Our Melbourne electrician shares 8 electrical tips for new builds

Every homeowner is eager to see the finished product when they’re renovating or building a house. 

To see the fruition of all your efforts and to see your dreams come true – it’s enough to make all the work and stress leading up to it feel worthwhile!

Of course, one area that doesn’t get as much attention during a building or renovation project is the electrical work.

If you’re in the middle of your renovation and building process, don’t overlook the electricals. 

Your wiring and circuitry are the lifeblood of your house – you can’t afford to get them wrong!

This week, our electricians in Melbourne are sharing a couple of tips to ensure that you end up with an electrical setup that’s:

• Safe
• Functional
• Energy efficient

Ready? To take the next step in your construction? Read on!

Our electricians in Melbourne share 6 things you NEED to know when building

1) Convenience is the name of the game

It isn’t just about function – it’s all about convenience too!

Giving careful thought regarding your home’s electrical requirements involves planning for the placement of your electrical switches and outlets for maximum convenience.

You need to ensure that:

• Rooms are well lit
• Light switches are accessible
• Appropriately place sockets for your appliances
• You have enough ethernet ports or TV sockets

Convenience is one of the most important factors to consider, especially when planning and installing your lighting and sockets.

It’s also one that a lot of homeowners overlook!

Need a flash of inspiration? Here are some helpful tips that you can apply in your home

• Kitchen: in addition to microwaves, fridges, electrical kettles etc., add power outlets near benches and places you’re likely to sit down for coffee 
• Bedroom: electrical outlets near your bed and side tables are a must – also consider adding sockets to corners, as well as places where desks and TVs are going to go
• Hallways and living room: in addition to TVs and lights, consider putting powerpoints to allow easy vacuum cleaner access 

Liveability is the key word here!

2) Don’t overdo your lighting

One common mistake that homeowners make is over lighting.

They install way too many lights, or choose bulbs that are simply too strong for their home.

This doesn’t just create an unattractive look for your home, but it can also add to your electrical bill – especially if you don’t get a lot of natural sunlight and have to keep your lights on throughout the day.

Want to save power while still making your home feel well-lit?

Our electricians in Melbourne can install small, low-power lights for overcast days, and can add dimmers and corner lights to keep things bright!

3) Consider outdoor lighting

We’ve covered indoor lighting – but what about outside?

Never neglect outdoor lighting; always remember to put some consideration into how you’re going to light your outdoor areas.

In addition to helping you when you’re entertaining, garden lighting (and outdoor lighting in general) can also play a role in boosting your home security as well!

4) Prioritise safety

Safety is your number one priority – as we all know, electricity is dangerous!

Do you live with kids? When installing or reinstalling your switches and outlets, be sure to consider their safety by getting sockets installed in areas where kids will have a harder time reaching.

Taking the conversation outdoors, if you’re getting sockets installed in your garden it’s crucial that you choose weatherproof outlets to eliminate the risk of weather-related issues (not to mention, it’ll also free you from relying on extension cords).

It isn’t just outdoor sockets that need to worry about water, either – outlets for your hairdryer, razors, curling iron and kitchen appliances need to be installed in areas that will be far away from being splashed and swamped.

5) Think about energy efficiency

We all want to save money – and with the right choices made during the electrical installation stage, you can save heaps!

Our electricians in Melbourne can help you choose energy-efficient lighting and appliances which will save you power – and money.

One way is to choose LED lighting, as it comes with a whole bunch of benefits:

• LED has a longer lifespan than incandescent bulbs
• They are eco-friendly – they use up to 75% less energy on average
• They’re brighter than traditional bulbs

This is only one of the measures we can suggest – for more, we suggest getting in touch with an electrician in Melbourne early on!

6) Plan with holidays in mind 

Every street has “that” house. Come Christmas (or Halloween, or any occasion, really) they go all out, decking the place out with lights, decorations and more.

Naturally, this requires a lot of electricity!

Does this describe your approach towards occasions? If so, we suggest you include these in your electrical plan.

That means things like:

• Getting outdoor sockets installed in your front yard
• Considering extra electrical sockets
• Strategically placing sockets for decorations

If you go all out for holidays, you’ll want to include this in your electrical plan – it could save you considerable hassle when your first holiday comes round!

Bring a Melbourne electrician in early

One of the worst mistakes people make when it comes to the electrical part of their renovation or construction project?

Neglecting electrical services until the last minute.

A lot of people wait until fit-out to consult one of our electricians in Melbourne. After all, that’s the stage of construction where electrical fittings are installed.

The problem with this is that the vast majority of the building work is already done – as such, there’s no way to change the design to accommodate additional electrical features. We have to work around what your builders have done, restricting what we can do.

If you ask us, you should bring an electrician in as early as possible!

At Briggs Electrical, our Melbourne electricians work with you from the point of design. We can come in while you’re at the blueprints phase and advise you regarding your electrical setup, giving you the solutions you need.

Best of all, we can also identify problems before your builder starts work, saving you the pain of having to fix mistakes that have already been made.

If you were on the fence about bringing in an electrician, take this as a sign that you should bring a professional in as early as possible!

Need an electrician in Melbourne for your upcoming construction or renovation?

Whatever you need, our electricians in Melbourne can help!

Whether you’re about to finish building your new house or in the process of renovating your home, you WILL need the advice of an electrician in Melbourne.

And when it comes to sparkies, there’s no better than Briggs Electrical!

Our domestic electricians don’t just cover faulty sockets and the like – we’ve also worked on our fair share of construction and renovation projects, helping homeowners all over Melbourne turn their dreams into reality.

And you can be one of them!

Call Briggs today for electrical services in Melbourne – 1300 300 222 or fill in this form to lodge a job.