shadows? I've been in some homes with LED downlights where there really isn't any noticeable shadow at all. I have 2550mm ceilings if this changes anything. Thanks Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 346Jun 26, 2017 7:14 pm I think I understand what you're getting at. I suspect the cause of the shadowing you're talking about might be from wide-angle diffused downlights. As you read through this thread you'll see a theme of me hating on opal diffused downlights. The reasons for this are also well documented in this thread. But I think you've just given me another reason... These wide angle diffused downlights emit a lot of light from a precise point. They usually have a very wide beam angle (90-120 degrees) so the light scatters outwards, enhancing shadowing. Downlights with reflectors and a narrower beam (say 40-60 degrees) direct the light downward mostly, so shadowing is far less. It's something I haven't really thought of before as I don't have many diffused downlights in my house, nor do I use them in my designs. However I just tested my theory by walking up one of our hallways (the only diffused downlights we have) and then walked through the rest of the house that has better reflector downlights, and the theory works. Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 347Jul 06, 2017 11:59 pm Thanks - I will keep an eye out in lighting stores and display homes next time I visit them to see if I can draw any conclusions! Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 348Jul 11, 2017 2:21 pm Hi, I am looking at the lighting that will be required in my build Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ ceiling height is 2700mm, walls are taubmans winter ice - so basically white Currently looking to start with something fairly basic with 55cm batten fix extension cords in white with a 30 or 40cm Batten fix shade These will be in the entry, hallway, living, Family meals and kitchen Just curious if these basic solutions would light up the relevant rooms ok - i imagine it depends on the globes i put in but dont want to assume anything, at this stage i am trying to limit my costs for electrician to install lighting after handover. though i will speak with the electrician on site when the build commences to see what he can do extra during construction if possible Will revisit lighting in 5 or so years time as a way of freshening up the house if required All other areas will have something similar to a generic batten fix cone or ceiling fan Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 349Jul 29, 2017 9:30 am I think that will be fine for the time being. Just make sure you get high output warm white LED globes, Philips, Osram or Sylvania are good brands. For bedrooms and large rooms get globes that are at least 1000 lumens. Small rooms will be fine with around 600 lumens. Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 351Sep 05, 2017 1:12 pm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Hi 1960s, here for your sage advice again! Here's the electrical plan I've done up with my builder (who is using HPM downlights which appear quite decent on first sight but happy to hear your views = we were initially planning to replace the downlights with the Domus ones you recommended). We are currently way over budget, and I'm looking at ways to cut down the amount of work that the builder is doing, given the exorbitant costs we are being charged. First, do you reckon the amount of lighting we have put in is sufficient? Basically the first floor will be done by a sparky after handover. We have not put in task lighting or floor lamps, but will have them in the living as well as in our study, which is the room next to the stairs. Or do you think the number of downlights are overkill? This was the number recommended by the builder. The downlights are represented by the half-shaded circles. Second, I've asked this before but didn't get any replies on the other thread. My house is two stories, but the family living and kitchen/meals area do not have a first floor over it (as our first floor is much smaller than the ground) - does this mean that a sparky won't have the same problems getting access to the roof cavity? If so, my preference would be to then do the downlights ourselves, and get better quality ones rather than incurring costs of $100 for the builder to install crappy ones. I'm also a little concerned that the downlights do not match up from the kitchen to the meals area, and wonder if there is anything I can do or if it won't be obvious anyway? Third, this is probably a basic qns to ask a lighting engineer such as yourself, but for external lighting, does one junction box mean one external light? The builder is charging just a hand and a foot to install all the external lighting we want, and this does not include garden lighting (we have a long 30m garden). External lighting are represented by the diamond symbols, and will be a combination of sconces for the facade, motion activated ones on the side, and floodlights on the back. Fourth, our entrance will have this light (https://www.golights.com.au/roll-hill-j ... k-in-172cm) or something similar - I was just wondering if this would appear overkill with the downlights we have lining the hallway, or if we are better off with wall sconces or a shorter chandelier (our ceiling is 2.75m) or just sticking with downlights instead. I imagine there would be at least one art work on the wall (but haven't decided where yet) which we may have to include an extra light for. Thanks for any advice that you can provide! My build blog here Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 352Oct 04, 2017 1:57 pm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Thank you so much for this thread, I've read from start to finish and have picked up a lot of hints. We're doing most of our lighting after handover and just have a couple of quick questions. Do you think we could get away with the Domus Deco 13w downlights (you mentioned on one of the first pages) for most of the ground floor (pictured)? I was thinking I could use the Domus Neo 60 degree lights above the kitchen bench top & butlers pantry, and the Deco everywhere else (to try and save a few dollars). The walls are 2550 high. What about upstairs (mainly bedrooms), where the walls are 2400? Is there a garage light that you recommend? Thanks again, Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 353Oct 14, 2017 4:16 pm LED strips under the kitchen overheads and as a feature under the Island Benchtop ..................... Yeah, OK, blame "The Block" and just about every 'modern' display home, but Mrs P_D wants these in our new build . So every time you see 'em on The Block or in the display homes they're always "ON". For those of you who have them in real life, how do you control them in practice ? Do you just have a regular switch where you turn them on in the middle of the day if you have friends coming around who you want to impress ? Do you have them on a timer so they come on at (around) sunset and stay on until (say) midnight-ish ?? What about the ones in the bathroom, say under the vanity unit and in the shower niche ?? Thanks, P_D. . Block settled 07 June 2011 Our little piece of the Interwebs on HomeOne....... viewtopic.php?f=31&t=48577&start=0 Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 354Oct 25, 2017 5:28 pm Pepsi_Drinker LED strips under the kitchen overheads and as a feature under the Island Benchtop ..................... Yeah, OK, blame "The Block" and just about every 'modern' display home, but Mrs P_D wants these in our new build . So every time you see 'em on The Block or in the display homes they're always "ON". For those of you who have them in real life, how do you control them in practice ? Do you just have a regular switch where you turn them on in the middle of the day if you have friends coming around who you want to impress ? Do you have them on a timer so they come on at (around) sunset and stay on until (say) midnight-ish ?? What about the ones in the bathroom, say under the vanity unit and in the shower niche ?? Thanks, P_D. Just a regular light switch as you would for a ceiling light. You could have them on timers but personally I wouldn't want that Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 355Nov 01, 2017 7:27 am First of all, thank you for this thread. Lighting is probably one of the most confusing things about building a new house and definitely one i know least about. Can you please take a look at my lighting plan? I have opted for downlight provisions in living areas and standard batten light in bedrooms. Downlights are denoted by MB on the image below. I want to buy and get an electrician to install downlights after handover so I have more choice. I also have a provision for pendant lighting above kitchen island bench. - What kind of downlights would best suit the set up below? - What about external lights, any suggestions on good brands, models? Cheers, Stefano Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 357Jan 15, 2018 8:58 pm Hi, you are a blessing to most of us here. Thanks for this thread, I have learned heaps. But still I am not very confident with my electrical planning. I am just overwhelmed with the information, and such short time to plan this thing I hope you could spare a few minutes to breeze through my electrical plan. I still feel lost especially on the placement part. Would really appreciate your inputs. Legend: Just the circle means batten light Circle with X (either red or black) means LED downlight (9w, no other specifications given at this point, only wattage) Note that for the first floor, we are planning to convert the standard batten lights to LED downlights after handover, so you will see some odd combos here and there. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Thanks in advance for your time, really appreciate and happy to have found this thread. I hope there are other lighting engineers like you in here. Cheers! Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 358Mar 01, 2018 8:02 pm Hi 1960sModernistHome What interior garage motion sensor do you recommend getting? Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 359Sep 28, 2018 3:42 pm Hi Guys, Reading the thread and planning for electrical appointment, Builders range Down lights are useless so thinking to get only provision for down lights and then will buy myself and hire an electrician to place the down lights. Just a quick question - with provision of down lights, do we need to notify builder to keep anything in consideration like Size/wattage etc just for the compatibility purpose to install down lights post hand over ? Re: Ask a lighting design engineer - general Q&A 360Oct 02, 2018 7:11 pm Great thread! I found the following things trending: 1) wireless light switches which can be positioned anywhere on the wall save a lot in light switch box/conduits installation costs; 2) Amazon/Google Home wi-fi light switches, helping you to turn on/off lights downstairs/upstairs without leaving your bed. Can also help to reduce the number of light switches in your house. 3) replacing your traditional data points with just additional power point and run your data over your power cables - you could literally save a fortune here; 4) wireless cheap motion based lights which can be attached anywhere and use rechargeable batteries - save tons on installation costs. You might require re-charging them once a year, depending on the usage patterns. You should check your detail drawings, it may show downpipe within brick pier. 14 14538 I work with owner, he/she is my man on the ground and I instruct them when to visit the site and take photos and I have other tools in the bag. 4 15851 Ardo That is so funny! I wonder how many people know who Larry Haun is these days. I have a couple of young guys we call Mo 1 & Mo 2 who run a crew of 6 boys and… 9 15821 |