Why upgrade your sockets and switches?
Modern homes use far more electrical equipment than properties did when many existing installations were originally designed. Phones, tablets, laptops, TVs, kitchen appliances, home-office equipment and smart technology all need convenient access to power. Adding or repositioning sockets can reduce reliance on extension leads and trailing cables, while replacing dated switches and accessories can give a room a cleaner, more contemporary finish.
Add more sockets where you need them
A shortage of sockets is one of the most common frustrations in older homes. Rooms designed decades ago simply weren’t expected to accommodate the amount of electrical equipment we now use. The result can be extension leads, multi-way adapters and cables stretching across rooms because the nearest socket is in the wrong place.
Sometimes you don’t need more sockets – you simply need the ones you already have to be somewhere else. Furniture layouts change. Bedrooms are rearranged. Kitchens are redesigned. A room becomes a home office. A television moves from one wall to another.
We can install additional sockets or relocate existing ones in practical positions based on how you actually use the room.
🔌 Where could relocated sockets help?
🛋️ Either side of a sofa for chargers and devices
📺 Behind televisions and entertainment units
🌿 In garden rooms and outbuildings
🔋 Beside beds for convenient charging
💻 Around desks and home-office areas
🍳 In kitchens and utility rooms
🧹 In hallways for convenient access to power
👶 In bedrooms as your family’s needs change
Upgrade to USB and USB-C charging
Charging technology has become part of everyday life, and dedicated USB outlets can provide a convenient alternative to using separate plug-in chargers.
We can install sockets incorporating USB or USB-C charging points in useful locations throughout your home. They can be particularly practical beside beds, around kitchen areas, in home offices and anywhere phones, tablets or other compatible devices are regularly charged.
We’ll discuss the available options and recommend suitable products for where and how they’ll be used.
📱 Convenient charging around the home
🔌USB charging sockets
⚡ USB-C charging outlets
🔋 Combined socket and USB options
🛏️Bedside charging points
🍳 Kitchen charging areas
💻 Home-office charging points
Bring convenient power outdoors
Outdoor sockets can make gardens, patios and driveways considerably more practical.
Whether you’re using garden equipment, cleaning the car, plugging in outdoor lighting or working with power tools, a properly installed external socket gives you convenient access to electricity without having to run extension leads through open doors or windows.
We install weather-resistant outdoor sockets designed for external environments, carefully positioned to provide practical access to power. We’ll assess the existing electrical installation, proposed location and appropriate protection before recommending a suitable solution.
🌿 What could you use an outdoor socket for?
🌱 Lawnmowers and garden equipment
💦 Pressure washers
🧰 Power tools
💡 Outdoor lighting
🎄Christmas and seasonal lighting
🚗 Cleaning and maintaining vehicles
🏡 Patios and entertaining areas
🔌 General outdoor power requirements
Add modern switches, dimmers and smart controls
Sockets and switches don’t have to be purely functional.
Replacing older accessories can provide a simple finishing touch when decorating or renovating a room, while dimmers and smart controls can give you greater flexibility over how your lighting is used.
If you’re considering smart controls, we can discuss what you want the system to achieve and whether the proposed products are suitable for your existing electrical installation and lighting. We can install and replace a wide range of electrical accessories, subject to compatibility with your existing installation and lighting.
💡 Types of sockets and switches include:
🔘 Standard switches
🎚️ Dimmer switches
✨ Decorative switches and sockets
🔌 USB and USB-C sockets
📱 Smart switches
🏠 Smart lighting controls
⚙️ Multi-gang switches
↔️ Additional switching positions
Ask yourself…
If you answer yes to one or more of these questions, some simple electrical alterations could make your home considerably more practical.
Are you regularly using extension leads because you don’t have enough sockets?
Are sockets hidden behind furniture or difficult to reach?
Do you charge phones and devices in inconvenient places?
Are you planning to redecorate or renovate a room?
Are you creating a home office?
Are you changing the position of your television or furniture?
Would USB or USB-C outlets be useful in bedrooms or living areas?
Do you regularly run an extension lead outside when using garden equipment?
Would a permanent outdoor socket make your garden, patio or driveway more practical?
Would you like greater control over your lighting with dimmers or smart switches?
Do your existing sockets and switches look dated or worn?
Are any sockets or switches damaged, loose, buzzing or discoloured?
We’ll look at what you currently have, discuss how you use your home and recommend practical options for improving your electrical layout.
CONTACT LAIRD ELECTRICAL
Get in touch to discuss your electrical requirements today.
Which sockets and switches are right for your home?
From additional sockets and USB-C charging points to outdoor sockets and smart lighting controls, compare the options and find the right electrical upgrade for your home.
A good option could be
Recommended solutionWhy it helps
Practical benefitAdditional or relocated sockets
Gives you power where you actually need it and reduces reliance on extension leads and awkward socket positions.
USB or USB-C sockets
Creates convenient charging points for compatible phones, tablets and other everyday devices.
Weather-resistant outdoor sockets
Provides a permanent external power point for garden equipment, tools, lighting and other suitable outdoor uses.
Dimmers, smart controls or decorative accessories
Gives you greater control over compatible lighting and can improve the overall look and usability of a room.
Our socket, switch and power point services
Every home is different, which is why we tailor our socket and switch installations around how you use each room, where you need power and the finish you want to achieve.
Whether you need one additional socket, convenient power outdoors or a complete upgrade of your sockets and switches, we’ll provide a practical solution that suits your home and the way you use it.
Myth busting
There are a few common misconceptions surrounding sockets, switches and everyday electrical alterations.
Myth
If I need more sockets, an extension lead does exactly the same job.
Fact
Extension leads can be useful for temporary requirements, but they aren’t always the best long-term answer to a room that simply doesn’t have enough conveniently positioned outlets. Properly installed additional sockets can provide a neater and more practical permanent solution.
Myth
I can just run an extension lead outside whenever I need power in the garden.
Fact
An extension lead may be suitable for some temporary uses when used correctly, but repeatedly running power from inside the house isn’t necessarily the most practical long-term solution. If you regularly need electricity outdoors, a properly installed external socket designed for the environment can provide a much neater and more convenient option.
Myth
Moving a socket is always a huge job.
Fact
Not necessarily. The work involved depends on the existing wiring, construction of the wall and where the new position is required. Some alterations are relatively straightforward, while others involve more disruption. We’ll explain what’s involved before work begins.
Myth
A socket is fine as long as electricity still comes out of it.
Fact
A socket can continue working despite signs that warrant investigation. Loose fittings, heat, scorching, buzzing or physical damage should be professionally checked rather than ignored.
Myth
Smart switches will work with any lighting setup.
Fact
Compatibility can vary depending on the switch, lighting equipment and existing electrical installation. It’s worth checking what you already have and what you want to achieve before choosing smart controls.
Jargon buster: sockets and switches
No jargon. Just straightforward advice.
You don’t need to know electrical terminology to ask us for an extra socket, but here are a few terms you may come across.
Socket outlet
The fixed electrical outlet you plug appliances and equipment into. Often simply called a plug socket.
Outdoor socket
A socket specifically selected and installed for use outdoors. External electrical accessories need to be suitable for the environment and installed with appropriate protection.
IP rating
IP stands for Ingress Protection. An IP rating indicates the degree of protection an electrical enclosure provides against things such as solid objects and water. The appropriate rating depends on where and how the equipment is being installed.
USB socket
A socket incorporating one or more USB charging outlets alongside, or instead of, conventional plug outlets depending on its design.
USB-C
A newer USB connector widely used for charging and connecting modern phones, tablets, laptops and other compatible devices.
Dimmer switch
A control designed to vary the brightness of compatible lighting rather than simply switching it on or off.
Smart switch
A switch or control that can provide additional functionality such as app, voice or automated control when used as part of a compatible smart-home system.
Multi-gang switch
A single switch plate containing two or more separate switches controlling different lights or circuits.