Cost guide
How much does lighting installation cost?
A fitting installed at an existing point is £60 to £120. Downlights are £70 to £140 each fitted, less per unit as the count rises. A new lighting point where none exists is £120 to £260 depending on the route.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Light fitting swapped at an existing point | £60 to £120 |
| Downlights, per fitting, loft access above | £70 to £120 |
| Downlights, per fitting, room above | £90 to £140 |
| New lighting point and switch | £120 to £260 |
| Converting a switch to two way | £90 to £180 |
| Under cabinet lighting run, fitted kitchen | £200 to £500 |
Mark the downlight positions on the ceiling in pencil and live with them for a day before the hole saw comes out. Moving a mark costs nothing and moving a fitting costs a patch, a skim and a coat of paint.
What moves the price
- Whether a lighting point already exists, which is the single largest factor.
- Ceiling construction. Plasterboard between joists is quick; lath and plaster and concrete are not.
- What is above the ceiling, which decides whether fire rated fittings are needed.
- Access from a loft or a lifted floor, against chasing a wall and making good.
- Whether switching is being changed, added or converted to two way.
- Dimming, and whether new dimmers and dimmable drivers are in the price.
Who quotes for it
129 of the 133 electricians listed on this site take on lighting installation.
Most of them in one place: Leeds (9), Birmingham (9), Glasgow (9), Liverpool (9), Edinburgh (9).
Questions about lighting installation
Why does my new LED lighting flicker when dimmed?
Almost always the dimmer. LED lamps need a trailing edge dimmer and a dimmable driver, and every dimmer has a minimum load below which it misbehaves. Specifying lamp and dimmer together removes the problem.
Can I add a light where there is no ceiling rose?
Yes. The cost is the cable route rather than the fitting. With a loft above it is straightforward. With a bedroom above it means lifting a floor or chasing a wall, and the price reflects which.