A Complete Checklist for Planning External Power and Lighting

When planning any renovation works to your garden, one of the key things to think about is the electrical requirements – where will you need power and lights? What other facilities might you want to install immediately or in the future, and what will those requirements be? 

The simplest way to plan for these things is to break your project up into various categories and questions as follows:

Lighting

• Where will you have lighting near or on the main building for security purposes?
• What perimeter lighting will you need for security purposes? 
• What architectural lighting will you need, for example up-lighting trees or features, or decorative lighting for festive season and holidays?
• What entertainment areas do you have or are you planning, and what lighting will be needed for these? This can vary from in-wall and in-ceiling lighting for more formal structures to deck and patio floor lights.

Garden features

• Do you have a pond or fountain planned, and what power points for pumps and lighting would you require for these?
• Are you planning at any point to install a swimming pool or hot tub? If so, what power points would you need nearby for pumps, heating and lighting?

Utility power points

• What sort of mowing equipment do you have and where would be best to locate power points to make all parts of the garden accessible?
• Similarly, if you have hedges and use an electric hedge trimmer, where would it be useful to have power points?
• Would it be useful to have a power point near your driveway for power washers?
• If you have an outside entertainment area and like to take a speaker or TV outside and need to plug this in, where would you need power points?

Wifi 

• If you’d like Wifi access in your garden either for working outside or for entertainment purposes, what conduits and electrical points should you plan for?

Security

• Are you planning a CCTV system? If so, what conduits and power points might you need on your building, entrances, perimeter and in-garden to ensure you can install cameras in all the necessary places?
• Will you need video doorbells at your entrances (doors and perimeter gates)? What conduits and power points would you require for these?
• Are you planning electric gates? What conduits and power points will you need to install these?

When considering all the above options, it’s best to plan for more than you initially anticipate when it comes to laying conduits and power points. There is nothing worse than finalizing a project only to discover you’re a conduit or power point short and need to improvise in an untidy way.

You should also ensure to specify the correct cabling and power point types – weatherproof plugs and power points with an IP56 rating are required to protect against dust and water and will protect you when using electric mowers and tools.

To get the best guidance and advice on setting up your external power and lighting to accommodate all your needs, as well as advice on automation products, contact the expert team at ElectiCAL today on 07538 540287 or callum@electrical.me.uk.