# Forum Home Renovation Electrical  Height for light switches?

## Belair_Boy

Does anyone know if there is a "standard" height for light switches?
In the past I have matched the height of the existing switches but as I am about to wire a new house I can choose the height. 
I am leaning towards personal preference and seeing where my hand falls when feeling for a switch in the dark but it would be nice to know if there is an industry standard. 
Thanks

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## iconnect

> Does anyone know if there is a "standard" height for light switches?
> In the past I have matched the height of the existing switches but as I am about to wire a new house I can choose the height. 
> I am leaning towards personal preference and seeing where my hand falls when feeling for a switch in the dark but it would be nice to know if there is an industry standard. 
> Thanks

  From my experience the average switch height would be 1.2m to centre. Some people prefer higher, and some lower due to different factors. One factor that keeps popping up is positioning the switch at a height that allows small children to operate them. Some people like their children to be able to switch the lights so have them lower. Others hate walking around switching lights off after children so have them higher.
The best advice I would give is to position the switch close to where the door handle lies in the closed position so when you walk into a dark room and grab the door handle with one hand, the other can find the light switch quite easily. 
Darryn

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## jago

I'm in Darryns second group but because of the wife ha ha ha ...  
I've got my switches at 1350mm centres and GPO's at 300 mm centres the hotel I'm in has it switches at 1350mm centres  
GPO's are 400mm centres (IMO too high) maybe I stay in too many hotels but near the door handles sounds pants to me!

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## applied

1050 centre for new 1300 for rewire because it avoids nogins in the wall unless otherwise specified. 
Gpos are positioned by putting the handle of the hammer on the floor and smacking a hole perfect every time.
Theses are just my preference.

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## Moondog55

Well I like my light switches above the 1350 noggin, Cecile likes them a little lower, guess where they are :Biggrin:   I like my GPOs high almost at the top of the fridge or ceiling mounted on cable

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## jago

Moondog... I thought you were doing a house Reno not making a shearing shed!

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## Moondog55

It is the professional in me, I always look up for the power!!  :Biggrin:

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## NigeC

> 1050 centre for new 1300 for rewire because it avoids nogins in the wall unless otherwise specified. 
> Gpos are positioned by putting the handle of the hammer on the floor and smacking a hole perfect every time.
> Theses are just my preference.

  yep.

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## Bloss

> yep.

   :Wat they said:   :Biggrin:  been that way for decades so far as I recall! Of course that means the measured height will vary according to the brand of hammer your sparky uses - but they'll all be the same on any one job . . . unless the reno is by one sparky and the original by another or they have changed hammers!  :Biggrin:

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## sundancewfs

Is it being mounted to the ICF?
Do you have kids?
Do you want them to be able to reach the switches from a young age? (advantages and disadvantages) 
"DAAAAADDDDD, can you turn on the light!!!!)

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## BRADFORD

When I was an apprentice we were told to use certain parts of our anatomy (I'll leave which parts to your imagination) to measure switch and gpo heights. It seemed to be the normal height, so guess others did it to.

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## Belair_Boy

> Is it being mounted to the ICF?
> Do you have kids?
> Do you want them to be able to reach the switches from a young age? (advantages and disadvantages) 
> "DAAAAADDDDD, can you turn on the light!!!!)

  Yes these switches will be in ICF walls, so no noggins to consider.  Others will be in stud walls but I want to keep the height consistent throughout the house. 
One 1yo daughter so far. There will always be an age where they can't reach the switches, but in the end the switch height should suit everyone for the long term.
If the switch is at a similar height to the door knob (as suggested by Darryn "iconnect") then you can turn on the light when you open the door.
"DAAAAADDDDD, can you open the door!!!) 
AS 1909-1984 (obsolete) states door handles to be between 900 - 1200 mm high and recommends 1000mm above finished floor. Probably a bit low for a light switch. 
Maybe pull cord switches are underrated - just lengthen or shorten the string.  :Biggrin:

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## chrisp

> When I was an apprentice we were told to use certain parts of our anatomy (I'll leave which parts to your imagination) to measure switch and gpo heights.

  Did the height of the switches vary at all?  :Biggrin:

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## jago

oh thats where the saying cock high comes from ...bit low for GPO's IHMO.

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## NigeC

> oh thats where the saying cock high comes from ...bit low for GPO's IHMO.

  comedy!!

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