Recessed Lighting Installation

Recessed Lighting Installation in the Phoenix Valley

Recessed lighting is the single most requested upgrade we do. It takes a room lit by one dim fixture in the middle of the ceiling and makes it feel finished. Done poorly, you get a grid of hot spots and dark corners. At The Wire Guy Electric, the difference is in the layout, and the layout is free to get right at the planning stage.

Layout Is the Whole Job

Most bad recessed installs are bad because somebody spaced the cans evenly across a ceiling without thinking about what is under them.

We plan around how the room is used. Cans pulled off the walls far enough to avoid scalloping. Spacing set by ceiling height rather than a fixed number. Light placed over the counters, the seating, and the work surfaces instead of the middle of the walkway. Wall washing where there is art or a feature wall.

In a kitchen this matters most, because standing at your own counter in your own shadow is the most common complaint we hear about a lighting job somebody else did.

Getting the Light Itself Right

• Color temperature. 2700K reads warm and residential. 3000K is a clean neutral most people like in kitchens and baths. Above that starts feeling like an office. Consistency across a room matters more than the exact number.
• Dimming. Worth it on almost every install. A kitchen at full output at 9 p.m. is unpleasant, and dimmers cost very little at install time.
• Beam spread and trim. Baffle trims cut glare. Adjustable trims aim light at art or a wall.
• IC rating. Required anywhere a can contacts insulation, which in a Valley attic is most of them.
• Wet and damp rating for showers, soffits, and covered patios.

Retrofit into an Existing Ceiling

You do not need an open ceiling for this. We cut in from below, fish the circuits, and patch as we go. In a single-story home with attic access it is straightforward. Two-story ceilings and vaulted or coffered ceilings take more planning, and second-floor rooms with a floor above rather than an attic are the ones worth walking before quoting.

We are careful about what we cut into. Joists, ducting, and existing runs are all up there, and finding them first is the difference between a clean install and a drywall repair.

What It Costs

The number depends on how many cans, ceiling access, and whether we are adding a circuit or extending an existing one. We break it down in detail in our recessed lighting installation cost guide.

How We Do Recessed Lighting

• We plan the layout with you. On paper, in the room, before anything gets cut.
• Clean cuts and clean patches. Minimal drywall damage, and we know what is above the ceiling before the hole saw comes out.
• Consistent color and dimming across the whole install so no room looks like a different house.
• Licensed and insured. Arizona ROC #365306.

Related Reading

• Recessed Lighting Installation Cost in Phoenix
• The Benefits and Efficiency of LED Lighting
• Why Your Lights Flicker

Get a Free Recessed Lighting Estimate

If you have a room that has never been bright enough, request a free estimate and we will lay it out with you. Also see our custom lighting page if you want cabinet, cove, or accent lighting in the same project. Serving Mesa, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Paradise Valley, and Fountain Hills.