Designing your electrical and lighting plan for your new home

The design decisions you make during your Pre-start appointment will have an impact on how you live in your new home, so it’s worth taking the time to create a considered electrical and lighting plan! A well thought out plan will make your life more convenient, like having power points exactly where you need them.

An electrical plan isn’t something many of us consider often, which is why we’ve called on our experts at BGC Housing Group to guide you with their knowledge and expertise. We sat down with Eevon Tan, an Intelligent Home Consultant, who has been with BGC for 8 years specialising in electrical and technology consults. Eevon has broken down her top 5 things to consider when designing your electrical and lighting plan.

Define your budget

Firstly, define your budget as this will influence any decisions you make from here. When you build with one of BGC Housing Group’s builder brands, there are a range of lighting and electrical inclusions included in your contract. Eevon recommends including a Pre-start electrical allowance in your contract for any upgrades you may like to include.

Shop for ideas

Before your Pre-start appointment, prepare yourself by collecting inspiration and ideas. If you’re looking for an easy online option, Pinterest is a fantastic platform for sourcing inspiration and can serve as an online mood board. Can you identify where the lighting source is located in your inspo images and what type of fixture is being used? Make any notes to help you remember what you liked about it, such as ‘power behind sofa for lamp’ or ‘feature pendant over dining table’. You can even create a board specifically for lighting which you can easily share with your Consultant at your Pre-start appointment.

For real life inspiration, Eevon recommends visiting some of BGC Housing Groups’ 40+ display homes as well as lighting stores – and be sure to take photos! Eevon says, “Come to your Pre-start appointment with a rough idea of what you want and make sure to bring photos! The more information you can provide your Consultant with, the better they can provide accurate advice and solutions for your needs.”

Furniture placement

To help you plan out your lighting and electrical solutions, take a look at your original signed house plans and work out where you will place your furniture. This will help you decide where that feature pendant light should be placed, and where power points may be needed. Imagine yourself in each room and how you would use and move around in this space.

Wishlist

Once you have established your must-haves for a functional home, create a wishlist for items that will bring you joy or simply make life easier. There is so much available in the market now, especially in home technologies and smart solutions. Consultants are there to guide you and highlight what is available in the market. 

You may like to consider these optional upgrades:

• Home Security System

• Projector in your theatre room

• Feature lighting – Strip lighting or pendant lighting

Be prepared

Now that you have done your research, you can enter your Pre-start appointment stress-free! Eevon says, “The day can be overwhelming but being prepared will help with your decision making.” If you can, print out a copy of your prestart plans and start mapping out your lighting and electrical outlets.

If you mapped out your furniture placement earlier, add to these plans.

Eevon’s Tip: Look at the placement of power points and where you think you might need them. Think about hard-to-reach areas, vacuuming, lamps or charging phones. This will allow for a smooth and quick process and ensure you make the most out of your pre-start appointment.

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