Electrical Upgrades Limerick

Lighting Design & Installation

One of the most popular and exciting electrical projects home owners contact me about is their lighting requirements. Many of my clients within Limerick city and county have very specific ideas about how they want their room to look.

One of my favourite aspects of being a registered electrician is helping my clients achieve their dream of perfect lighting in their home. It is my job to ensure that each customer is left with an optimum lighting system both inside and outside their home that they're 100% happy with.

Lighting installations carried out correctly will transform your home and there is never a better time to do this than following a house rewire or room redecoration.

When planning a lighting project it is best to leave it to a qualified electrician. They will know what bulbs (lamps) will be needed to achieve the desired effect and how many lamps will be required. You will also have the lighting installed to current regulations, so using a qualified electrician to carry out this work is a worthy investment. They will also have access to the highest quality and safest lighting available on the market today. Please do not be tempted by cheaper lighting found elsewhere - the end results are often disappointing with inferior light quality and light fittings that need replacing on a regular basis.

Interior lighting is generally trouble free,one of the more challenging aspects of lighting design is outdoor lighting. I have seen outdoor lighting poorly designed to the point where it shines in through neighbouring windows or is triggered by traffic or passing pedestrians. I have also seen lighting which does not switch off in the day and which contain no energy saving lamps!

My electrical tip when thinking about your next lighting design is to use a qualified electrician to install your lighting - this way you will avoid any pitfalls and will stay on good terms with your neighbours.

The most exciting aspect of lighting design is discovering what type of light fitting you are after and what will go with your interior style. I am happy to leave this aspect to you!

Electrical Upgrades,

Your Local Electrician.

Are You Being Over Charged?

Being over charged doesn't necessarily mean looking at the total price of the job - although to be fair the vast majority of us do look at that bottom line to determine whether or not to proceed.

When it comes to having electrical work carried out in your home, it is important that the electrician who carries out the work is going to leave your home in a safer state than it was before.


This week, I'm going to outline some simple fundamentals you need to think about when receiving quotes for electrical work.


Firstly, ensure that your quote contains a detailed breakdown of what work is going to be carried out along with a material breakdown- what’s included in your quote? This is important.


I have seen first hand the devastation caused to home owners over the years from simple misunderstandings between the homeowner and electrician.


What materials are going to be used? This may seem silly to suggest that the materials the tradesperson uses will be inferior but unfortunately it does happen.


The use of inferior products obtained cheaply can leave your home in a dangerous condition, leading to increased risk of fire and electric shock.


If the quote you've received seems very cheap, I would suggest asking the electrician how the work can be done so cheaply - remember an electrician has to issue certificates, buy quality materials, provide a high standard of workmanship, be reliable and trustworthy, and above all be suitably qualified and insured to carry out the work. This is in addition to buying their tools and running costs of their van.


Quoting a customer for remedial work following shoddy and dangerous workmanship is never a pleasant experience and of course this has cost the customer more money in the longer term. I have seen jobs where the electrician has left part way through the job as the money had ran out leaving the customers home in a worse condition than it was in before.


I have also seen instances where the incorrect cable sizes have been used to connect household items such as cookers and showers leading to cable meltdown and fire. Live cables being left in customers homes when the electrician has left the job temporarily (often to go to a bigger, more lucrative job).

Don't feel pressured into accepting a quote, take the time to think about what is right for your home.

An electrician doesn't cost the earth, but please don't fall into the trap of accepting very cheap quotes thinking that you will save money.

If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn't, trust your instincts and go elsewhere!

ELECTRICAL UPGRADES
The Switched On Electricians