How Much To Install Recessed Lighting? In-Depth Discuss!

Recessed lighting is an ideal way to brighten your home without taking up a lot of valuable floor space. So how much to install recessed lighting? 

If you want to employ an electrician to set them up, the cost of these lights might vary from $100 to $400 per bulb. However, the expense of labor, wiring, and even permit may add up the total cost.

This article will look at how much it costs to install this lighting system. Let’s read on to see which designs are within your budget and whether or not this project is worthwhile!

How Much To Install Recessed Lighting? 

Many factors affect the final installation cost, such as lights, wiring, fixtures, labor, impediments, and permit. We will discuss each factor one by one and estimate its average price. 

Lights 

Recessed lighting is a sort of illumination. The fixtures in this setup rest on a surface, maybe the wall, ceiling, or countertop. 

The fixtures have three essential parts:

  • The housing contains all the fixture’s electrical components and is installed directly on the surface. 
  • The trim is visible. 
  • The bulb produces light. 

First, let’s check the price of the three components. You have many choices for the lights, such as can or canless, and what kind of bulb to use. 

Housing

The housing changes depending on factors, including the amount of space on the surface or the insulation’s intensity.

These considerations have an impact on the cost of your setup, the type of bulb you may choose, and the cost per light.

Here are some of the most popular choices for the housing of recessed lighting and their cost per bulb:

  • IC: $10 to $110
  • Airtight: $10 to $130
  • Non-IC: $10 to $150
  • Vaulted ceiling: $20 to $75
  • Wet rate: $20 to $100
  • Shallow: $10 to $150
  • Canless: $15 to $130
  • Remodel: $15 to $160
  • New construction: $20 to $100
You can choose can or canless lighting

Trim

The trim is the visible component of the bulb. It extends from the edge of the lamp to the ceiling, keeping the light in and hiding the hole in the surface’s edge. 

Trim is available in various finishes to fit your decoration, the most common of which is a white tint that works well with most ceiling designs. 

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To offer your bulbs a unique design, search for trim with varied forms or materials, such as:

  • Baffle: $5 to $80
  • Shower: $10 to $50
  • Reflector: $10 to $60
  • Gimbal: $15 to $90
  • Open: $5 to $80
  • Wall wash: $10 to $100
  • Eyeball: $15 to $30
  • Pinhole: $15 to $80
  • Slot aperture: $10 to $50
  • Lensed: $15 to $150
  • Decorative: $15 to $150

Bulb

Almost all recessed lights can use a variety of bulbs. Each option has characteristics that may affect your choice. 

Nowadays, the most widely used lights are CFL and LED bulbs, which last the longest and offer the most selections.

LEDs are the popular recessed bulb, and they range in price from $5 to $50. They create warm and vivid-colored light by covering the bulb with different hues. 

They may also provide pure daylight-colored illumination, which is excellent in dimly lit environments.

CFLs range in price from $3 to $15 per unit. They are mercury bulbs and look like fluorescent light models. 

The difference is that these bulbs are smaller while still generating a lot of light. This feature is ideal if you have small bulbs but want to get the most out of them.

If you do not know what to choose between LED and CFL bulbs, the comparison in this video will help. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwj-XYW8POc

We have complied some bulbs and their average cost per unit as follows: 

  • Fluorescent: $2 to $15
  • Halogen: $3 to $12
  • CFL: $5 to $15
  • Incandescent: $3 to $40
  • LED: $5 to $50
The bulbs vary in price
The bulbs vary in price

Wiring 

Average cost: $10,500

The cost of wiring mostly determines the price of installing a concealed light fixture.

Cost for wiring is the major factor that will affect the total price of constructing a concealed light fixture. 

If the installation for the current lights has already been complete, you may utilize the same wiring to work with the new recessed lights. In this instance, you can cut down on the cost significantly. 

However, this case does not happen to older households. In these settings, homeowners may have an electrical system that is not compatible with the type of lighting you want to set up.

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Before inserting lighting fixtures, the electrician must replace the current wiring with one that matches the new configuration. 

The electrician must deal with the wiring first
The electrician must deal with the wiring first

Fixture

Average cost: $18 to $65 per bulb

The cost of the fixture you choose may impact the total installation cost.

Recessed lights usually charge from $18 to $65 per bulb. There are, however, more advanced versions that cost more than $100 each.

The cost will also vary depending on the number of fixtures you want and the kind of fixture you pick.

If you go with sconces and pendants or the traditional, appealing accent lights, you may eventually spend more than if you go with the ordinary ones. 

Labor

Average cost: $75 to $105 per hour (or $200 to $250 per bulb)

Whether canless or can, the setup of recessed lights will cost from $200 to $250 per bulb. Each project will take around two to three hours, and skilled electricians charge you about $75 to $105 per working hour.

Because the electrician has to complete most of the steps, installing light fixtures in a ceiling with pre-existing lighting is usually less costly. 

Hence, you may have to pay $200 to $300 per fixture to set up, then $800 to $2,160 for the entire work.

Installing a completely new ceiling project usually costs more. A light unit can cost up to $500, while a whole setup can be anything between $800 and $2,880.

Include the labor cost too

Impediments

Average cost: $200 

Electricians usually charge extra when installing these fixtures in places with obstacles such as heat ducts, joists, or wiring from other electronic systems. If one of these is already on your property, you may have to pay $200 more.  

Permit

Average cost: $20 to $100

Any lighting installation in some regions will demand a permit and approval. These services can cost anywhere from $20 to $100 based on the project’s scope and scale. 

To find out how much a permit in your neighborhood costs, talk to the electrician.

How Much To Install Recessed Lighting Yourself? 

The cost of installing recessed lighting yourself is about half that of hiring a qualified electrician.

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If the electrician would generally charge $150 to construct one light fixture, the necessary equipment and supplies to do it yourself would cost around $75.

Finally, instead of labor expenses, the price of the lighting fixtures you choose will considerably impact the final cost.

Please keep in mind that dealing with electrical devices and wiring as a DIY project is not advisable unless you have enough experience and skills. 

Nevertheless, if you know electrical safety procedures, you may save a lot of money by doing it yourself.

Make sure you can handle the project safely

Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are some questions people often wonder when installing the recessed lighting system. Let’s check! 

1. Is it worth installing recessed lighting?

This lighting solution offers several features that make it an excellent choice for every home. 

  • First, this style of setup is ideal for spaces with low ceilings. Because the electricians build the lights into the ceiling, they won’t take up much space. 
  • Installing these lights will provide you with bright, directed light that you may employ as part of the overall space design.
  • The lamps are also great for kitchens, where you need subtle, focused lighting.
  • This lighting is suitable for use in bathrooms, where a weatherproof fixture should be able to handle high levels of moisture.

2. Does recessed lighting add value to your house?

This lighting may boost the value of your home if you select the right location and light intensity. 

Conclusion

The cost of implementing recessed lights depends on several elements, including the bulbs, fixtures, labor, wiring, permit, and impediments.

Considering how much specific ceiling installations and contemporary lights may cost, this option is still a great deal.

Hopefully, you will find this article helpful. For any further information, please feel free to ask. Thank you for reading!  

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