- Outdoor light installation: What are the different types of exterior lighting?
- How much does an electrician charge for outdoor light installation?
- Do outside lights need to be on their own circuit?
- Can I fit my own outside lights?
- Do you need to buy any tools to install the outside light? How long will it take you?
- How much do electricians cost per hour?
- How much does it cost to have an outside light fitted?
- Do you need an electrician for outdoor garden low voltage lights?
- Do you need an electrician for outdoor solar lights?
- What materials do I need when fitting and outside light?
- How long does it take to have an outside light fitted?
- How long does it take to replace an existing light fitting?
- How long does it take to wire in a light from new?
- How to install outdoor lighting?
- Safety precautions when performing an outdoor light installation
- Do you need an armored cable for outside lights?
- How to install an outdoor lighting with a SWA cable ?
Outdoor light installation : What are the different types of exterior lighting?
When choosing the type of external lighting the most important aspect you must consider is the area that needs to be lightened and the main purpose of lighting. The main types of external lights are wall lights which are fixed to a wall as the name says, these are the ones that can improve the atmosphere of any outdoor garden. The post lights are the ones that are attached to the floor. The post lights are illuminated bollards that are being used for wayfinding. The decking lights are often called soffit lights and they are fitted into the decking. These lights are good for wayfinding, for garden parties and different events. The security lights are the ones that are motion-activated. The security lights will automatically illuminate a certain zone when they detect movement.
Outdoor light installation service includes all types of outdoor lighting including garden lights, bollard lights, string lights, flood lights and spot lights.
How much does an electrician charge for outdoor light installation?
The installation of new lighting circuits and outdoor lights must be done by an electrician. The price mainly varies depending on the job’s requirements. It depends if you need drilling through brickwork or running meters of cable, also the number of lights is very important, etc. The Outdoor lighting comes under part P and must be notifiable, however a wall-mounted on the outside light is not notifiable.
Do outside lights need to be on their own circuit?
Yes, we do recommend you to put outside lights on a separate circuit. The main reason for recommending this is because in the event of outdoor lighting tripping, the indoor circuit will not be affected. However, if for some reason you don’t have space in your consumer unit or fuse board for a new RCDBO, the outdoor lighting could be wired joined to another circuit.
This type of wiring has to be very well insulated, and the terminals have to be enclosed with a cable gland securely to hold the cable and to prevent water seepage.
Can I fit my own outside lights?
If you have enough experience and the right tolls you can fit your own outside lights as there is no law preventing you from doing it. However, it’s recommended that you hire an experienced electrician for your safety.
Do you need to buy any tools for outdoor light installation ? How long will it take you?
There are many things you need to consider before attempting to install your own outdoor lights. You need to ensure you dispose of the right tolls and all the materials needed for this. Generally, the electricians will have all the necessary tools and will be in and out really quickly, so it may not be worth your effort or time to try do it yourself.
How much do electricians cost per hour?
It depends on what part of the country you live but if you are outside London and the South East of the country, your hourly rate will be a lot less. You can easily estimate a £55.00 fee per hour for the electrician’s labour charge for the outside lights. It may be slightly less or a few pounds more, but you will be close if you use 55 pounds as a guide. However, the price charged by an electrician for the installation of an outside light depends on the type of light that you have picked. There are many factors you must consider.
How much does it cost to have an outside light fitted?
How much does it cost to have an outside light fitted is a very common question that we get. The two main factors in determining the price of all types of works are Labour and Materials. If there is more work involved this means there will be more labour costs. ALSO, The types and quantities of materials that are needed also impacts the general cost of installation.
Do you need an electrician for outdoor garden low voltage lights?
Low voltage outdoor lights are an amazing option for illuminating your garden and they do have an electricity fee to keep them powered, and the electricity in your home is 230-240 volts which can kill you instantly if you get it wrong. You need an electrician to do the connection from mains electricity into a transformer. You need to ensure this connection is done safely and correctly.
Do you need an electrician for outdoor solar lights?
No, you can easily connect outdoor solar light yourself without any risk of injury from an electric shock. The solar lights that illuminate the borders will come with different spikes on the base that you need to Push into the ground. Once done, everything is nicely set for you.
What materials do I need when fitting and outside light?
The main item that you need is the light itself. Certain lights will be hard wired directly into the fitting. It is very common for LED Security lights to have a pre-wired cable to connect on to it. Manufacturers do this as it allows them to increase the IP rating of their light fitting. You may also need a IP Rated external junction box and connector blocks. Fixings are also required and this also includes screws and wall plugs. Possibly cables clips will also be required. The job may also need cable.
How long does it take to have an outside light fitted?
At Renovate Today we price all our jobs at a fixed price. This means we can easy estimate in advance how long a certain job will take.
How long does it take to replace an existing light fitting?
If the job requires us to replace an existing light fitting, then the time will be shorter and it should not take longer than an hour. In case there will be more complications, the it may take longer than an hour.
How long does it take to wire in a light from new?
If you require a new light to be installed then we will have to carry out certain checks prior to starting the job we would need to carry out a few checks. Normally, we would estimate the working time to two to three hours for an average outside light installation.
How to install outdoor lighting?
While you can always hire an experienced electrician to install your outdoor lighting, you can install outdoor lighting yourself. When doing this you musty ensure that you follow the correct safety precautions. We only recommend you to do this if you are experienced enough.
Safety precautions for outdoor light installation?
You must ensure that the mains power is switched off .You must Switch off the breaker and lock it if possible. During work, stick a note on all the units you are working on. This is important as a reminder to yourself and to notify others that the work is currently taking place. Another important step socket testing each circuit to ensure they are safe to work with before you begin (for this you need to purchase a voltage tester for lighting circuits). Socket test (or voltage test) all finished work before use. Install all garden lighting according to your local Building Regulations.
Proper Safety precautions should be in place, before starting any type of electrical work. You must ensure the main power is switched at the fuse box or the consumer unit. You must attach a note to the unit to inform anyone you are working on the circuit. Also, before starting any sort of work you must test that the circuit is dead with a socket tester to make sure you can carry on.
Do you need an armored cable for outside lights?
Yes, an Armored cable is necessary for the outside lighting.
How to install an outdoor lighting with a SWA cable ?
To install an outdoor lighting with a SWA Cable you must follow the following steps:
The three cores of an SWA cable are brown, black and grey. You have to make sure that the black cable is covered with yellow or green sleeves on each connection point to mark the fact that this is the earth cable. SWA Cables must be buried underground between 450 mm – 750 mm deep in order to prevent it from being accidentally cut
The cores of the SWA Cable should be connected in a weatherproof adaptable box fixed to the wall of the house. The SWA Cable must enter this box through a weatherproof gland that is protected with a plastic gland shroud.
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