A change of lighting can be one of the most effective ways to change the atmosphere of your house. Downlights, also known as spotlights, are among the most popular ways for homeowners in the UK to brighten and modernise their homes. These LED lights have largely overtaken the more conventional halogen bulbs owing to their better energy efficiency. But how much would it cost to install LED downlighting in your home? Read on to find out.
General Cost of Fitting Downlights
Unsurprisingly, the cost of fitting these lights will vary depending on how many you wish to get installed. The lighting price will also vary depending on the electrician you choose and whether the wiring in your home is easily accessible. If it is difficult for the tradesman to get to the wires, and they have to do extensive work as a result, you can expect the price to increase. You can expect to pay anything from £5 to £30 per downlight, but it does depend on whether you’ve already got downlights installed and how many you’re installing.
The Cost of Supplies
The first cost you are likely to face when installing new downlighting is for the lights themselves. It is worth shopping around for a good deal here because the price will change with the quality of the downlights.
The cost of the fittings themselves can vary massively, so it is up to you to decide how much you wish to spend on the new lighting. Downlights can cost anywhere from £5 to over £100, although on average they will run you about £15. Considering that you will likely be installing more than one, this figure will probably be multiplied to get your overall supply cost for the fittings.
Cost Comparison
Its also worth noting that there are two types of LED downlight; a GU10 downlight which requires an additional LED bulb, and an integrated LED downlight. The integrated downlights have a built in LED bulb and come as one complete unit. When you’re comparing prices you need to check that the downlight comes with an LED, then compare the brightness, life expectancy and warranty periods to get a true comparison. Wiring connectors are also included with some downlights but not with others. These connectors make wiring easier and reduce installation times.
The Cost of Labour
Unless you are a qualified electrician, it is unlikely that you will handle the installation yourself. Therefore, you need to factor the labour cost into the overall cost of putting these fittings in your home.
Hiring an experienced electrician will, on average, take the total cost of supply and installation of a single downlight up to around £25. For a room in which you would install 6-8 light fixtures, this would take the overall price up to about £150. However, these amounts can vary depending on a variety of factors.
For most cases, installing the downlights should not be a particularly complex task, so your mileage should not differ too significantly from the average cost. Some things are worth considering, though, when estimating how much the renovation will cost you.
The condition of the wiring in your house is, perhaps, something that could result in you spending significantly more. If the wiring is not up to scratch, you will likely need to spend a good chunk more money on replacements or upgrades, making a seemingly simple project a lot more expensive.
Additionally, anything likely to make an electrician’s job more difficult will probably leave you paying more for their services. For example, if the room you are looking to install the lights in is especially large, you will almost certainly be charged more for labour. Also, if the ceiling cavity is difficult to reach, or if the tradesman will need to pull up floorboards or carry out extensive prep work, the job can cost a lot more.
Why Install LED Downlights
As stated above, there are costs to installing this type of lighting, so why should you install it in your home? The most straightforward answer to that question is to point to the switch from halogen bulbs to LEDs. While halogen lights are generally cheaper than LEDs, they are far less energy efficient, meaning that the cost of running them is much higher. In general, LED bulbs will consume up to 85% less power than halogen light bulbs, which will be reflected in your electricity bill.
It’s not just the power-saving benefits of these bulbs that have made them much more popular in recent years. The longevity of LEDs is also far better than their halogen counterparts. On average, LED bulbs can last at least seven to eight years or up to 50,000 hours of use. A 50,000 hour LED will last for 22 years if used for 6 hours per day.
These benefits make it clear why so many people are opting to switch to LED downlighting in their homes. The upfront cost is a little higher, but if you do not have many unexpected expenses during installation, the LED bulbs will quickly pay for themselves.
In most cases, installing these lights will be a straightforward process and should be completed within a day (depending on how many lights you want). Sometimes, additional wiring will be needed, however, so it might be a good idea to contact your electrician before asking them to install the new lighting. They will likely be happy to carry out an inspection of the wiring on your house and will be able to quote you a price for their labour accurately.
Why Lighting is Important
Ultimately, the illumination of your home makes a massive difference to its overall atmosphere and ambience. It can also have a psychological effect on us. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully consider your lighting options when you are thinking about renovating.
Well lit spaces will often look more spacious than they otherwise would, and soft lighting can provide a cosier atmosphere in your home. There are three main styles of lighting to think about if you want to tailor rooms to their function; overhead, direct and ambient. These all play critical roles in giving space an atmosphere, and different combinations are best in other areas of the house.
Installing downlighting can be an excellent choice for the more open rooms in your home that require significant amounts of top-down lighting. Spaces like kitchens and bathrooms can benefit from this style of lighting, and the fact that LEDs are dimmable can make downlighting helpful in making an ambience in a living room.
Overall, you should carefully consider your options when changing the lighting in your home. However, downlighting will often effectively illuminate spaces relatively inexpensively and with reasonable running costs.