Lighting and LED installations
Downlights, pendants, under-cabinet and feature lighting, set out properly and wired to last.
In short
Lighting installation covers everything from swapping a single fitting to setting out a whole room: downlights, pendants, under-cabinet strips, wall lights and dimming. The part that decides whether it looks right is the setting out, done before a single hole is cut. Spacing, beam angle, colour temperature and how the circuit is switched matter more than the fittings themselves, and getting them wrong is why so many rooms end up with a grid of downlights that lights the floor and nothing else.
Lighting is the job where the difference between an electrician who thinks about it and one who does not is most obvious, because you look at it every day. A room lit properly has layers: something bright for working, something softer for the evening, and light where you actually need it rather than a uniform wash from the middle of the ceiling.
Lighting work we are asked for
- Replacing dated halogen downlights with efficient LED, including fire-rated fittings
- Kitchen lighting: downlights, pendants over an island and under-cabinet strips
- Adding dimming, or fixing dimmers that buzz or flicker with LED lamps
- Feature and mood lighting, including LED strip in coving and behind panelling
- Bathroom lighting, mirrors and extractors, wired to the zone requirements
- Adding switching so a room is not stuck on one circuit and one switch
What the job involves
Every property is different, but the shape of the work is usually the same. Here is how a typical lighting and led installations job runs.
Work out what the room is for
Where you stand, where you sit, what you do in there and which surfaces need lighting. This drives the layout, not the other way round.
Set the positions out
Fittings are set out and marked before anything is cut, taking account of joists, pipework and how the ceiling actually runs. You see the layout before there are holes in it.
Wire and switch it
Cable is run, circuits arranged so the lighting can be switched and dimmed in sensible groups, and any new switch positions put where you would reach for them.
Fit and set up
Fittings go in level and square, with beam angles and colour temperature consistent across the room. Dimmers are matched to the lamps so they do not buzz or flicker.
Test and tidy
The circuit is tested and certificated, and the room cleaned down. Ceiling dust from downlight cutting gets everywhere if nobody bothers, and it is not much fun to inherit.
Want someone to take a look?
Call 07557 448945 or send a photo on WhatsApp and you will get a straight answer on what it needs.
Lighting and LED installations near you
S. Sparham Electrical covers Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Pick your area for local detail, or call 07557 448945 if you are not sure whether you are in range.
Frequently asked questions
How many downlights does a room need?
Fewer than most people expect. It depends on ceiling height, beam angle and lamp output, but a regular grid of identical downlights usually over-lights the middle of the floor and under-lights the worktops and corners where you actually need it. It is worth setting out around the tasks in the room instead.
Why do my LED lights flicker or buzz on a dimmer?
Almost always a compatibility problem. Older dimmers were designed for filament lamps and need a minimum load that LEDs never draw, which causes flicker, buzz or a refusal to switch off fully. A trailing-edge dimmer rated for LED, matched to the lamps, is normally the fix.
What colour temperature should I choose?
Around 2700K is warm and suits living rooms and bedrooms. Around 3000K is a little crisper and is common in kitchens and bathrooms. 4000K and above reads cold in a home and is better kept for garages and workshops. The important thing is being consistent within a room, because mixing them is very noticeable.
Can you put downlights in an upstairs ceiling?
Yes, and in a ceiling with a habitable room above, fire-rated fittings are used so the fire resistance of the ceiling is maintained where holes have been cut in it. In older properties it is also worth checking what the ceiling is made of before cutting.
Do I need a special light in a bathroom?
Yes. BS 7671 divides a bathroom into zones based on distance from the bath and shower, and fittings need an IP rating appropriate to the zone they are in. Anything within the shower zone in particular has to be rated for it, and lighting in a bathroom needs RCD protection.
Who is doing the work
Before anyone works on your electrics it is worth knowing what they are trained to do. This is what Stephen Sparham holds.