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19) Lots of power outlets, and lots of breakers. Put an outlet on every wall. Don't put your power outlets on the same circuits as your overhead lights.
Use an electrician/electrical engineer to design and install your wiring, unless you really know the codes/regs insude out. Techies tend to think they know how to install wiring but the devil is most definately in the detail (minimum bend radii, safe zones, correct torques) - this is what an over-confident techie is likely to miss (and the unfortionate thing with lecky is that it works even when the design is wrong). Having said that, here are some things to think about before or while talking to the designer...
The advice about lots of socket-outlets is particularly good. Put at least 8 outlets together at each location you might have your main TV or HiFi system (unless you go the home theatre route). The advice about socket-outlets on each wall is also very good - most rooms have 4 walls, so place at least one double outlet on each wall. Always use double outlets unless you physically don't have the space (difference in price is minimal) - even in halls and in the loft/attic.
Make sure that all sockets that could possibly be used to power outside electrical equipment are protected by an RCD. You may find that where you are, even upstairs sockets have to be protected by an RCD.
In the kitchen and utility room, consider putting each socket outlet on a seperate breaker (this increases the cost a little and is typically only done by electricians and knowledgeable home owners for their own houses- not for paying clients). At a minimum, put the fridge, freezer, washing machine, tumble dryer and microwave on seperate circuits.
If you are going to have a pantry cupboard or cupboard to house a combi boiler in the kitchen or utility room, seriously consider locating the electrical consumer unit (fuse box) (and meter if you have meters located inside the house in your area) inside the cupboard in the kitchen. This will shorten the length of the circuits supplying these rooms, which makes installation easier and cheaper (cheaper because there is less labour needed - wire is dead cheap).
Uplighters (wall washers) require absolutely perfect plaster. Perfect plaster is even harder to achieve when you want a rustic look rather than absolutely flat. Downlighters (spots) require fire hoods if they are below a room on the floor above. You can buy downlighters for £2 or $2 each but a hood will cost around $12 or £12.
If you have multiple lights in a room, make sure to provide multiple switches so that you can turn them on and off individually to change the mood. Be careful when specifying luminairres - fluorescents, halogens, extra low voltage lighting and low energy lamps don't like being dimmed using standard dimming equipment and often need special, expensive ballasts to achieve this.
LED lighting is great for accent lighting such as cabinet lights, kitchen plinth lights and to define/draw attention to steps and stairs, but has a very low light output (the newest lamps are equivalent to 20W) so are unsuitable for pretty much anything else.
If you choose not to put your lighting circuits on an RCD (some designers suggest not because a fault on another RCD protected circuit will knock out all the lights) and you have young children, consider specifying safety pendants - these make it impossible to jamb a finger into the fitting and receive an electric shock.
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