When planning an electrical installation to an outbuilding, we at JJB Electrical are experts in outdoor building electrical installations and have lots of information on our website regarding outbuilding electrics.
Things you may want to consider:
How many sockets you need
Make sure that you will have enough sockets to power all the equipment you are planning to use without the need for extension leads. Then add one more socket on for expansion. Extension leads regularly lead to electrical overload and danger when they are used long term.
Installing additional sockets once the project is completed may not be possible if the electrical load was not considered during the design of the system.
How many lighting points you need
Ensure that you have the right type of lighting for the tasks you are planning on carrying out in the outside building. Downlights are a fantastic way to get an even light throughout the area and help with a relaxing atmosphere. Large LED battens are best for lots of light if intricate tasks are going to be performed or if the building is to be more of a workshop.
If your outdoor space is going to be a home office or entertainment space then you will want feature lighting and ambient lighting to add to the feel of the space. We can help with hidden lighting systems and feature lighting of specific areas.
What form of heating you will require
Don’t forget how cold it can get in the winter months (all 9 of them). Seriously though, many people don’t consider how they will heat the building and, as electrical heating requires a lot more power than lights and sockets, the heating circuit will need to be designed BEFORE the installation stage.
There are many considerations we make for the installation of electrics into an outbuilding:
Condition of existing electrical system
We will check that the condition of the existing electrical system is acceptable for installation of additional circuits. Where the fuse box or consumer unit is particularly old, we may recommend that it is changed for a modern unit.
If budget does not allow for fuse box replacement, we may be able to install a small standalone unit that only powers the outbuilding.
The distance
The further away the outbuilding is the greater the cable thickness needs to be to carry all the electricity over there. If we did not take this into account, you could end up with dimming or flickering lights and equipment that would not work as intended due to low voltage or ‘voltage drop’.
Safety
Our primary concern is that you are safe and the work we carry out complies with the Safety Requirements for Electrical Installations (BS7671 Wiring Regulations). We check the earthing and condition of the electrical system prior to and following our new installation. We issue the correct documentation and test results to show compliance and safety of the new installation.
Get in touch
If you are considering having electricity installed to an outbuilding at your property then get in touch with us. Here at JJB Electrical, we are the local experts when it comes to outbuilding electrical supplies. We can design, install, and commission outdoor electrical wiring and make your project plans a reality.
