Building modern homes presents the main contractor with an array of design considerations. In the past, the electrical requirements of a home would be simply an electrical supply and distribution within the home. Today the electrical requirements are complex and require a design to integrate all the packages expected by the homeowner.
Electrical Supply
Every home has to have a mains electrical supply sufficient to provide sufficient power to support the power requirement of the home. Therefore to start a design incorporating all the systems that will require power is required. The builder now has a choice to include all the various systems into one package for a quotation or split. Procuring a total package reduces the procurement headache and project management of multiple contractors. It is therefore sensible to engage an electrical contractor with the ability to provide all the products and services required. These can then be individually designed the power consumption calculated and the electrical supply required determined.
Electrical Design
Firstly, the electrical design engineer has to take into consideration all of the systems that require electrical power. Secondly, they can then calculate the size of the distribution board and electrical cables. Once this part of the design has been complete the design can then progress to the next stage.
Electrical Wiring & Distribution
The electrical design has now provided the builder with the ability to procure a suitable supply into the new build home. This will be multiplied by the number of homes on the project for the power grid requirements. So, now the design involves the routes of all the electrical wiring from the distribution board to the required power socket positions. This is part of the electrical installation and has to be carried out at the ‘first fix’ stage. This is when the walls are bare and no fixtures fitted in the building. It is extremely important that cables are installed in the correct place at this stage. If the electrical contractor gets this wrong then expensive remedial works along with delays are incurred.
There will be a portion of cabling that is not for electrical distribution but will be part of the electrical package and design. These can be for alarms, telecommunication, Audio Visual, Control, CCTV and Data cabling all which require installing at this stage.
New Build Electrical Services
Once the associated trades have got to the stage where the ‘second fix’ can commence the electrical contractor returns to complete the job. The new build will now be plastered and painted allowing the electrical equipment such as sockets, lights, detectors, data sockets etc to be fitted. Furthermore, all the associated equipment such as alarms, EV charge points, solar panels, AV equipment, data outlets and external/internal lighting can be fitted.
The final stage will require the electrical testing and certification of the new build and commissioning of the associated systems. This allows the handover of the new build that is now a modern home.