Cost of having recessed lighting installed?

11 years ago

We're trying to figure out lighting for our main level, and have been looking at using recessed "can" lights (maybe mixed with some recessed spotlights) instead of a central ceiling light in our family room. The recessed light fixtures are dirt cheap compared to the ceiling light fixtures that appeal to me, but we'd need at least 4 recessed lights to replace one center light, and I was wondering how the installation costs compare.

This would be probably be 4 lights on the same switch, if that matters. We'll have a flat ceiling 9' high.

Thanks!

Featured Answer

User

11 years ago

Average costs here for the install is around $120 per can, which is up from the $100 per can a few years ago. You really should do LED cans and not incandescent, as those are going away entirely LED will save you a lot of money because it's unlikely that you'll need to change the bulbs for 15-20 years and they use less electricity as well.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (23)

athensmomof3
11 years ago
I think ours were 75 a can. Is there a good LED light that casts naturally not blue? I have bought LED lights in the past and had to return them. . . Any suggestions?
Related Discussions
Cost of recessed lighting?
Q
Comments (10)
I typically use 4 to 6 different kinds of recessed fixtures on a residential project because each is designed for a specific purpose. I don't know how anyone could use the same fixture everywhere. This is the major advantage of such lights: they are unusually well designed for special purposes. The wholesale cost ranges between $40 and $90 for mid range quality. Most cost more because they must be rated for insulation contact (acoustic insulation between floors) or air-seal (top floor below roof). Added to that is the installation, wiring and contractor markup. I would be more concerned that the OP was getting a generic multi-purpose fixture that was not designed for the purpose intended rather than being overcharged. Being overcharged a few hundred dollars is not as bad as living with poorly designed lighting because good lighting is such a powerful design element in a home. The fact that the price is not rock bottom is encouraging. It's possible that the builder has provided a good quality well designed fixture; but I wouldn't count on it. The mistake many owners make is allowing a builder to select and locate one type of general purpose fixture and they end up lighting open floor areas and the tops of people's heads rather than task areas and walls which, essentially, is the purpose of recessed lighting.
...See More
Typical cost of recessed lights installation
Q
Comments (6)
In SF, even if you are remodeling, it might be required that yu get cans for new construction which are fully housed and cost more. Also, if you live in a multi-family building (even a duplex) I am being told the fixtures need to be further enclosed ina custom made plywood box for each one....this gets very expensive..I'd love to hear if anyone knows if there are Ttile 24 cans for new construction, rated for next to insulation that wouldn't need additonal plywood housing, or if these plywood boxes come prefab from anywhere.
...See More
Recessed lighting & ceiling fan installation advice
Q
Comments (2)
I'll see if I can answer some of your questions... "(1) What are the SMALLEST size cans out there? And are smaller cans more difficult to install than the bigger ones? Generally for recessed down lighting, a 4" can is the smallest one should go." Installation of the can are not really an issue, it is more of a lamp replacement issue. Harder to replace a lamp inside a 4" can than a 6" can, less room to maneuver your fingers! "(2) Are 4" (or smaller) cans a fire hazard while 5" (and larger) cans are not????" It depends on the manufacturer's recommendations, whether a fixture is IC rated or not. Common speak, if the enclosure or assembly of the fixture is fire rated or not. Even if a fixture is NOT fire rated, an inspector will usually allow two layers of 5/8" drywall, in a box shape, around the fixture. This adds additional burn time before the fire reaches the attic. "(3) Is it true that recessed light dimmers will *not* work with energy efficient lights?" I am assuming you are talking about the CFLs. The first generation of CFLs were NOT manufactured to work with dimmers, yet people used them this way, thus cutting the life of the lamps down. Newer CFLs are labeled for dimming purposes. "(4) What lights / voltage is recommended for recessed lighting?" 110V-120V is fine. Low voltage is generally better for track lighting. "(5) Is it "harder" to install a fan with a shorter "rod" or "flushmount" fans (for a low / shorter ceiling) than one with a longer "rod"?????" Just the same, unless the installer attached the blades BEFORE lifting the assembly up. If your electrician is having a hard time installing a fan, go to the next one. Also, a ceiling fan rated junction box will need to be installed. These boxes are rated to hold weight of 50 or more pounds. "(6) How "difficult" is it to install a dimmer for the lights and program a remote control for the fans?" Two part question. 1.)To replace an existing single pole switch(common in bedrooms, baths) with a dimmer, simply remove existing and replace with new dimmer. To install a NEW dimmer switch next to an existing switch requires adding wire and fishing it thru the wall into the ceiling and to the fixture. 2.)Remote control for the fan is wired in between the incoming wire(existing wire in the ceiling) and the fan. VERY easy to do. It is basically a black box with a remote wire, power(black), neutral(white) and ground(bare copper or green) wire for incoming, and a power(black), neutral(white), ground(bare copper or green) and light(blue) wire for the fan. The box sits in the junction box of the fan.
...See More
Installing recessed lighting
Q
Comments (2)
Installing recessed cans is not difficult. With easy access to the attic you can use either new construction or remodel. You can pick them up at Home Depot/Lowes etc. You do need to understand how many other items are on the circuit so you do not overload it. If you will be installing CFL lamps (low wattage)and eliminating the other lights , that will certainly help. I personally would eliminate the lamps off the fan after but thats a personal choice. spacing depends on size of can. If the ceiling is sloped, it will limit your choices. Figure roughly 4-5 feet apart and a couple feet out from the wall. Final design/placement will be dermined by what you want the lights to do, wash the walls, general lighting and layout of the room etc.
...See More
david_cary
11 years ago
You can go to Lowe's and buy their basic utilitech branded LEDs. I have a ton and they are acceptable to me (and wife) everywhere but a bathroom vanity. They are $20 for the 60 W equivalent (and $10 for the 40 W equivalent).

Here cans are $90 and that includes the fixture and a basic bulb. There is little question that cans are more expensive than other options because you need more of them. For us, the surface mounts are installed as part of the package electric price and you can find $20 surface mounts. So nothing is cheaper than surface mounts. You can even get a decent surface mount and come out ahead of cans.
User
11 years ago
I don't know what the difference is between a recessed "can" and a recessed spotlight.

Prices vary quite a bit by region, by quality (Halo, Lightolier and upward), by voltage (line or low voltage), by trim kit (deep specular reflector, step baffle, pin spot, etc.), by housing type (insulation contact or air seal, or both), by type of lamp (LED, PAR, R, or CFL) and by opening size (more smaller ones or fewer larger ones) so all I can tell you is the installed cost with the appropriate lamp is between $75 and $250 each.

You need to tell us and the contractor what you want.
chispa
11 years ago
CREE LED recessed light provide a nice "white" light. Home Depot carries some retrofit versions, but if building new or remodeling your local lighting supply store will have more models to choose from. We did retrofits in the house and new ones in our recent addition. They are not cheap.
kirkhall
11 years ago
I just had a quote for 6 installed 4" cans with Cree LEDs--$135 per light. New construction.
david_cary
11 years ago
I think Cree is ground breaking and my builder built the CEO's house. But the cost of alternatives makes Cree's pricing a bit ridiculous. They are good quality but mostly made in China now (there is some assembly locally).

Unless Utilitech's prove to have some longevity issues, they are a total bargain. I still haven't had one give me an issue but they aren't 10 years old yet either.
athensmomof3
11 years ago
Do the utilitechs look like regular lightbulbs from the top? Would like to put them in cans but don't want them to look blue, have a grid, etc. Frosted white is my preference.
david_cary
11 years ago
There are 2 types at that wattage - typical bulb appearance and typical canned light frosted white. At one point, they charged $30 for the canned light style but I think that has gone down to $20. The regular style is down to $18. Now there is a chance that our local utility helps with some of their costs since I know they partner together at various times - free CFL's etc. Lowes is based in NC and NC pays our utility's to reduce use.

Either way, they look more like typical incandescent bulbs than anyone elso.
gaonmymind
11 years ago
Recessed lighting is one of those things that are over my head. I know I want LED's but they are more than I can afford right now. So I had the electrician loop like crazy and add switches so that I can easily install accent lighting in the future. Only cost $20 each! So I went hog wild with loops and switches. That will give me flexibility and time to shop around and get the fixtures cheaper and really learn what is best for the space.
gaonmymind
11 years ago
Recessed lighting is one of those things that are over my head. I know I want LED's but they are more than I can afford right now. So I had the electrician loop like crazy and add switches so that I can easily install accent lighting in the future. Only cost $20 each! So I went hog wild with loops and switches. That will give me flexibility and time to shop around and get the fixtures cheaper and really learn what is best for the space.
Beth Parsons
11 years ago
Just got the invoice from my electrician - hall cans were $40, shower cans were $50.
energy_rater_la
11 years ago
reguardless of what type of bulb you put into the recessed
lights, you should buy only Insulation Contact Air Tight
(ICAT) recessed lights.
these cans have no holes in the housing to allow
attic air & insulation particles into the house.
IC lights have these holes in the housing.

As the air moves through the insulation surrounding
an IC can, it lowers the efficiency of the insulation.
one IC light = 1 sq ft of uninsulated attic due to
the air movement.

purchase price by case of ICAT is not much
more than IC. but to retrofit to AT with trim
kits and inserts will cost about $15 per light.

the stickers inside the recessed lights can
be decieving. halo for instance has a red sticker
that says in big letters AIR TIGHT..in smaller
letters ..when used with the following inserts/trims.

a true halo ICAT light has an orange air tight sticker
inside the can.

shop wisely, so that you don't add to heating/cooling
load of house & compromise both insulation & indoor air
quality.

best of luck
Xclusive
11 years ago
I can't believe some of the prices you all got on cans. We wanted them but had to cut cost somewhere and that was it unfortunately. Our builder charged $175.00 per 6" can and that wasn't even led's. I'd hate know what they would have charged for led's. Needless to say that is on my diy list in the future as I do have access from the attic above.
Beth Parsons
11 years ago
Xclusive,

I have a friend of a friend that just built a house with Norwalk in the Stonewood subdivision and she had many of the same complaints as you, including the HUGE markup on things like adding can lights. $175/can is ridiculous.
Beth Parsons
11 years ago
Oops, I meant Norfolk...
Xclusive
11 years ago
Posted by parsonse (My Page) on Mon, Nov 5, 12 at 11:45

Xclusive,
I have a friend of a friend that just built a house with Norwalk in the Stonewood subdivision and she had many of the same complaints as you, including the HUGE markup on things like adding can lights. $175/can is ridiculous.

Oh ok, I looked at that house in Stonewood as it was being built and YES Norfolk markup on somethings is absolutely crazy. You already have an idea of what things should cost but when the GC leaves the order sheet laying around and you see what they are acutally paying for items and the upcharge, it makes you furious!

Here is a link that might be useful: Our home build/sell blog
User
11 years ago
I think you may be confusing the cost of retrofit LED kits from Home Depot (Cree rebranded as Ecosmart) that fit in some but not all types of incandescent recessed housings with the cost of integrated fixtures from Cree and others that come in various configurations to light walls, showers, etc. You might also be confusing the low cost of retrofit kits and lamps with the price an electrician charges for the entire fixture including the housing, wiring circuit and switches.

A price with no explanation of what it includes is pretty much meaningless.
S Patel
3 years ago
Are all these quotes including the cost of the light itself and parts?
S Patel
3 years ago
And drywall repair
S Patel
3 years ago
250? Per install wafer light? In tri state area? Not including the light?
S Patel
3 years ago
$300?? Seems a bit high June

Cost of having recessed lighting installed?

User

Comments (23)

athensmomof3

Related Discussions

david_cary

User

chispa

kirkhall

david_cary

athensmomof3

david_cary

gaonmymind

gaonmymind

Beth Parsons

energy_rater_la

Xclusive

Beth Parsons

Beth Parsons

Xclusive

User

S Patel

S Patel

S Patel

S Patel

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US