Replacing the power point during renovations

Getting the power point areas right in your renovation requires forward planning and expert advice. Power-point placement, how many you need, rewiring, electrical safety assessment and when to replace power points.

The plans are complete and the builder's ready to begin. But have you remembered to accommodate all those shiny new appliances and your favourite reading light?

Once you've decided where furniture and electrical equipment will be positioned, and before the builders get plastering, you need to think carefully about power-point placement.

How many electrical appliances do you have?

Electrician and Director of Melbourne Electrical Specialists, Joe Saitta, says the easiest way to determine if you have enough power points in the right places is to count the number of plug-in items. "A checklist, often provided by an electrician, can simplify this task and prevent you from overlooking anything important," he says.

"For example, in a study you might have a computer, printer, fax and desk light, requiring a four-outlet power point. It's important to minimise the use of power boards and adaptors, as they do develop faults and become unsafe."

The lounge or family room is usually the most difficult to plan, unless you know exactly where the TV unit is going. "This room's also the hardest because furniture gets moved around a lot, so we usually recommend one power point in each corner," Saitta says.

How many power points should I have?

"If in doubt, put an extra power point in. Until you live in your new space, you won't know your exact needs, and access problems later could double or triple the costs. Ensure you cover a few bases and allow for possible future furniture and electrical equipment relocations."

However, it's not always just a matter of completing a checklist and allowing for a few extra points. If the insulation of the wiring is crumbling or appears fragile, or there are visible signs of overheating, or the wiring is old, your electrician will recommend rewiring.

"This is a big issue in renovations where people build a second floor and don't rewire the downstairs section," says Mr Saitta. "Rewiring is a huge job later, because you can no longer get into the ceiling, so it's important for electricians to advise carefully from the outset."

Asking your electrician to perform an electrical safety assessment of your switchboard, wiring and fittings such as switches, lights and power points, could also save you future headaches.