Are you considering adding downlights? Downlights are a popular alternative if you want to provide more light or modify the ambiance of a room. Downlights require holes to be drilled in your ceiling to house them and wire to be fed and linked to a wall switch. While you can change lightbulbs and buy downlights on your own, you’ll need an electrician to install them.
Installing Downlights Cost
The cost of a downlight depends on several things, including the style of downlight you choose, whether you’re replacing existing lights or installing new ones, how many and where they’ll be installed in your home, and where you live. Importantly, badly fitted downlights can provide a fire hazard, so a certified electrician must install new downlight units.
The first step in installing new downlighters is to verify whether your old downlighters are 240V (GU10) or 12V. (MR16). This could help you figure out what kind of LED bulb you’ll need. LEDs may have a 5-year warranty and a lifespan of 50,000 hours.
There are downlight kits available that contain the bulb, driver, fitting, lead, and plug. A low-profile, dimmable 12W LED downlight kit costs roughly $18, while a 13W LED downlight kit costs around $25. (single unit).
There are many factors to consider when it comes to downlight or light installation costs in general, including the fact that led lights are very energy-efficient (up to 85% less expensive to run than an incandescent bulb) and produce comparatively little heat compared to halogen lamps.
The cost of running a downlight
One of the primary reasons to replace halogen downlights with LEDs is to save money on electricity bills, so it’s helpful to know how much you can save. Expect to pay to run one downlight for a year
- $25 per year per halogen downlight
- $3 per year per LED downlight
If you replace 10 x 60-watt halogens with 10 LED downlights, you will save around $270 over the course of a year.
Hiring an Electrician: How to Save Money
Purchase Your Own Downlights – If you want to save money on hiring an electrician, consider purchasing your downlights. Instead of having the electrician buy the downlights, you can save money by purchasing them yourself.
Install Fewer Downlights — Consider installing fewer downlights to save money on downlight installation. Less electrical work and fittings will reduce the amount of labor required and the materials needed by the professional.
Ask About Discounts or Promotions – Don’t be hesitant to inquire with the electrician about any discounts or special offers that may be available to help you save money on your led downlight installation. You might be able to get better prices if you hire in the spring or summer. This is because it is considered a slower period of the year when they receive less business. Installing downlights in several house rooms might also help you save money.
Is it necessary for me to hire an electrician to install downlights
People are more likely to fix things themselves at home rather than ask for professional help, thanks to the development of DIY. However, this is not a good idea for electrical operations. You can not only start an electric fire but you can also get electrocuted. A small error, such as overheating a cable, might put your health and safety at risk.
By dealing with the problem on your own, you could muck up the electrical system to the point where it could be damaged in some way, or even worse, cause the house to catch fire. Unfortunately, we know that insurance will not cover DIY work, thus hiring a licensed professional to avoid such issues is recommended. You may not know you’ve made a mistake until the defects start to show up months later.
Did you know that it’s prohibited to engage in certain electrical operations without the proper licensing? You could suffer consequences if you mess with anything you shouldn’t.
Downlights demand substantial ceiling wiring and minimal rewiring of existing electrical connections. Attempting to do this on your own (no matter how thorough the DIY instructions are) can lead to any of the problems described above. The best option is to hire a professional electrician to perform your downlight installation.
Give Calibre Connect a call today on (02) 8898 0200!