Lighting installation & upgrades

Lighting is where electrical work most visibly affects how a home looks and how it feels to live in. Getting it right means understanding both the electrical requirements and how the light will actually work in the space.

What a lighting upgrade typically involves

Most lighting jobs fall into one of four categories: replacing an existing fitting with a better one, adding new circuits for rooms that lack adequate light, installing recessed downlights in a ceiling, or wiring external lighting for security or aesthetics. Each of these requires different approaches to cabling and control.

Adding a new lighting circuit is notifiable work under the Building Regulations. We self-certify, so you receive a completion certificate as part of the job.

Switching from halogen to LED

Halogen downlights draw significantly more power than equivalent LED fittings, and older halogen transformers are often the cause of flickering, buzzing, and nuisance trips on lighting circuits. Switching to mains-voltage LED fittings eliminates the transformer, reduces load on the circuit, and usually stops the flickering.

Not all LED fittings are compatible with all dimmers. If you want to keep dimming functionality, we will advise on compatible combinations before specifying fittings.

Smart lighting and controls

We install smart lighting systems including Lutron, Hue-compatible switches, and motion-activated circuits. Smart switches often need a neutral wire at the switch back box, which older ring-final wiring may not provide. We check the existing wiring before recommending a control system to make sure installation is practical without a full rewire.

Outdoor and security lighting

External lighting needs to be correctly specified for the environment. Fittings must have an appropriate IP rating for their location, and circuits serving outdoor fittings require RCD protection. We install flood lights, PIR-activated security lights, soffit lights, pathway lighting, and landscape schemes.

Outdoor lighting circuits are notifiable under the Building Regulations if they involve a new circuit. We certify this work as part of the installation.

Planning a new lighting scheme

For rooms being refurbished or extended, we will look at the plan and discuss positioning before first fix. Getting the recessed positions right before the ceiling goes in avoids costly remedial work later. We work with your architect or builder on phasing if required.