Electrical options through builder

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snowball

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I am buying a new home and had a first meeting with design center going through electrical options.
Oh man... there are tons of items we can ask the builder to complete but of course, due to the tight budget, I can't go for everything.

For instance, the designer mentioned installing 4 recessed lights in each bedroom is quite necessary these days but I feel like I can just use lamps for the room or if I feel like I need them in the future, I can hire electrician for about half price. Do you guys feel like recessed lights in the bedroom are worth it and needs to be done through the builder? and the same question for the surround sound system. I think I can ask builder to pre-wire them and install speakers later but my husband is opposed to it. He also wants to do 'secondary media equipment location in closet or pantry' to make all cables invisible, but it costs over $1000.

The designer even recommended me to have at least a junction box in each area (preferably in the ceiling) so I can easily add a light fixture (like chandelier or recessed light) or ceiling fan later. It costs $300 per junction box though.  :(

Can you guys share your experience with the new home options? more specifically regarding electrical upgrades?
 
Not sure how much they are charging for can lights but I went with "Install my lights" and they are perfectionist, did a great job and charged me ~$500 per room with dimmer switches (4 cans per room). I have kids and if I put up a lamp it would be destroyed in 2 days.


 
500 per room for four cans is just as expensive if not more than the builder. We did canned lights in every room in the house. I think this is one of those things if u choose not to do now you will really regret it.  Lamps don't provide the same level of brightness and coverage. Skip the jbox if u have to but do canned lights throughout.
 
Agree that you should due the cans.
If the builder already includes a dimmer in a room, it's cheap/easy to go outside and tie into the installed dimmer.  That will cost you less than the $500.

If there is no pre-installed dimmer, might as well go with the builder.

Do a jbox in the kitchen for pendants and anywhere else you'll want a ceiling fan.  It will make the fan installation much easier.
 
RandomLetters said:
Agree that you should due the cans.
If the builder already includes a dimmer in a room, it's cheap/easy to go outside and tie into the installed dimmer.  That will cost you less than the $500.

If there is no pre-installed dimmer, might as well go with the builder.

Do a jbox in the kitchen for pendants and anywhere else you'll want a ceiling fan.  It will make the fan installation much easier.
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Builder will install recessed lights right above the kitchen island where we'd like to put pendants later. Can electrician utilize the recessed light spot for installation of pendants? Should I add separate jbox for pendants?
 
This was heavily discussed on TI last year.  I think the conclusion was #dothecans #dothefans (I miss OS).  $500 from Install My Lights is probably the builder average.  I've seen builders charge slightly less and slightly more for a 4-pack.  As far as the jboxes go, it's always a pain to go back and add.  Someone on TI recently did research on this and called a bunch of places so you can look up that thread to see what his outside costs ended up being.  If you are a fan (or chandelier) person, then I would def just get the jboxes through the builder. 

 
I'm in the same boat. Just went to the design center and they quoted me $150 for each canned light. But, the kicker is that they also charge another $150 for each switch. This means $750 for a set of 4 lights plus switch. As in your case, they also charge $300 for a junction box. That adds up quick if we do it for every room.

What we've decided to do is to only put in the junction box for each room. In our case, the junction box is comes with 2 switches and sets of wires. One for the fan, another for the fan light. Since we never use light for our fans my plan is to use one switch for the fan, and the other for canned light that I will have an electrician install. It is much simpler and cheaper to install since the wires have already been pulled to the ceiling, especially for the 2nd floor where you can reach the attic.
 
You guys are making a mistake. Call electricians and get quotes. How much are u saving and is that worth the hassle
 
If you go through a licensed electrician it should cost you between $65-85 per can. You might have up to $100 per room for switch installation depending on amount of lights. Will also need dry wall repair after job is done. My home is 5000 square feet and I did my home house in recessed lighting, switches, chandeliers and fans for about $2500...excluding cost of purchasing materials...ie. fans, chandeliers and can lights. I paid approx. an extra $500 for drywall repair not including paint. All work was done in about 4 hours and not very messy. This was relatively recent work.
 
qwerty said:
You guys are making a mistake. Call electricians and get quotes. How much are u saving and is that worth the hassle
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I want to have the jbox anyways because I want to install a fan in each room. The question is whether we pay another $750 for each room for the can light.  Even at $100/can it I'd be saving $350/room and we wouldn't have to patch the wall or add extra switch. That adds up quick.
 
orange_curtain said:
If you go through a licensed electrician it should cost you between $65-85 per can. You might have up to $100 per room for switch installation depending on amount of lights. Will also need dry wall repair after job is done. My home is 5000 square feet and I did my home house in recessed lighting, switches, chandeliers and fans for about $2500...excluding cost of purchasing materials...ie. fans, chandeliers and can lights. I paid approx. an extra $500 for drywall repair not including paint. All work was done in about 4 hours and not very messy. This was relatively recent work.
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Did you hire electrician to install all recessdd lights after closing? Can I ask you which company you used?
$2500 seems relatively cheap considering the size of your house and number of things you've done such as fans, chandliers and can lights. Did you have your builder install jbox for future use?
 
Just get the cans from the builder.  Especially downstairs.  Chances are, there will be drywall that needs to come out and patched depending on how the joists are oriented, and where the wire runs are.  Upstairs, it's a little easier to do since there's attic access, but I'd still go with the builder.

Forget any LED options...those are cheaper to do post construction.

Speaker wires...that's up to you.  I normally say "no", and run ghost wire underneath the flooring (which I would change post construction also).

Add electrical in rooms where you think you will run extra furniture and/or electronics (computers, printers, etc.), eg a home office or media center.

Add dedicated electrical outside if you are planning to power stuff in your yard (transformers for lighting, etc.).

My rule of thumb...buy infrastructure from the builder.  Buy anything cosmetic post construction.
 
Does your builder offer a "light fixture pre-wire" option? I heard some builders offer this for $100 + $150 for the switch. That way it'd be easier for the electrician to access wires later on.
 
If they do, that would be awsome but no, they only offer  a junction box at $300. A Niche can light is $200 but a switch is separate.
 
gasman said:
Just get the cans from the builder.  Especially downstairs.  Chances are, there will be drywall that needs to come out and patched depending on how the joists are oriented, and where the wire runs are.  Upstairs, it's a little easier to do since there's attic access, but I'd still go with the builder.

Forget any LED options...those are cheaper to do post construction.

Speaker wires...that's up to you.  I normally say "no", and run ghost wire underneath the flooring (which I would change post construction also).

Add electrical in rooms where you think you will run extra furniture and/or electronics (computers, printers, etc.), eg a home office or media center.

Add dedicated electrical outside if you are planning to power stuff in your yard (transformers for lighting, etc.).

My rule of thumb...buy infrastructure from the builder.  Buy anything cosmetic post construction.
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I agree what gasman said. Also, I would upgrade the bathroom tiles. (Me personally I don't like the white basic tile)
 
eyephone said:
gasman said:
Just get the cans from the builder.  Especially downstairs.  Chances are, there will be drywall that needs to come out and patched depending on how the joists are oriented, and where the wire runs are.  Upstairs, it's a little easier to do since there's attic access, but I'd still go with the builder.

Forget any LED options...those are cheaper to do post construction.

Speaker wires...that's up to you.  I normally say "no", and run ghost wire underneath the flooring (which I would change post construction also).

Add electrical in rooms where you think you will run extra furniture and/or electronics (computers, printers, etc.), eg a home office or media center.

Add dedicated electrical outside if you are planning to power stuff in your yard (transformers for lighting, etc.).

My rule of thumb...buy infrastructure from the builder.  Buy anything cosmetic post construction.
Click to expand...

I agree what gasman said. Also, I would upgrade the bathroom tiles. (Me personally I don't like the white basic tile)
Click to expand...

Did you upgrade the bathroom tiles in secondary bathrooms as well? May I ask you what price range was it?
 
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