How to Do an Electrical Walk-Through of Your Home
Take these steps before you remodel to get the best lighting for your home and avoid common mistakes
David Warfel
May 26, 2019
Houzz Contributor. Expert lighting design specialist.
Taking an electrical walk-through of your house with a contractor before the drywall goes up is a great way to get the best lighting plan for your home and save on costly fixes after the fact. Follow these eight simple steps to avoid common lighting mistakes and create a better, brighter home.
1. Review Your Ideabooks
Go back through your Houzz ideabooks of spaces you like and home in on the lighting in those photos. Can you identify where the lighting source is located and what type of fixture is being used? Jot down notes, such as “need an outlet under the sofa” and “love the cove light in this dining room.”
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Go back through your Houzz ideabooks of spaces you like and home in on the lighting in those photos. Can you identify where the lighting source is located and what type of fixture is being used? Jot down notes, such as “need an outlet under the sofa” and “love the cove light in this dining room.”
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2. Prepare a Floor Plan
Print out a floor plan and sketch in your anticipated furniture layout. If you’re working with an interior designer, solicit their help. Don’t just look to the ceiling for placement of overhead lights. Mark walls that you might use for hanging art and highlight dark corners that could benefit from additional light.
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Print out a floor plan and sketch in your anticipated furniture layout. If you’re working with an interior designer, solicit their help. Don’t just look to the ceiling for placement of overhead lights. Mark walls that you might use for hanging art and highlight dark corners that could benefit from additional light.
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3. Come Prepared
Make sure you or your contractor come with a floor plan, a tape measure, permanent markers and a clipboard. It never hurts to have a tape measure to figure out spacing and furniture arrangement. Permanent markers will allow you to mark the studs and subfloor with locations. And the clipboard? It may be the only clean writing surface in the home.
Make sure you or your contractor come with a floor plan, a tape measure, permanent markers and a clipboard. It never hurts to have a tape measure to figure out spacing and furniture arrangement. Permanent markers will allow you to mark the studs and subfloor with locations. And the clipboard? It may be the only clean writing surface in the home.
4. Walk, Don’t Run
Walk through the home room by room, and expect to spend several hours if you are building a new home. Compare your marked-up floor plan with the actual structure to make sure your preferred light fixture is possible in that location.
Walk through the home room by room, and expect to spend several hours if you are building a new home. Compare your marked-up floor plan with the actual structure to make sure your preferred light fixture is possible in that location.
5. Look at Architectural Details
Look for architectural features like ceiling coves, niches, arched ceilings or deep overhangs. Ask your contractor for extra illumination in these areas so you don’t lose those special details once the sun goes down.
Look for architectural features like ceiling coves, niches, arched ceilings or deep overhangs. Ask your contractor for extra illumination in these areas so you don’t lose those special details once the sun goes down.
6. Consider Shadows
When a recessed downlight is placed over the aisle between the kitchen counter and the island, where will it cast shadows when you are standing at the range? Too often fixtures are installed in the wrong place because ceiling geometry is considered more important than what you are doing with the chef’s knife. Creative lighting solutions can greatly improve workspaces.
When a recessed downlight is placed over the aisle between the kitchen counter and the island, where will it cast shadows when you are standing at the range? Too often fixtures are installed in the wrong place because ceiling geometry is considered more important than what you are doing with the chef’s knife. Creative lighting solutions can greatly improve workspaces.
7. Document
Mark your floor plan with precise lighting locations so you can refer to it later, and be sure to make a copy for the electrician so there is little room for confusion. Ask your contractor for an updated quote in case there are any cost increases due to lighting changes as a result of the electrical walk-through.
Mark your floor plan with precise lighting locations so you can refer to it later, and be sure to make a copy for the electrician so there is little room for confusion. Ask your contractor for an updated quote in case there are any cost increases due to lighting changes as a result of the electrical walk-through.
8. Verify
Walk through the home after junction boxes are installed but before the drywall is hung. Are the right lights in the right place? Will your counters be well-lit? Will your art be in the dark? It may be a hassle to move a light fixture now, but it is much easier and less expensive to do it before the drywall goes up. And every time the sun goes down, you will be grateful you did.
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Walk through the home after junction boxes are installed but before the drywall is hung. Are the right lights in the right place? Will your counters be well-lit? Will your art be in the dark? It may be a hassle to move a light fixture now, but it is much easier and less expensive to do it before the drywall goes up. And every time the sun goes down, you will be grateful you did.
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Thanks for the great article, really useful for when we are building!
Jim, that's a great point! Yvonne, thank you for the kind words. And spmm, having power where needed is indeed great. A few years ago I put an outlet in the bathroom closet- now I can plug in my toothbrush and beard trimmer without leaving them on the counter. It's great!
After all of the electricals are roughed in, it is a great idea to take as many photos as you can to document where the cables (and plumbing) are running within the walls. This is very useful when you want to add a shelf or hang a picture in the future.