How much does Lighting installation cost?

Good lighting improves the look of any space, and it’s important for safety and security, too. Adding new light fixtures or replacing outdated ones is an easy way to improve lighting conditions both inside and outside the home.

But installing new light fixtures is a complex job that involves cutting into drywall to access wiring, adding electrical components (such as dimmer switches or low-voltage transformers), and standing on ladders to ensure all electrical requirements are met. Because of the risks involved, licensed electricians are the only pros authorized to install new light fixtures in some states.

This guide explains the cost of installing different types of lights, including recessed lighting, chandeliers, pendant lights, wall sconces, fluorescent lights, ceiling fans, and more. Pricing data is based on estimated project costs provided to Yelp users by electrical businesses on Yelp, along with industry research. Learn more in the methodology section at the end of the guide. 

The cost to install lighting is typically $280 per fixture, including labor and materials, according to Yelp data. But project costs can range from $170–495, depending on the type and complexity of installation, number of lights installed, type of light, and other factors. 

To avoid surprises and ensure your final bill matches the quote, keep the following in mind when hiring an electrician for light fixture repair:

When you hire an electrician for light fixture installation, they may either charge for their time (plus the cost of materials), or provide a price quote for the entire job. In some cases, they’ll have an initial service fee to visit your home, diagnose the problem, and possibly make minor repairs.

The typical rate for an electrician to install light fixtures is $134 per hour, according to Yelp data. But rates can range from $80–195 per hour nationwide, depending on demand, job location, and other factors. 

Electricians often charge a flat fee for common installations, since they already know how long it will take to complete. For example, they might quote a price of $150–400 to hang pendant lighting. If electrical wiring is nearby and easily accessible, the cost would range toward the low end. The project will cost toward the higher end if new wiring or adjustments to the hanging height are needed. Make sure it’s clear whether the cost of light fixtures or other materials is included in the quote.

Some electricians charge a service-call fee—which can vary from $100–200 or more—to come to your home and assess the lighting fixture installation project. It covers travel time to your home and up to the first hour of work. 

Installing new light fixtures is a relatively simple task for master electricians. Here are the costs for common types, based on quotes provided by electricians to consumers on Yelp. 

The cost to install a ceiling fan with lights is typically $265 per fixture (not including the cost of the fixture itself), according to Yelp data, but can range from $175–425. Ceiling fans require heavy-duty electrical boxes to hold the weight of the fixture, and may also require new wiring, which could increase the project price. The cost of purchasing a new ceiling fan, meanwhile, ranges from inexpensive—around $100—to $1,300 or more for a designer fan with high-end features. 

The cost to install a chandelier is typically $295 per fixture, but can range from $180–530 (not including the fixture itself), according to Yelp data. Chandeliers are one of the more cost-intensive lighting installations due to their weight. Your electrician will need to install a new in-ceiling electrical box, route wiring to the new chandelier, and mount the heavy chandelier to the box. The chandelier itself can run from $100 to thousands of dollars. 

The cost to install fluorescent lighting is typically $230 (not including the fixture itself), according to Yelp data, but can range from $145–380, depending on the length and number of light tubes. Fluorescent lighting often requires strategic placement to provide optimal and consistent overhead lighting conditions. Electricians may have to spend time mapping out fixture installation points, as well as install new electrical wiring. Common sizes for fluorescent lights are 4 or 8 feet long, with 2 or 4 bulbs—although smaller sizes, single bulb fixtures, and different wattages are available. Cost of the bulbs themselves range from $30–56, but decorative interior fixtures could cost several hundred dollars each.

New fluorescent lighting installations have become increasingly uncommon, due to the bulbs’ mercury content and the availability of more energy-efficient alternatives, such as LED lighting. 

The cost to install LED strip lighting is typically $235 (not including the lights themselves), but can range from $150–420. These are flexible strips dotted with energy-efficient LED bulbs that can be placed virtually anywhere. Standard-voltage LED strip lighting can be hardwired into lighting fixtures or plugged into a wall outlet (although a power adapter is usually required), while low-voltage LED lights can be battery-powered and are usually installed by homeowners themselves. 

LED strip lights are sold in a wide range of lengths—rolls measuring 12–16 feet are common. Strip lights that have more LED bulbs per foot will provide brighter lighting. An electrician will determine the total length of lights needed—including any breaks in the strips and total voltage requirements—and measure and install the strips in different areas of the home. The longer the strip, the more it costs to be installed. The purchase price of strip lights is $20–100 or more, depending on size, brightness (in lumens), “temperature” (the warmth of the light’s appearance), or features such as color-changing lights and remote control capability.

The cost to install pendant lights is typically $240 per fixture, but can range from $150–400. As with chandeliers, pendant light fixtures hang from the ceiling and can be mounted on a cord, chain, or stem. Pendant lightning may also require a dimmer, dedicated circuit, and additional wall switch, which can increase installation costs. Single pendant light fixtures can cost $60–90, while high-end pendant fixtures and multi-light fixtures may cost several hundred dollars.

The cost to install recessed lights is typically $440, but can range from $230–935. Standard recessed lights are screwed into “cans” (metal cylinders) that are installed into the ceiling during new construction. If the job simply involves replacing existing light fixtures, costs will generally be at the low end of the scale. But to mount new recessed lighting cans in a finished ceiling, an electrician needs to run new wiring and cut holes in drywall, resulting in higher costs. 

A potential alternative is canless recessed light fixtures—flat LED lights that provide a similar look but don’t require retrofitting cans into the ceiling. It’s a good idea to discuss these lighting options with your installer before buying the materials. Recessed lights range in size from 2–8 inches and cost $7.50–40.00 per fixture; canless recessed lights cost $13–40 per fixture.

The labor cost to install track lights is typically $285, but can range from $165–475. This kind of lighting—a series of adjustable lights attached to, and powered by, a track containing electrical conductors—is an increasingly popular option for kitchens, living rooms, and hallways. It provides a similar function as recessed lighting, but isn’t as labor-intensive to install. 

However, new track light fixtures may require additional wiring to a nearby electrical box, which increases installation costs. Precision placement of track lighting bars to illuminate or accent certain areas of the home may also require additional time during installation. Basic track lights cost $30–280, depending on size and number of lights. High-end track lighting fixtures can cost much more.

The cost to install wall sconces is typically $260, but can range from $155–400. An electrician lays out location points for multiple wall sconces, using a level or laser level to ensure these wall-mounted lights are hung at the same height and distance apart. Installation requires cutting holes in drywall for sconce mounting plates, as well as “fishing” existing wiring into place (by moving it behind walls) or running new wiring when necessary. Like ceiling lights, wall-mounted lights also require an in-wall electrical box that needs to be wired into your home—so expect to pay more for installation in older homes or large homes with complex wiring. Sconce light fixtures generally cost $22–80, but luxury fixtures can run much higher.

When lights aren’t working, the choice between replacing or repairing the light fixtures often depends on the cost of a new one. In most cases, replacement makes the most economic sense. For example, while a lighted ceiling fan can be purchased for less than $200, troubleshooting and repairing one that’s broken could take 3 hours or longer and cost $240–585, plus the cost of replacement parts.

On the other hand, repair is often the best option for expensive designer light fixtures that would be costly to replace, such as a high-end chandelier.

Here are some issues that can affect the cost of light fixture replacement or installation in your home.

Installing multiple fixtures is common when lighting a new addition to your home or remodeling a living space. Most electricians price lighting installation by the fixture—so the more you install, the higher your project cost will be. On the other hand, you may be able to negotiate a lower per-fixture price when you have several installed during the same visit.

Extremely high ceilings (12 feet or more), or awkward spaces that are harder to reach, increase labor costs and the need for safety equipment. 

The cost to have an electrician install lighting can vary significantly in different regions, depending on local economic conditions and labor rates. For example, you’ll pay $150–350 for common lighting installation projects in Dallas/Fort Worth, but $250–600 in Boston, according to Yelp data. Generally speaking, rates tend to be lower in small towns than in urban areas with a high cost of living.

Older homes are more likely to require new electrical boxes or rewiring when light fixtures are installed or replaced. “There’s a greater chance of having electrical issues that were not expected,” says electrician Craig Etling, owner of D.C. Electrical in Reno, Nevada.

When determining light fixture installation costs for a particular space, a lighting pro will need to take into account room size, desired brightness, function of the space, ceiling height (tall ceilings require more light), and interior design (dark-colored walls require brighter lighting). 

An electrical permit may be required to have lighting fixtures installed or removed. These typically cost $40–500, depending on local municipal codes and building authority rates. If your electrician obtains the permits, make sure the fees are included in your price quote.

Electricians typically include removal of outdated or non-functioning light fixtures as part of the light installation process. But you might be charged for disposal of large light fixtures, such as hanging chandeliers or large track light fixtures. Fluorescent or compact fluorescent lights require special handling, because they contain small amounts of mercury—check with your city government or local big-box home improvement stores to see if they’ll take care of disposal.

Here are some strategies for reducing your lighting installation costs.

You can reduce installation time and labor costs by ensuring that the area where work will take place is free of furniture, debris, and any other obstacles. Before the electrician’s visit, ask if there are any other preparatory tasks you can safely do on your own.

If you’re providing the new or replacement fixture(s), have them ready when an electrician arrives. “If a [customer] purchases a fixture, and it’s there when we show up, we won’t have to schedule an additional service call,” says Etling of D.C. Electrical. ”It’s always more economical.”

Electricians often charge a premium—which could be 1.5–2x standard hourly rates—for emergency visits or work on evenings, weekends, and holidays. Since lighting installation is seldom an urgent task, schedule the work in advance during normal business hours. 

A handyman or handyperson with experience doing electrical work is often a more economical option for certain basic remodel tasks, such as replacing an existing light fixture or installing a new light switch or dimmer switch. They typically charge $40–80 per hour, plus the cost of materials. A handyperson doesn’t have to meet the same requirements as a licensed electrician, as long as the scope of work doesn’t exceed certain dollar amounts (which varies by state). 

For routine work, you should be able to get a firm price quote prior to an electrician’s service call, so you’ll avoid unexpected costs. “A good electrician is going to ask you a lot of questions about a job,” explains Etling. “In most cases, assembling and hanging light fixtures and fans can be quoted with no problem, because they’re pretty routine.”

Handy homeowners may be tempted to shave costs on installing a pendant light, recessed lighting, or other type of light fixture by tackling the project themselves. But it’s not a good idea to tackle these projects unless you have experience and a clear understanding of the requirements for electrical work. Routine jobs that are simple for licensed electricians, such as changing out an old light and installing new overhead lighting, could pose safety issues for untrained amateurs. For best results, most homeowners will want to hire a licensed electrician who understands safe practices and local building codes. 

When interviewing an electrician about light fixture installation, ask about their qualifications and customer service. You’re also likely to find the answers to questions about the business on their Yelp Business Page.

In addition, you should ask the following questions specific to light fixture installation costs:

How much does it cost to remove and replace a light fixture? 

The national average for lighting installation costs is $280, but common projects can range from $170–495, according to Yelp data. Factors that affect replacement costs can include type and quality of light fixture, location, contractor labor rates, accessibility of electrical wiring, and disposal of the old light fixture.

How much does labor cost to install a light fixture?

Licensed electricians typically charge $134 per hour, but rates can range from $80–195 per hour nationwide, according to Yelp data. Many electricians will provide a total quote for a lighting-installation project, depending on the type and number of fixtures, wiring requirements, and other factors.

How much does it cost to install can lights?

Can lights, which consist of a bulb surrounded by a metal cylinder, are frequently used in recessed lighting. The cost to install them is typically $440, but can range from $230–935, depending on the project details, your electrician’s rates, and other factors. Replacing existing light fixtures is usually much less expensive than mounting all-new lighting, which requires the electrician to run new wiring and cut holes in drywall. 

Find a lighting installation professional in your area.

Cost data in this guide is based on project quote estimates provided to Yelp users by licensed professionals and businesses on Yelp (as well as analysis of industry data). Actual project costs may vary depending on location or complexity of the project. Cost data has been reviewed by our industry expert, Don Vandervort, a nationally known home improvement author. Don is the founder of the website HomeTips.com and has written or produced more than 30 home improvement books.