It was through a mutual friend that Cableair won the job for Oceanside Homes. Oceanside Homes develop high-end properties throughout Perth, and had just started work on a ‘knock down and rebuild’ project in the suburb of City Beach.

The original contractor did not have the manpower to complete the job for the developer in the required timeframe, so Cableair were awarded the contract. Before Luke and his team became involved in the winter of 2009, the building’s structure had been erected and had a couple of conduits and some pre-work installed.

The first job that Luke and his team had was to draw up a lighting plan that suited the layout of the home, as well as the client’s requirements. The client wanted a very modern feel to the house and the installation of technology that would provide the ultimate in home convenience and elegance. A black glass look was chosen to give the house a modern edge, so Clipsal Saturn power points were used across the home, to give it a stylish finish. To raise the level of sophistication Clipsal StarServe Pro was installed to combine telephone, data and video distribution. Flush mount switchboards for C-Bus relays and general power were also fitted. The client requested full C-Bus capabilities to be fitted throughout the house. Oceanside wanted only basic C-Bus functionality for the new owners, but wanted to give them the option to expand if they wanted to.

“The market that Oceanside targets with these houses has got to have the best, so C-Bus was a must for the property,” Luke says.

“There is C-Bus everywhere. We have incorporated sensors inside and outside the house. There are sensors in the walk-in robes and in the pantries. Timers in the bathrooms are programmed, so that the exhaust fans turn off after someone leaves. C-Bus was integrated with pool and spa motors too, for total control.

“Scenes have been configured for each room, and there is a ‘master off’ scene, which switches off all lights and appliances. I also incorporated a panic button into a few rooms. This triggers the alarm, and turns the outside lights and certain room lights on to full illumination.”

A home of this size may have intimidated the best C-Bus installers, but for Luke this was his first time programming C-Bus on a job. He had installed a number of C-Bus systems in his apprenticeship, but a programmer had always been used to finish the job off. So Luke enrolled himself into a three day training seminar for Clipsal C-Bus programming at the Clipsal Malaga office in Western Australia. Throughout the City Beach project he was supported by the local Clipsal C-Bus rep, Mike Brunt. Mike provided a lot of input into the project at the start, and supported Luke to set up the C-Bus system. Mike also helped Luke quote the job.

“While many contractors want to progress their C-Bus skills, Luke was someone who sacrificed his time to learn it,” says Mike.

“Luke was keen to know everything about C-Bus, so I helped him to learn it and to be confident about it. Luke’s skills with air conditioning control assisted his technique and he produced a fine job for his client.”

Luke got in touch with Mike after a visit to his local Clipsal Powerhouse. It is at the Powerhouse that he has been able to on-sell C-Bus to his clients too.

“I found out about the Powerhouse after going on a contractors’ trip to Adelaide. When they took us to the Powerhouse over there. I learned a lot of information. I visited my local Powerhouse in Subiaco when I got back home.”

Cableair worked on the job at City Beach until the end of the summer in 2010. They set the property up for pre-wiring and fitted it out, before finishing it off with the programming.

The result of the project is a resplendent five bedroom home and a happy client, who has since given Cableair another property to work on. Of course it will need C-Bus installed, and Luke and his team are more than ready for the task.