Where to put powerpoints in your new house
Electricity is one of the things most people in the modern world can’t live without. If we aren’t powering our TVs or computers for entertainment, we’re keeping our food cold or washing our dishes or making a coffee with some sort of appliance connected to the power - most of the time we’re doing all of that and more at once. And don’t even mention making sure our phones, tablets, and laptops are constantly charged for optimum usage.
This all means one thing: we need powerpoints. Realistically, we need a lot of them. It’s safer to have more actual outlets in a room than running extension leads or using double adaptors all over the place. Spending the extra money on powerpoints while you’re building or renovating will make it easier in the long run for powering your house. It helps to have a list of all the places that you want a powerpoint installed when you go into a build or renovation - but where are all those places?
We’ve compiled a list of all the places you might want a powerpoint, so you can make sure you don’t miss any spots you’d like to have.
Living Room
- Beside the couch for lamps, phone chargers, remote control chargers (for rechargeable remotes)
- Behind the TV cabinet/stand for TV, DVD player, game consoles, pay TV receiver boxes
- If you’re going to mount the TV on the wall, put a powerpoint up higher so you can hide the cords behind it
Bedroom
- Beside your bed - count the number of electrical things you usually keep on your bedside table - lamp, clock, phone charger, tablet charger - and plan the powerpoints accordingly - you can get USB ports the go straight into the wall nowadays, so consider adding those to minimise big plugs in the wall.
- Also consider if you’ll have a TV or anything else electronic in the room, and plan powerpoints for those as well.
Bathroom
- Beside the vanity for hair dryers/straighteners, electrical razors, etc. - but not so close you might splash water on it.
- Consider putting a powerpoint inside the bathroom cabinet if you have electric razors or toothbrushes that need charging - this will keep the vanity uncluttered and clean, and keep the appliance safer from water spills.
Kitchen
- You need a powerpoint everywhere that you have a major appliance installed (fridge, freezer, oven, dishwasher, microwave)
- More around the space for smaller, less often used appliances (coffee machine, blender, food processor, toaster, kettle, bread maker, etc.).
- Firstly, account for the big ticket items, then count the number of smaller items and note which ones are likely to stay plugged in all the time, then try to figure out how many smaller appliance you’re likely to use at once - as simple as making some toast while the kettle’s boiling, or as complex as using the food processor while bread is baking while someone else blends up a smoothie while the late-riser makes a coffee while charging the phone they accidentally left unplugged all night. It can all build up before you realise.
- If you have an island in the kitchen, consider putting a powerpoint there - or even a pop-up mechanism for a few powerpoints that can be cleanly stored away when not in use.
Home Office/Study
- As many powerpoints as you need for all the computers, printers, scanners, charging devices, desk lamps, and anything else you use - and consider putting the powerpoints higher up on the wall so that you can easily plug things in without climbing under the desk.
Outside
- Around your entertainment area for non-wired lighting, music system, outdoor fridge, and any other items requiring power.
- Think about where you park your car to clean it - place a powerpoint there for vacuuming the inside of your car
- Inside the garage or shed for using power tools etc. when in there.
- Also consider if you have/want an electrical gate or garage door - they need a power supply.
Other
- If you have a long hallway, think about whether you’ll need powerpoints there - vacuum cord lamps (if no wired lighting), other accessories or decorations that need power.
- You may want some subtle, ambient lighting in your entryway or by the front door, so consider if you’ll hardwire a light into that area, or use a lamp and plug it into a powerpoint.
The easiest way to work out how many powerpoints you will need to install in a new build or renovation is to sit down with a pen and paper and write down all the items that will need power in each room. You are best off getting double powerpoints (with two outlets on each) to minimise the space taken up. Once you’ve noted each item, allocate enough powerpoints to cover that room, then add one or two more - for occasional use by things like the vacuum cleaner or phone chargers. If you follow those tips, you should be set for power supply in the house - just make sure to tell your builder and electrician what your plans are!
