Bedroom wiring question and tips

nLdn

I bought my first flat a couple of months ago in north London and for my first bit of redecoration I wish to get my bedroom up to a really nice standard.

Before i go into picking out wall coverings etc I know I want to re-wire the room a bit better.The flat was built in the 1970s by the local authority. It became private about 15 years ago but hasnt really had a lot invested in terms of wiring or plumbing so as a result these aspects are a bit basic (think water pipes showing on the walls and not covered very well in places). I do know the electrics are safe though and had an EICR done recently.

Currently there's a light on a dimmer switch and three sockets in the corner of the room (nowhere near the bed) with no switches on them. I want to wire to have double sockets inc USB each side of the bed, another set where i might put a dressing table and possibly wall lights on each side of the bed with switches for those and the main light next to the bedsides.

I'd like to get quotes from a few electricians but id assume i need some sort of way to easily describe what i want.

What is the best way to illustrate this to potential electricians? Is there some kind of diagram I should try to put together?

Has anyone experience of commissioning a similar thing and got tips for sites for advice?

Thanks in advance.

Ebe_Scrooge

The simplest way is to ask the electrician ( well, as always, get 3 quotes ) to come round and give you a quote. When he's there, simply point out and explain exactly what you want. He won't be able to give you a quote anyway without seeing the room - he'll need to see the layout of the room, calculate cable runs, work out how much chasing out needs to be done, etc. etc.

TheCyclingProgrammer

We had almost identical modifications made to the plug layout in our bedroom. Pair of lights each side of the bed, pair of USB sockets each side of the bed and two sockets on the opposite wall, one under the dressing table and one spare. We were able to avoid the need for switches being hardwired each side of the bed as most of the house uses LightwaveRF switches - we simply have a master dimmer for the main light, two inline dimmers in the loft that control the wall lights and a 2x gang wireless switch stuck to the wall on each side of the bed, paired up with the main light and wall light for that side.

Should be a fairly easy job assuming its easy to access the existing wiring. Floorboards are easy, chipboard is more likely to be a bit of a pain but not the end of the world. The wiring for the lighting circuit should be in the loft - if you're on the ground floor I'm not sure how you deal with this as presumably you'd need access from the flat above.

Just tell the electrician where you want each socket, whether or not you want to supply your own sockets (if you wanted to get specific ones) or for them to supply.

Just get a few qualified sparks round for a quote.

nLdn

TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »

We had almost identical modifications made to the plug layout in our bedroom. Pair of lights each side of the bed, pair of USB sockets each side of the bed and two sockets on the opposite wall, one under the dressing table and one spare. We were able to avoid the need for switches being hardwired each side of the bed as most of the house uses LightwaveRF switches - we simply have a master dimmer for the main light, two inline dimmers in the loft that control the wall lights and a 2x gang wireless switch stuck to the wall on each side of the bed, paired up with the main light and wall light for that side.

Should be a fairly easy job assuming its easy to access the existing wiring. Floorboards are easy, chipboard is more likely to be a bit of a pain but not the end of the world. The wiring for the lighting circuit should be in the loft - if you're on the ground floor I'm not sure how you deal with this as presumably you'd need access from the flat above.

Just tell the electrician where you want each socket, whether or not you want to supply your own sockets (if you wanted to get specific ones) or for them to supply.

Just get a few qualified sparks round for a quote.

Ah ok, in that case I should probably prepare a proper list for myself of my requirements (to stick to) and use those when the sparks visit.

I'd be open to suggestions from the electrician on types of switches etc it's hard to tell how far beyond the basics the electrician companies you hear about will go. Maybe I'll research a bit of that too.

Thanks for your help!
Its a 2 story flat with the bedrooms downstairs. I do have access to the ceiling though it will be underneath my fairly recently fitted kitchen.

Ebe_Scrooge

nLdn wrote: »

I'd be open to suggestions from the electrician on types of switches etc it's hard to tell how far beyond the basics the electrician companies you hear about will go. Maybe I'll research a bit of that too.

All switches and sockets available to buy in this country will comply with the relevant regulations ( at least, they should ! ). It's really just a case of cosmetics and personal taste. Basic white plastic ones will be cheaper, you may prefer brass, brushed chrome, whatever, these are likely to be more expensive. Have a browse online through the likes of Wickes, B&Q, Screwfix, etc., and see what takes your fancy. If you see something you like, ask if your electrician can supply them. You'll normally have the option of buying them yourself and giving them to the electrician to fit - but it's worth asking if he can source the same thing cheaper. He may be able to get a better deal, if, for instance, he has a trade account with a supplier. It's not always the case, but it's easy enough to ask him which option is preferable to him.

Stevey198321

Be careful about usb sockets as some do not comply. See Electrical Saftey Council report on them.

www. electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/electrical-professionals/product-safety-unit/usb-socket-outlets

Mr.Generous

Your thread confirms what I have been thinking for a while, we need to start putting a usb socket into the kitchen, one in the lounge and at least one in a bedroom during renovations. They are about £7 each now so not a huge expense.

TheCyclingProgrammer

Stevey198321 wrote: »

Be careful about usb sockets as some do not comply. See Electrical Saftey Council report on them.

www. electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/electrical-professionals/product-safety-unit/usb-socket-outlets

This is a few years old now. Any socket you buy from a reputable seller should comply with safety standards.

JP1978

Slightly off topic but when looking at the locations of the sockets either side of the bed, consider the width of the biggest bed that would fit in the room. Pointless having them placed to suit a double bed and then to go and buy a super king size and the sockets are now behind the headboard! On new builds, they tend to be separated by the width of a king size / super king sized bed.

There was a thread on here a while ago about someone having the sockets slightly higher on the wall than normal, so a/ the bedside tables would sit flush to the wall and b/ easier access to the sockets etc.

Consider at least one easy access socket for a hoover etc.

Ectophile

If in doubt, let the electrician buy the fittings themselves, since

1. They can avoid the cheap rubbish.
2. They can get trade prices.
3. If anything goes wrong, the electrician is responsible for replacing it.

TheCyclingProgrammer

Or just buy MK sockets and switches. You can't go wrong. Our USB sockets are British General and also decent.