New House

[nick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

It looks like we have finally decided on our new house.  We have not
gone down the self-build route after all, we are going to end up
with a new build on a small estate in South Derbyshire.  The
construction is too far advanced (it's at second fix stage now) for
us to make any changes to the electrics pre-completion.

So now the plan is to do what we need to do after legal completion
but before carpets etc.  I should probably have split this into a
number of separate posts with specific questions.  However, let's
see how this goes.

Our thinking goes something like this:

Employ an electrician that is a past master of getting wires into
unbelievable places to:

-  Shove a large DIN box (see CBus Shop) in the garage
-  Replacement cables from (most) light points back to box
-  Use 3 core T&E rather than 2 for possible fan/light combo
-  Replace (most) light switch cables with "pink" Cat5
-  Persuade some T&E to go behind plasterboard for wall-lights
-  Get initial base install of CBUS units up and running

The builder has supplied TV and telephone sockets in all the rooms
that matter (lounge, kitchen, dining and all bedrooms).  Initial
thought is to replace each telephone cable with two runs of Cat5.
Lounge where the TV goes will need more than two.

Node 0 can be at the back of the (long) garage.  That helpfully puts
Consumer Unit, CBus, Patch Panel and PC Rack all in the same place.

At the same time, it would make sense to cable up ready for electric
curtains in the future.  Cat5?  Mains?

Will be talking to the builder today to understand whether the
standard British Gas alarm system can be dispensed with - with the
installer providing just the detectors and cabling - leaving the way
clear for a Comfort.

These are all jobs which, individually, I'd be happy to tackle.
But, we will be in something of a rush to get it all done and it's
not a quick weekend job!

A lot of this is going to depend on the perceived disruption from
SWMBO.

I'd welcome any thoughts.  What have I forgotten?  What will prove
impossible?

Thanks,

Nick