Complete N00b but getting house rewired

I'm going to try not to repeat the excellent advice given by the other posters, but here are a few considerations:

bk wrote: »

- Put lots of ethernet cables in, as much as you can reasonably afford, they are very useful

+100

A few more points to add to this:

1) This should be wired in star i.e. each point should be wired back to a common point allowing each to be connected to the switch.

2) Think about a good central location for the switch, I often recommend the utility room.

3) In many cases depending on the size of the house and what the walls are made of it is advantageous to have more than one wifi router installed. The best was to achieve this is to wire each wifi router point back to the switch. Natural each router will require a socket outlet, so install this beside the network point.

4) I would suggest that you wire all ethernet using CAT6.

Rew wrote: »

Talked to an alarm fitter recently and he said go wireless, as good as wired and much cleaner install.

I disagree. From an alarm installers point of view it is a quicker and easier install. It also generates more revenue in the loner term as it guarantees more call backs as batteries in various devices fail.

Advantages:

1) Reduced messing around with fiddly cabling.
2) A device can instantly be installed anywhere without the requirement for a cable to be in place first.
3) Maximum flexibility.

Disadvantages
1) As above each device needs a battery and batteries have a limited lifespan.
2) Devices such as shock sensors are far less discreet as they require lots of fancy electronics as well as a battery. So they can look pretty ugly on you expensive new windows.
3) Cost of each device. I am not in the trade, but I can buy a high quality HKC shock sensor for less than €10. The wireless equivalent is around 10 times the cost.
4) A wired bellbox can be brightly illuminated at all times providing a superior visual deterrent.

In summary if you can wore it do.

There is a never ending debate on the home security forum about which alarm is best that I don't want to get into. My preference would b the HKC hybrid one. This can take wired as well as wireless sensor giving you the best of both worlds in addition to app control. It allows me to add all sorts of fancy gadgets like PIRs that send pictures to my app. Like the OP I keep a number of firearms in my home and the Gardai passed my security inspection with flying colours.

If you have an external building such as a shed you can add this to the same alarm system. My HKC alarm allows me to arm and disarm different zones with different codes, so for example my gun cabinet and shed can be armed while the house is disarmed.

spaceHopper wrote: »

Cable or 5.1 Surround in ceiling of main TV Room

Yes, to me sound is very important. Modern extra thin flat screen TVs produce poor quality sound. It is best to select your sound system first and then wire accordingly. You could spend a fortune on a sound system and the sound quality could suffer due to poor positioning of speakers.

I also wired a pair of ceiling speakers in my kitchen to my main sound system in my sitting room. I can now stream from my phone directly to my kitchen and the sound quality is amazing.

Doorbell:
Check out the Nest Hello or the Ring equivalent video doorbells. This is the next must have on my list. Position the doorbell wiring to best suit the fact that a camera is built into the button itself.

Generator socket:
If in a rural area that suffers from power outages you may want to consider a generator changeover switch and socket for same. The genny can simply be wheeled out and plugged in when required at a later stage. With a small 6 kVA genny you would be able to do a lot.

mossym wrote: »

ceiling speakers for surround sound are not a great choice.

Agreed, I just have a pair in my kitchen ceiling for stereo sound from my main system in the sitting room.

they are perfect for the height channels in an atmos setup, but you;d be much better going with inwalls if you want discreet.

I wouldn't be a fan of in wall speakers.

niallb wrote: »

If you're bringing them back to the utility closet, you can choose from the growing number of wireless access points that can be powered over ethernet.

Are POE wifi routers any good? I assumed that they would lack range as the power available over ethernet is so much less. I have never used them so I am open to correction.

The high horse brigade wrote: »

Ethernet had much more power. Poe is up to 48v, most residential routers have a 12v power supply. Check out the Ubiquiti Unifi wireless access points

https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap/
Ubiquiti Networks - UniFi® AP

Voltage and power are two very different things.
A higher voltage does not necessarily mean more power.

However the specifications on the Ubiquiti units suggest that they have quite a range, nice

mossym wrote: »

the max draw on the unifi units is 4 to 6W, that's only 0.5A on a 12V supply(your 5V phone charger pushes more current, ) or 0.125A on a 48V POE supply. both deliver the same amount of power to that unit, and the 12V power supply would be capable of supplying much more.

I understand that. My point was that just because a higher voltage is used by a device does not mean necessarily mean that it has a higher power output.

the big advantage of the POE is the lack of cables/separate supply allowing you to run a single cable in wall .

Agreed. The units linked to look very nice. I guess the additional cost is offset by the saving of not having to install a socket outlet.

argolis wrote: »

Rather than running any type of cable you can think of, some of which may end up being wasted, just run the cables to the points that you can reasonably expect to use. Then additionally, put in some of this type of conduit with a pull string:.

This will only work with ridged conduit systems with little or no bends. The flexible conduit that you have shown in the link below is surprisingly difficult to pull cables through when embedded in a wall. I am speaking from direct experience as I spent 15 years on my tools as an electrician. We would normally stretch and straighten the flexible conduit on the ground to pull cables in.

https://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/produits/gaine-icta-diam-20-mm-l-100-m-e70421?queryredirect=a_fp_gaine_icta_diam_20_mm_l_100_m&numpage=1

I understand it's difficult to get in Ireland

Nope. It is easy to buy, for example Eurosales, Kellighers or NEW will be able to get you this in a variety of sizes with ease. Many know it by the brand name of "Copex". I would recommend avoiding it for the reasons given, instead use the largest ridged conduit alternative available as this is far more likely to work.