Lighting is important to the comfort and appeal of your new home.
Do your homework by browsing the Internet, looking through magazines, and visiting stores for ideas.
Make sure you understand exactly what the builder offers in the standard package, so you know what is included in the price of the home.
If you decide to upgrade your lighting tell the builder or supplier how much you want to spend, and what areas of the house are most important to you in order to be able to help you allocate your budget wisely.
If the electrical outlets are pre-determined, make sure they are marked on your floor plan. Find out if the builder has some flexibility; find out how much, and at what cost.
Have samples of the interior finishing handy as different colours and textures absorb and reflect light differently.
Go through the entire house plan room by room to determine the activities and tasks that will take place in each, and the mood you want to create.
Consider the options – dimmers, 2way/3way or 4-way switches, hand-held controls, motion sensors and timers give you greater convenience, safety and security than plain switches.
Give thought to the little details such as door-activated closet lighting, built-in night lights in hallways or on stairways, and accent lights in kitchen cupboards and for bookcases.
For the exterior, decide which areas to light for safety and convenience, and also enhance the appeal of your home and draw attention to special features, such as brickwork or windows.
If you are curious about automated lighting, options range from small, self-contained systems that allow you to pre-set lighting patterns for portions of your home, to complete whole-house automation systems with many applications.
Consider energy efficiency in your choices, from LED light bulbs to timers and sensors with automatic turn-off.
Confirm with the builder that your choices can be accommodated keeping in mind that there may be an additional installation cost.
With today’s choices in lighting and control options, you have a great opportunity to plan your new home so it just right for comfort, convenience and great looks.
