Homeowner guide

Electrical 101 for homeowners

Electrical safety is designed, installed and tested as a system. A list of socket positions is not an electrical design.

Use a currently licensed electrical contractor and the responsible electrical designer or inspector where required. Homeowners should not energise, test or modify electrical work from a website guide.

01 · Load

Write the present and future load schedule.

List lighting, sockets, cooking, water heating, pumps, air-conditioning, lift, EV charging, inverter, generator and solar. Confirm diversity and demand with the responsible designer, then use the current BESCOM connection process and sanctioned-load requirements.

02 · Distribution

Coordinate circuits, protection and routes.

Agree supply arrangement, main board, distribution boards, circuit schedule, conductor and containment routes, earthing, overcurrent and residual-current protection, surge or lightning strategy where required, wet-area controls and emergency isolation. Keep boards and junctions accessible.

  • Single-line diagram
  • Room and equipment load schedule
  • Dedicated and shared circuits
  • DB and isolation access
  • Earthing and bonding design
  • Solar, backup and EV interfaces

03 · Pre-close

Record work before plaster and panels.

Verify licensed personnel, approved drawings, conduit and box positions, segregation, cable and product identification, earthing conductors and accessible junctions. Photograph concealed routes against the drawing before closure. Coordinate joinery and wet areas so services are not trapped or overheated.

04 · Test and handover

Energise only after the required verification.

The licensed contractor and responsible professionals should agree tests for continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earthing, protective-device or RCD operation and functional performance using current regulations and the project specification.

  • Signed test sheets
  • Final single-line diagram
  • Circuit and DB labels
  • Concealed-route photographs
  • Contractor and supervisor licence details
  • BESCOM sanction, meter and account records
  • Solar, generator or inspector approvals where applicable

Source record

Official sources reviewed

Links are provided for verification. Requirements and portals can change after the review date.

  1. CEA safety regulations and amendments
  2. BESCOM LT new connection portal
  3. Karnataka Electrical Inspectorate licensing
  4. Karnataka Electrical Inspectorate drawing approval
  5. BIS IS 732:2019 electrical wiring installations record

Use the guide on a real project

Turn the open questions into a written brief.

Share the site, household, current information and the decision that needs to be made next.