Are you looking to sell your home? Or maybe you’d just like to be living in a space you know is worth what you’ve paid for? Electrical renovations can be exactly what you need to take your home to the next level of high value property, whether that’s making your entire system more energy efficient and electrically safe, or adding stunning new conveniences and features that any homeowner can use after you’ve left the property, like beautiful outdoor lighting or a fully integrated air conditioning system.
Electrical upgrades can keep your home fresh and modern for years to come, as well as increase value on the property market and make the entire property safer. The following are the top 5 electrical upgrades to boost your home’s value during a renovation.
1. Upgrade Electrical Panels, Outlets and Wiring
One of the main issues in home safety is older wiring, outlets or panels becoming outdated and inefficient in their power usage, or serious physical damage has compromised the outlet’s electrical safety features. By renovating or upgrading wiring, outlets, and panels not only is the house generally safer, but with these upgrades also enable new technology and devices that are longer lasting, lower maintenance and often more energy efficient, greatly reducing the amount you are paying for yearly power costs. Some absolutely vital electrical renovations and upgrades to increase a home’s market value include:
- Power Outlets: An upgrade to your residence’s power outlets can reduce electricity costs, as outdated power outlets may be taking more electricity than needed, and enable you or the next owner to use new devices that older outlets aren’t compatible with. Power outlets and plug points are also a visible part of the premises that an inspector or homeowner can see, so keeping a worn or dirty outlet could discourage potential buyers. By upgrading your outlets you are also avoiding electrical shocks and reducing the risk of an electrical fire.
- Light Switches: Old light switches may be unsafe and inefficient in a way that is much clearer than other electrical appliances around the house, as not only are they visibly clear and easy to reach, but faulty light switches may spark or hum when they are damaged or not working properly. With well-installed lighting upgrades, you can make your home much more electrically safe, visually appealing, and energy efficient, as new lighting upgrades can include options like lighting dimmers for greater ambience and control, or sensors to detect who is in the room so a light won’t be left on in an empty house.
- Electrical Panels and Circuit Breakers: Upgrading old electrical panels or switchboards won’t necessarily increase the market value of your home, but an upgrade to electrical panels can enable your home to install newer and more modern appliances that can increase the value of your property and prevent potential issues for a new homeowner. By having an old switchboard, your property is less valuable due to energy deficiency, greater potential of fire risks, and there is a chance your house doesn’t meet the proper Australian compliance requirements. With new, safer electrical panels, your property may seem much more attractive to a potential buyer.
- Wiring: Old, damaged, or outdated wiring is a common cause of electrical housefires, especially for old homes that are using new or modern technology. Wiring in outlets and power points could have corroded over time, and renovations and upgrades to your residence will require installing new technology that may need more power than outdated wiring can safely contain. By upgrading your house’s wiring, you are ensuring a new level of safety and enabling a greater level of modernisation and efficiency for your home.
Other possible upgrades to increase a home’s value include electrical system renovations and redesigns, and repairing or replacing old household appliances. A smoke alarm upgrade may also be legally required before you sell your home, depending on inspection results. Consult with a reliable electrical professional to see if any upgrades are necessary for your premises.
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Wondering if your house has updated electrical appliances that need repairs or replacements? Why not get in touch with us today, and see how we can help you?
2. Upgrade to LED Lighting
LEDs, or light emitting diodes, are a recent form of lighting technology that has become extremely sought after due to the LEDs’ recyclable and energy efficient nature. Upgrading your premises to use LED lighting will increase its market value on a technical and aesthetic level.
Technical benefits that LED lights offer a home include incredibly efficient energy usage which greatly reduces energy bills and how much power is used just for lighting, and high levels of durability and longevity, meaning you won’t have to replace your bulbs every few months. LEDs are made from ecological and environmentally friendly materials that are recyclable and easy to dispose of, and LED globes are a massive reduction in fire risk around the house, as LED lights generate far less heat than any other light bulb. Simply having LED downlights installed in your property could be a major selling point to anyone who is trying to be more environmentally conscious.
Aesthetically, good lighting is one of the most important factors in property sales, as potential buyers may be put off of buying a residence with too many blatantly unlit areas, and good, clear lighting makes a property much more appealing, and increases the property’s perceived value to prospective homeowners. As LED lights are very bright, and are available in a wide range of colours, the perfect LED lighting to fit a home’s aesthetic is easy to find and will truly help your location stand out and shine on the market.
Pool Lights and Outdoor Lights
An extra lighting option to consider adding to increase the value of your residence on the property market are LED pool lights and outdoor lighting installation in your backyard if they are suitable to your house and desired aesthetic. With efficient lighting upgrades installed, you have more options for affordable lighting that can seriously add to your home’s visual appeal and emphasise a beautiful outdoor space, and with pool lighting you or the next homeowner can enjoy a late-night swim in full visibility.
3. Install Solar Panels
Solar panels are an environmentally-friendly technology made up of silicon solar cells inside a glass and metal container, which can generate electrical power when exposed to sunlight. Installing solar panels allows a property owner to generate their own power and reduce their overall energy bills. The best kind of solar panels to install in a house can vary depending on the property and the owners energy needs, but typically a photovoltaic solar panel will enable most buildings to generate their own energy from sunlight.
The self-sufficiency and energy-savings that solar panels provide make them a very attractive selling point of any property on the market, and with more and more homeowners being more mindful of their carbon emissions and wanting to care more about the environment, a house having recyclable and ecology technology already installed will make the property a very attractive option to many potential buyers.
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Is your power bill bleeding you dry? Book a consultation, and we’ll see if your home is ready for an energy installation that will pay for itself.
How Many Solar Panels Does My House Need?
The amount of solar panels you should install in your residence depends on your energy needs, the size of the house and how much power the residents are using. While typically an average home will have around 10-15 solar panels, your needs may vary. To find out how many solar panels you need, and if your location is suitable for solar energy in general, consult with a professional solar provider.
4. Add Air Conditioning
Installing an air conditioning system in a home allows residents to enjoy a whole new level of comfort and convenience all year round. Whether that means a cool indoor breeze in summer or heating an entire room during winter, a well-installed air conditioner gives a property an unmistakable value for all residents. Air conditioning installation in the Gold Coast is especially desirable during the boiling summer days, and knowing that you can find consistent relief from the heat at home creates a very valuable feature that many buyers will be directly looking for.
If you’re considering installing air conditioning in your house it is important to consider which system is most suitable for your residence. Is there just one room in the house that spreads heat in summer? Or do you want the total temperature control across the whole property that a ducted air conditioning system can provide? By understanding your needs, it will be much easier for you to find the right system for your property.
There are two types of air conditioning systems available at LCMB:
- Split System Air Conditioning: A split system air conditioner is a device typically installed on a room’s wall or where anywhere else it can control the temperature most efficiently. This type of air conditioning is perfect for cooling down or heating up a single room at a time, costs less than ducted air conditioning, and is easier to install. As split system aircons use a remote, they are easier to control than the panel interface of ducted air conditioning too. However, it offers a lower level of temperature control, being limited to one room in the house, and the visible aircon unit may clash with the rooms desired aesthetic.
- Ducted Air Conditioning: Ducted air conditioning is a fully integrated temperature control system that uses ducted air vents that run throughout the property. Ducted aircons are best for controlling the temperature of the entire house at once, but can be zoned so only a few rooms are affected instead of the whole residence. Ducted air conditioners are more difficult and costly to install than a split system unit, are often not as convenient unless there is smartphone or wifi integration in the system, and not all properties have all the necessary electrical requirements or the space to install a ducted air conditioning system.
With split systems or ducted air conditioning, the brand of the system itself can also contribute to making your premises more valuable to a potential buyer. More recent, trusted, and well-known brands of air conditioners will add more value to the house as a potential buyer knows they won’t have to replace an older unit, and that the aircon that comes with the house is more likely to be long lasting and functional.
5. Invest In A Home Security System
A home security system includes devices like CCTV cameras, intercoms, alarm systems, and keypad locks. An expertly installed home security system will give your residence a greater level of safety and secure your possessions from thieves and burglars. A home security system is a perfect selling point that any real estate agent can use to entice potential buyers, as not only does it increase general safety, but security devices like an intercom by the front door, or a lock that uses a password instead of an easily misplaced key can also make your daily life a little easier.
A security system doesn’t just increase the value of your residence and make the property more attractive on the market, it can also reduce the cost of home insurance and insurance premiums. By installing a home security system, insurance companies see your property as being at less of a risk of break-ins and robberies, and so the company will reduce premiums as the insurance company will see you as less likely to make a claim.
Electrical Upgrades at LCMB Electrical & Air Conditioning
With any electrical renovation it is vital that you consider how much you are spending on upgrades against how much the property may sell for. At LCMB Electrical & Solar, we are fully licensed and equipped to handle all your electrical upgrade and installation needs and with over 20 years of experience in the electrical trade, we know exactly what electrical renovations you need and we’ll tailor make a solution for you.
If you’re looking for expert-level installations to truly add long term value to your house, call us today for a consultation, and you’ll see why over 220 customers have said we’re one of the best electricians in the Gold Coast.
