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Christian14423 Oct 2020 10:46Hello everyone,
During my research on home construction, specifically regarding "how much and what kind of electrical work is needed in a house," I came across Ewl-Instakit.
Their business concept is that the homeowner carries out the electrical installation themselves, with only certain parts performed by professionals or, afterwards, having the system inspected and approved by a certified electrician. The inspection of the electrical system is a mandatory requirement for subsequent insurance coverage.
One possible wall construction design we are considering includes an installation level between the exterior wall insulation and drywall, as well as interior walls built with timber stud framing.
Especially with this installation level, it should be relatively easy to route the necessary cables into the future rooms and distribute them within the drywall partitions. Therefore, we are currently thinking about whether the option to pull the cables ourselves and then have them connected and inspected by professionals could represent a potential cost-saving measure. Besides EWL, there are certainly other electrical contractors who might be open to supporting a partial installation, especially when the components are purchased from them.
a) Are there any recent experiences with EWL?
b) Has anyone here done more electrical work themselves with a local electrical company than just chasing cable ducts?
c) What is the general opinion in this forum regarding this approach? Are there any insights on how much effort cable pulling involves for a 160 sqm (1,722 sq ft) house?
I look forward to the discussion.
During my research on home construction, specifically regarding "how much and what kind of electrical work is needed in a house," I came across Ewl-Instakit.
Their business concept is that the homeowner carries out the electrical installation themselves, with only certain parts performed by professionals or, afterwards, having the system inspected and approved by a certified electrician. The inspection of the electrical system is a mandatory requirement for subsequent insurance coverage.
One possible wall construction design we are considering includes an installation level between the exterior wall insulation and drywall, as well as interior walls built with timber stud framing.
Especially with this installation level, it should be relatively easy to route the necessary cables into the future rooms and distribute them within the drywall partitions. Therefore, we are currently thinking about whether the option to pull the cables ourselves and then have them connected and inspected by professionals could represent a potential cost-saving measure. Besides EWL, there are certainly other electrical contractors who might be open to supporting a partial installation, especially when the components are purchased from them.
a) Are there any recent experiences with EWL?
b) Has anyone here done more electrical work themselves with a local electrical company than just chasing cable ducts?
c) What is the general opinion in this forum regarding this approach? Are there any insights on how much effort cable pulling involves for a 160 sqm (1,722 sq ft) house?
I look forward to the discussion.
You need to discuss everything very carefully with the certified contractor. What you do yourself and what they will handle. Because in the end, the system must be approved and commissioned.
But yes, it is doable.
In my house, I took care of everything related to KNX myself. Almost all the usual flush-mounted installation work was done by the certified contractor. This way, both parties were satisfied with the scope of work and also with the financial aspect.
However, if you want to save almost everything and practically only have the system approved and connected at the end, you will have a hard time finding a partner willing to do that.
But yes, it is doable.
In my house, I took care of everything related to KNX myself. Almost all the usual flush-mounted installation work was done by the certified contractor. This way, both parties were satisfied with the scope of work and also with the financial aspect.
However, if you want to save almost everything and practically only have the system approved and connected at the end, you will have a hard time finding a partner willing to do that.
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Christian14423 Oct 2020 11:02Now I have to admit my lack of knowledge. What do KNX and UP stand for?
Yes, coordination is crucial in this context, which is why I would also prefer local support. However, before I start looking for that, I need to be sure whether I can manage the timing. Other trades depend on this, and they cannot proceed until this part is completed.
Yes, coordination is crucial in this context, which is why I would also prefer local support. However, before I start looking for that, I need to be sure whether I can manage the timing. Other trades depend on this, and they cannot proceed until this part is completed.
KNX is the leading standard for building automation. UP stands for flush-mounted.
The time required should not be underestimated. Additionally, planning services are necessary because the electrician needs to know exactly where to connect everything in the end. So, without prior knowledge, it is rather difficult and an overly simplistic assumption. That is why most people only handle chasing channels and drilling boxes themselves.
The time required should not be underestimated. Additionally, planning services are necessary because the electrician needs to know exactly where to connect everything in the end. So, without prior knowledge, it is rather difficult and an overly simplistic assumption. That is why most people only handle chasing channels and drilling boxes themselves.
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knalltüte23 Oct 2020 11:30Hello, we found a licensed electrical contractor who was actually glad that we would pull the cables ourselves (electrical, network, etc.). Otherwise, they wouldn’t have accepted the job due to a current shortage of staff.
Of course, we clarified everything in advance!! (scope of work and material delivery)
We will pull the cables and connect the sockets and network outlets (these fully) ourselves. The licensed contractor will, of course, handle connecting the power to the main and sub-distribution boards. They will also inspect the installation (electrical).
This can definitely save money, but how much? Certainly quite a bit, especially since you know exactly where and how the cables run (proper labeling!!) and you can install them neatly, which some companies don’t do (cost/time).
Of course, we clarified everything in advance!! (scope of work and material delivery)
We will pull the cables and connect the sockets and network outlets (these fully) ourselves. The licensed contractor will, of course, handle connecting the power to the main and sub-distribution boards. They will also inspect the installation (electrical).
This can definitely save money, but how much? Certainly quite a bit, especially since you know exactly where and how the cables run (proper labeling!!) and you can install them neatly, which some companies don’t do (cost/time).
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Christian14423 Oct 2020 12:56Mycraft schrieb:
KNX is the leading standard for building automation. UP stands for flush-mounted (in-wall installation).
The time required should not be underestimated. Additionally, you need planning work, because the electrician has to know exactly where to connect everything in the end. So without prior knowledge, it’s rather difficult or an unrealistic calculation. That’s why most people only do cutting channels and drilling sockets themselves as DIY work. Of course, the whole effort only makes sense if you can really save a significant amount and are also certain that an inspection will be carried out afterwards.
My considerations based on my knowledge of electrical wiring (just as a rough idea...)
a) I initially need at least one “supply line” per room (3x1.5 mm²), usually protected with a 16 A circuit breaker.
b) With 16 A, I can connect about 12 sockets to one circuit (16 A * 230 V ~ 3600 watts and an approximate power consumption of 300 W per socket).
c) Further distribution is then simply daisy-chained from socket to socket or connected via terminal blocks.
d) For appliances with higher power consumption (washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, and oven), a dedicated circuit including protection is used.
e) Don’t forget the three-phase circuit for the stove.
f) Lighting and satellite connections have not been considered yet...
If all these assumptions are correct and I want to install the network cabling myself anyway, it should be manageable to run an additional cable from the technical room to each respective room with only a moderate extra effort, or am I overlooking something?