Power struggle

Television, satellite or cable connection, video recorder, music centre, standard lamp, fan heater, computer and monitor, electric fire, fish tank, Playstation, DVD player, and that’s just in the living room. Do you have enough sockets to cater for all of this technology? No. Not many people do.

Society is going gadget crazy but the provision of electrical sockets within new homes is stuck in the days of a television, electric fire and a standard lamp. Living rooms tend to have about four or five outlets; kitchens, six; and bedrooms as few as three.

So why are there so few electrical sockets in the average home? The schism between number of sockets and number of electrical appliances is all down to the guidelines on which most new houses are built – the National House Building Council guidance. The NHBC will defend itself by saying that the numbers of sockets that it suggests are only for guidance and architects/builders/owners can specify more if they want to. The reality though is that the more sockets you get the higher the cost will be.

In truth, neither the developer or the house buyer puts a lot of store in the amount of sockets at the outset. And, even if the buyer is asked about the number and suitability of sockets in the property they will more than likely go with what is specified, rather than pay extra for more outlets.

These findings and more come from a survey carried out by the Copper Development Association (CDA). Owners of two-year old homes were questioned as to their satisfaction on the level of electrical convenience within their homes. The results are interesting.

As mentioned, on purchasing a property buyers assumed that the number of sockets installed was satisfactory. However, by the time their houses were two years old, over 50% of owners said that they did not have enough sockets to cope with their electrical appliance demands.

Homeowner needs differ depending upon a number of differing factors:

• the number and age profile of the people living in the house;

• the pattern of family life – whether the family watch television together or separately, for example;

• the variety and sophistication of home entertainment equipment;

• the degree of computer literacy – whether or not a household is connected to the Internet;

• whether the occupants work from home.

The CDA survey showed that respondents were unanimous in asking for better provision of sockets in all areas of the house. Some points were hit on again and again, including the need for dedicated sockets for kitchen appliances and better layout of sockets to improve accessibility. Why are the sockets always behind the settee?

Homeowners also want sockets in non-living areas such as the garage and loft, along with lighting in the loft and in cupboards. A socket next to each telephone point was also high on the agenda, as the use of answerphones and faxes encroaches more into domestic life.

The CDA survey took on board all of the homeowners’ thoughts and came up with what it sees as a recommended number of sockets for each area of the home. The results are not surprisingly much higher than the numbers in the NHBC guidance (see table 1).

CDA meets ECA

The need for extra sockets in a property means work for the electrical contractor. To assist in this, the CDA, in association with the ECA and Select, has produced a leaflet for contractors to use in encouraging homeowners to get extra sockets installed.

Is there a struggle for power in your home includes a chart for the homeowner to fill in so they can judge if they have enough sockets, the CDA’s recommended number of sockets and a space for the contractor’s name and contact details.

The CDA is urging contractors to target new housing estates with the leaflet. It will promote good electrical safety in the home, make life easier and, just by coincidence put more work the way of the contractor. Socket to ’em.