Had my pre-start today... I maxed out my 9am-4pm slot and ended up finishing my selections just on time, albeit rushed and with some corner skipping/items not addressed. So I was allowed time to take back variations and think over things to make decisions and the go ahead. Just hoping for some input from the general population who have built, been there/done that, and had some timely advice before I regret something down the track on some of the below items. if somethings very important that you missed previously please let me know, glad to take any advice! 1) Confused about the interaction between junction boxes, and when conduits to blank plates, powerpoints or switches is needed?? I did a 3rd party electrical plan and my thoughts were each junction box controls one set of lights connected to it. So anything connected to a junction box turns on via ONE switch. If you wanted a second light switch to turn on another light it had to be either on a second junction box connected to the switch plate or a direct wiring from light to switch. In this case should I be putting conduits on every switch plate so a one or two switches on the plate can be replaced to 4 or more switch-plate?? What is the limit on switches and cables that can go into one plate- should I be going one 25mm or 32 mm conduit?? At the moment the pre-start lady seems to have convinced me that if the internal wall switch is connected to the 1x junction box I've placed in each room ceiling (in lieue of a bayonet) then down the track I can run multiple switches or new sets of lights from this one junction box/switch? I was under the impression that cabling and additional junction boxes need to go down to the switch plate and therefore I needed a conduit? Junction boxes - could add in a second or third one later down track, but only if I had a conduit to the intended switch plate? WHen do you rule a line in the sand and and do a second conduit next to the first switch plate and create a whole new blank plate? 4 switches max per plate? 2) When should one be doing conduits to switch plates vs conduits to powerpoints?? I'm confused and assume powerpoint conduits aren't necessary?? Would you need conduits to powerpoints to connect a double powerpoint plate to something larger or the like? Or would you just rip off the plate and use the existing wiring to hook up to a plate with larger number of powerpoint outlets? 3) Similarly I seem to have been told conduits to switch plates were only when you wanted to have heating lights or fan cabling put in later? Again I'm confused as I thought having only one junction box hooked up to the switch plate meant any future lights on new switches needed a conduit to be added to that switch plate? I have specified that at the same switch plate I wanted two or three way switches so I could turn on say the entrance lights at 3 different locations? So surely this means a conduit is required down to that plate? Sorry just really confused about when you should/need conduits as i would rather get this right now from people who know? 4) Given it is a rental currently, I'm trying to future proof areas like the living room, theatre, master bedroom and study with required electrical and wiring points one may need down the track. What/how many blank plates should I be putting in for say the theatre? I was told adding two 32mm conduits was 'more than enough' for foxtel cables, and that if you had speakers, and what else people commonly need an outlet for, then they would all go down the one 32mm conduit and come out of the one faceplate? My impresssion was that each item: i.e.1 x speaker cable,1 x projector cable, data cable point etc needed its own conduit and blank plate placed on the wall to future proof it and that one didn't just run all these items to the same plate down the one conduit?? Or do they? My brothers theatre has like 5-7 in two rows 1/3 down the wall so I figure its a plate and conduit per item? Somehow I feel like I've gotten myself confused? Should I also be putting blank plates and conduits around the theatre room or up the back/corners for rear speaker wiring, powerpoints to be added in etc? Can anyone shed some light on what 'common' smart future proofing I can put in incase I ever live in this rental? Does one put a conduit and plate on a wall in the house for a doorbell? Is this necessary now adays or are they attachable to walls externally these days? 5) Does one normally run one data and telephone point (32mm conduit) in one room and run wireless routers and telephone systems? Or is it smart to put extra data points/telephone points in around a house? I've never lived in a NBN home so not sure what the go is? 6) Are dimming switches something I'm meant to be putting in now by the builder ready for the electrician to install third party lights to junction boxes and stuff? Is there any point? Or does one normally place a seperate conduit and blank plate to be replaced by dimmer later on? or can the one conduit share the same plate with the existing switch to junction box in ceiling as the electrician can then (come installation time) add a dimmer and multiple switches plate in replacement of the current switch place? Or is there a limit? 7) Costs $2,615 to add in 67mm high single bullnose skirting throughout the house (exl. wet areas). Sounds like a hell of a lot for an investment property. Looks aside - does it actually do any good for protecting walls? Or save the money? 8) Underlay: Upgrade or not? One lady at Trevor's Carpets swore by her husband installing the default underlay and that it killed good carpets perkiness and required replacing alot quicker than paying the extra to upgrade underlay from 7mm to say 11mm (there's a 9mm option). Meanwhile another Trevor's Carpet store swear by rental agents coming in and getting the cheapest polypropelene loop pile carpet and chucking in the 7mm red standard underlay. The idea being the carpets get mangled by residents anyway and the underlay won't last in time for any perceived benefit of prolonging the carpet life? Thoughts? I'm sure many have experience in this area. 9) Does anyone put microwaves in pantry shelves these days? Worth wasting a DGPO placement into the WIP shelving? 10) Any quality/durability difference upgrading from privacy door knob + deadlock to the trlock(all in ones) style handles? Or just for looks/convenience Go the cheap route with an IP? 11) Ever regretted upgrading standard redicote front door to the fancier one with translucent or clear glass highlights? What is this rebate thing with doors? Something about security screens being able to be added in later? Should i be 'rebating' anything else around the house? I've done things like 180 degree hinges for doors where it made sense,but didn't quite understand the 'rebating' thing. 12) Technika vs Westinghouse. I wanted an upgrade as I heard Technika was cheap and nasty??? Always having issues, but others swear it's fine? Any comments? I can upgrade to Westinghouse on gas plate stove and rangehood, but doing so for the oven means the loss of a pot drawer as the Westinghouse's controls sit above the oven and eat up extra space.... I feel like I should go for the extra pot drawer but don't want quality/ maintenance issues. 13) Shower frames, vinyl slider cupboards etc: Any positives of polished versus matt silver? Personal preference or practicality - i.e. scratches easier? 15) Would a Bosch 26L flow instantaneous HWU, service a standard 210 sqm, 4 x 2 house? I've always had gas and have found my current new house's instantaneous a nightmare in terms of consistently pumping out hot water.... even though 2 x electricians have been out and ok-ed it. 16) Does anyone find having 1 sliding panel vinyl and 1 mirrored tacky? Can do two mirrored panels albeit at a cost, so I went the cheap route. 17) Tabboo or good contrast for dark main floor tiles converting to light tiles in the bathroom/wc/laundry? I stuck with the dark/grey tiles in the ensuite however... carpets are ash grey. 18) Converted rear passage way to tiles from carpet given the laundry/bathrooms and being rentals. An open activity room adjoins the hallway - any issues or tacky having carpet to activity then stopping out int he open to become tiling?? 19) Can you easily retrofit the tacky, cheap simple one hand held removable shower heads in the ensuite and fit in those big, fancy shower heads? If so I won't upgrade now (a few hundred dollars) and will do down track? Thanks for any input. Particularly with regards to electricals... It has definitely confused me when and where i should be using conduits, blank plates, junction boxes, and fitting out switches or powerpoints with conduits given I plan to get the lights and electrician in after handover. I have limited experience with home theatres etc. so hoping others can advise what to accomodate for given I have to respond very shortly on my acceptance...
May have confused myself further reading up online where electrical conduits has been compared to installing cable conduits? For australia/electricals wise is there essentially only 20, 25 and 32mm conduit pipes that are relevant for EVERYTHING? From wanting to add in data points to plug straight into ethernet (internet access) in various bedrooms, to TV antenna points and additional phone lines, speaker wiring, any other electronics wiring etc?? I'm being charged $198 for each antenna line? So should I be putting conduit to blank plate in and then doing the specific data cables or tv antennas after handover? Or is there more involved i.e. running the data cable/tv antenna connections from the relevant NBN through the house and down the wall to the point, and thereforeI should do these specifically through the builder than installing generic conduits? I've also caught wind of conduits to wall boxes?? The whirlpool thread was talking about HD TV distribution throughout the home from foxtel and what not? Which has made me more confused? Does one not just put in conduits to wall plates , or are there specific boxes/other items you should pre-install with conduits into your wall to futureproof? Starting to get pretty confused, if a techie/someone well versed in electricals and planning could elaborate please?!
