Looking for a Wireless switching Electrician?

1) Wireless Switches in Cinderford Without Unnecessary Wall Chasing

Last week I fitted a wireless switch for a customer who was having new garden lighting installed to illuminate some steps. Getting a conventional switch cable back to the house would either have meant running visible conduit or drilling through very thick stone, so a wireless switch gave us a neater and more cost-effective solution.

That is where wireless switching can be particularly useful. Sometimes you need a new light switch in a convenient position, but chasing out a newly decorated wall, drilling through thick masonry or running a long length of visible cable simply does not make sense.

I’m Darren from DMC Electrical. I have more than 20 years’ electrical experience, I’m NICEIC registered and DMC Electrical is a Which? Trusted Trader. I carry out the initial quotation and the installation myself, with wireless switches in Cinderford typically costing between £95 and £450, depending on what they need to control and the work involved.

2) When is a wireless switch useful?

Wireless switching is not something I automatically recommend for every lighting job.

If a conventional wired switch can be installed neatly and without excessive disruption, that may still be the most straightforward option.

Where wireless switching becomes particularly useful is when getting a new cable to the required switch position creates more problems than it solves.

That might include:

• Newly plastered or decorated walls that you do not want chased again
• Very thick stone walls
• Limited space inside a wall for additional cabling
• Long cable routes between the switch and the equipment being controlled
• Outside lighting where getting a control cable back into the house is difficult
• An existing switch position that no longer works with a changed room layout

I look at the complete job before suggesting the solution.

3) Avoiding damage after decorating

A few weeks ago I used wireless switching at a property in Lydney where I had previously completed a rewire.

All of the cable chases from the rewire had been filled, repaired and decorated when the customer decided they wanted another light added.

We could have cut into the finished walls again and created more decorating work, but that would have undone some of the effort already put into finishing the property.

Instead, I used wireless switching so the customer could control the additional light without reopening the walls.

This is one of the situations where the extra flexibility of wireless switching really makes sense.

4) Wireless control for outside lighting

Another long-standing customer in Staunton wanted more control over her outside lights.

She wanted to be able to switch the lights on as she drove through the driveway gates and then switch them off again once she had reached the house.

A PIR was not what she wanted. The house is in a rural location with plenty of wildlife, so movement sensors could have resulted in the lights being triggered repeatedly by animals.

Running a conventional control cable all the way from the gate area back to the house would also have involved a long and awkward route.

Instead, I provided wireless fobs that could be kept in their cars. This meant they could switch the driveway lights on as they approached or came through the gates and then switch them off again once they had parked at the house, without needing a long control cable installed between the gate and the property.

That is a good example of why the best solution is not always the most obvious one.

5) Garden lighting and thick stone walls

The recent Mitcheldean installation presented a different problem.

The customer wanted new garden lighting to highlight steps. A wired switching arrangement would either have required surface-mounted conduit, which the customer may not have wanted to see, or drilling through substantial stonework to create a hidden route.

Using a wireless switch reduced the amount of installation work and avoided compromising the appearance of the finished job.

For customers considering wireless switches in Cinderford, these are exactly the factors I look at during the quote visit: where you want the switch, what it needs to control and how disruptive a conventional wired installation would be.

6) What can go wrong with the obvious solution?

Sometimes customers assume the only way to add another switch is to chase a new cable into the wall.

That can make a relatively simple requirement considerably more expensive.

A long cable run might involve chasing plaster, drilling masonry, fitting conduit or carrying out additional decorating afterwards.

There are also situations where the original switch location becomes inconvenient because a room has been altered or furniture and fittings are now in different positions.

And occasionally the existing cable itself has been damaged, leaving a switch no longer operating correctly.

Before recommending anything, I look at whether the existing wiring can be used, whether a new wired route is practical and whether wireless switching gives a cleaner result.

7) What happens when you ask me for a quote?

When you call DMC Electrical, Kate will take the initial details and arrange a suitable time for me to visit if I need to see the job.

I’ll look at what you want to control, where you want the new switch and what would be involved in installing it conventionally.

I then provide a free, no-obligation quotation with clear terms and conditions so you know what I am proposing before deciding whether to proceed.

If you accept the quotation, we arrange the installation.

Your electrical supply may need to be switched off intermittently while I carry out the electrical work.

Once everything is installed, I carry out the necessary checks, show you how the new switching arrangement works and make sure you are happy with the finished job.

I also leave the working area clean and tidy.

8) Wireless switch prices in Cinderford

My typical price for wireless switching work is £95 to £450, depending on what needs controlling and how involved the installation is.

A straightforward additional switch may only take around an hour, while a more involved lighting arrangement can take most of a working day.

I provide a fixed price upfront, rather than carrying out open-ended work and leaving you unsure what the final cost will be.

The agreed price includes the required materials, installation and instructions on how to operate the system.

Materials are covered by the applicable product guarantee, and my installation work comes with a lifetime workmanship guarantee.

9) Why use DMC Electrical?

I’m NICEIC registered and DMC Electrical is a Which? Trusted Trader. We currently have 15 Google reviews, two Which? Trusted Trader reviews and further feedback from customers on Facebook.

I also do both the quoting and the installation myself.

That means the person who visits, discusses whether wireless switching is actually appropriate and works out the cable alternatives is the same person who comes back to install it.

I turn up when agreed, work carefully in your property and aim to leave everything as clean and tidy as I found it.

For me, wireless switching is not about selling another gadget. It is about using it where it genuinely avoids unnecessary work, expense or damage to your property.

10) FAQs

How much does a wireless light switch installation cost?

My wireless switching jobs typically cost between £95 and £450, depending on what needs controlling and the complexity of the installation. I visit where necessary and give you a fixed price before the work starts.

Do wireless switches mean I don’t need any wiring?

Not necessarily. The equipment being controlled still needs the appropriate electrical supply; the benefit is that a conventional control cable may not need to be run all the way to the new switch position. I assess the existing installation before recommending the arrangement.

Can you add a switch without chasing my newly decorated wall?

Often, yes. That was exactly why I used wireless switching after a recent rewire in Lydney — the walls had already been repaired and decorated, so we avoided cutting them open again to add another light switch.

Can wireless controls be used from a car for driveway lights?

Yes, where the system is suitable. For a rural customer in Staunton I provided wireless fobs that could be kept in the cars, allowing the driveway lights to be switched on when approaching the property and switched off again after parking at the house.

Can I use wireless switching instead of PIR security lights?

Depending on what you want the lighting to do, yes. One customer specifically wanted manual wireless control because wildlife around her rural property would have repeatedly triggered PIR sensors.

How long does installation take?

A straightforward installation may take around one hour, while more involved switching and lighting arrangements can take up to a working day. I assess the job first so I can explain what is involved before you commit.

What guarantee do you provide?

The equipment has its applicable materials or manufacturer guarantee, and I provide a lifetime workmanship guarantee on my installation work. I’ll also show you how to operate the new switching arrangement before I leave.

If you want another light switch but don’t want newly decorated walls chased out, visible conduit running across the property or a difficult cable route through thick stone, give us a call. Kate or I can take the initial details and I’ll assess whether wireless switching is a sensible solution, with a clear fixed-price quotation and no obligation to proceed.