Today I want to talk a little bit about some of those special items that you can potentially install in your home to make it stand out from your neighbors, or to appeal to people out there for general resale value. As an electrical contractor in Victoria BC, I get to see trends develop among the population as I do my day to day business with innovators that live in this region. Some people contend that the wealthy are those who lead the market by obtaining all the new electrical gadgets, and it slowly trickles down into the various lower classes of society, becoming the new standard. A Victoria electrician is the first person to witness these changes because we have to learn about these new systems and devices in order to be able to install them for our wealthy clients. I am going to share with you some of those luxury items that have become a new trend and are quickly becoming the new standard of living. Some of the items I will cover are in-floor heating, LED bulbs, under counter lighting, dimmers and surround sound speaker systems.
In-floor heating has been around since 5000BC. No, this is not a joke. Of course there were no electrical contractors in Victoria BC back then, but caveman would draft smoke from fires through stone covered trenches which were excavated in the floors, and this would in return heat up the living space. It took some time to get to the systems Victoria electricians install today, which are much more efficient. In-floor heat is simply amazing, no longer do you have to stand on freezing floors. One of the main advantages is not just the comfort aspect, but also a more evenly distributed heat compared to a baseboard heater or even a heat pump. You can also certainly have a programmable thermostat which will turn it on at a set time in the day so you won’t be wasting your electricity. In-floor heating can be found mainly in washroom and kitchen tile floors, but can be installed almost anywhere. If you want to add a touch of luxury that can be seen in many high end hotels or the wealthy’s homes, ask a electrical contractor in Victoria BC to come give you a quote free of charge
LED bulbs are simply amazing, for their energy efficiency and relatively low cost in comparison to other alternatives. Victoria electricians love them because they last 25 years and are perfect for those hard to reach light fixtures in which you dread having to replace the bulb every year or so. Some people have been shy in adopting this new trend, but there is ample evidence that it is the way of the future. The price for LEDs have dropped sharply, and can be bought for about 10-15$ a bulb these days. The next best option is compact fluorescent, filled with mercury and dangerous gases, and these bulbs are about 5$ each. When you do the math, 25 years vs 5 years, you can see that LED bulbs are much cheaper in terms of maintenance and replacement. This does not take into account the immense savings on your electrical bill. A 50w light bulb can be replaced by a 9w LED bulb, with a whooping savings of 82% in electricity. LED bulbs pay for themselves within a few years, and after those years, they start to make you money. Any electrical contractor in Victoria BC will tell you, go LED!
Under counter lighting can create some beautiful mood lighting in your kitchen or washroom. Have you ever considered installing a tile back splash? you must do yourself a favor and get this lighting system. When you spend a lot of money on a marble/granite back splash, what better way to see it in all its glory than to illuminate it so everybody will notice? A Victoria electrician can install under cabinet lighting that will wow all your guests. LED versions are almost equal in price to standard styles, and you can have them retrofitted without making a big mess. Another trend has been to install them above your cabinets to create a beautiful glow on the ceiling. When you spend 30000$ for kitchen cabinets, its well worth it to spend 500-750$ in lighting to showcase those beautiful handmade designs.
Dimmers have been and will continue to be one of the cheapest ways to create a welcoming atmosphere. Not only do home owners love them, but also businesses have started to notice and install them to create a more relaxing shopping environment. Dimmers will save you money as well, because you are not using as much wattage to light up the space. There is something luxurious about having dimmers in bedrooms, living rooms and even the kitchen. An electrical contractor in Victoria BC can install a dimmer cheaply, and it will certainly make your visitors or customers feel at home.
Surround sound speakers are probably the newest trend out there in terms of toys one must have in their home. Businesses have used them for years because they recognize that having well distributed soothing music will help in selling merchandise and for shoppers to stick around longer in their stores. Here you can spend anywhere from 1000$-100,000$ on a sound system, depending on how fancy you want to go. Most people do very well on the lower end and simply install a nice 4 speaker system in their living room to give them that movie theater experience. Others will enjoy having a system that will play throughout the house in their bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms. You can go with seperate wall controls so that one zone will hear the music, while another will be silent. A Victoria electrician can quickly tell you how many speakers or wall controls you need to meet your needs. The most popular option is a living room installation, and every customer that gets that movie theater experience at home loves it. Every time I have been in a home with ceiling mounted speakers, I always think that this is one of the best bang for your buck installation you can get.
As you can see, things are changing fast. In 10 years, we will probably see all the options above as part of everyday life. What is seen today as a luxury is becoming quickly more affordable and the new standard. If you are interested in having us come and discuss with you any of those possible upgrades to your home or business, just give us a call at 250-704-6808 and we will gladly share all the information with you.
Thank you,
David Audy ( owner of Absolutely Electrical )