How Much Does It Cost To Install Recessed Lighting In 2024

A typical recessed lighting project involves installing 4-6 lights in one ceiling, with the overall project cost ranging from $400 to $3,000. This guide aims to provide you with a comprehensive overview of the costs involved, helping you create a realistic budget for your installation.

Cost Factors 

Housing type has a great influence on the overall cost of recessed lighting installation. Here, housing means a can or box in which each light is installed. It comes with a bulb socket, mounting frame, and electrical components. Each housing type is specially designed for different designs of ceilings. Each offers its unique benefits and comes in varied pricing.

• IC-Rated 

The cost of IC-rated housing for one fixture may range between $10-$110. Most ceilings have insulation. It causes severe health risks if the heat of the recessed light reaches it. 

IC-rating housing allows you to install recessed light safely near insulation. It protects the insulation from wrapping, melting, or releasing VOCs.

• Non-IC Rated 

The cost of non-IC-rated housing per fixture is $10-$150. These lights can break fire into insulation with just one touch. But with non-IC housing, you can safely install the lights in the ceiling at least 3 feet away from the insulation. Otherwise, you can always go for a better option, IC-rated housing.

• Airtight Housing

The price of airtight recessed housing ranges from $10-$120. The housing makes a tight and strong seal which protects the heat loss and airflow through the ceiling. It helps in certain situations when a recessed light falls from an uncompleted attic. Moreover, the airtight housing also ensures to keep the house warm when it is heated with a wood stove.

• Shallow Housing

The cost of one shallow house is about $10-$150. The box of traditional recessed light goes about 5-6 in inside the ceiling. Well, not every single ceiling is this deep. The older house has a shallow ceiling of just 2 inches. Shallow housing can be an effective solution for such ceilings. If your home designer thinks that recessed lighting wouldn’t work for your home, then ask them about shallow housing.

• Canless 

One fixture of canless recessed light costs around $20-$160. Caneless housing does not involve any visible can. These lights are directly mounted under the ceilings. These are basically LED bulbs. They consume less energy and generate less heat. Canless housing is also available for smart light solutions with integrated features for color, brightness, intensity, and temperature control use.

• Wet-Rated 

A single fixture of wet-rated housing costs around $20-$100. This housing is specially used in moisture-prone areas to protect the light from getting wet. Areas like bathrooms, showers, kitchens, gazebos, patios, and saunas need such wet-rated housing. It is available for halogen bulbs, LEDs, dimmable lights, and fluorescent lights. 

• Vaulted Ceiling 

The housing kit of vaulted ceiling comes in between $20-$75. Not flat ceilings need vaulted housing. The housing installed the recessed light at a certain angle to fix it inside the ceiling well. The vaulted ceiling is a little higher and therefore needs more labor than you normally require.

Installing Recessed Lighting

Housing does not only affect the overall cost of recessed lighting installation. Other factors like wiring, location, labor, bulb type, finishing, and trimming also impact the overall budget of your project.

• Labor

Installation processes that need electrical work require professional labor. An electrician charges $85-$105 for one hour. The installation of one recessed light fixture usually takes around 2.5 hours. 

Overall the installation of recessed lights including materials and labor costs $200-$250. Also, the cost of labor may vary depending on the type of installation. For instance, the installation of light in a circuit requires less time as compared to wiring in different areas of the home.

• Wiring & Fixture 

The whole new project of recessed lighting installation requires proper new wiring. The price of wiring material ranges between $0.2-$2 per foot. Copper wiring in older homes costs higher as compared to aluminum wiring in new buildings. Add the price of other installation obstacles to it. These additional materials like wiring, joists, or HVAC ducts cost up to $200 extra.

The location where you are installing the recessed lights also impacts the overall project cost. If you are installing lights in the crawl space or attic then it would cost less. But if the electrician needs to cut the ceiling to do additional wiring then it may cost more. 

This indicates that the installation of recessed lights in double-story buildings usually costs more. Whereas, bathroom and kitchen spaces need wet-rated housing which also increases the overall cost.

• Permits

If you need to add new circuits for the installation of recessed lighting in the house, then it will cost too. The general cost of an electrical project permit is between $50-$500 based on your area’s codes. A local city electrician can tell you after the site visit, whether you need the permit or not.

• Customizations

You can customize the recessed lighting in multiple ways. If you want to add a dimmer with bulbs to soften or brighten the light, then it will cost about $125. The installation of wall panels along with switches and dimmers will cost around $50-$100.

If you still don’t know how to design your recessed lighting, you can also get help from a professional lighting designer with a pay of $85-$300. These experts design a perfect lighting placement, with the right color, temperature, and tone based on your preferences and likeness. 

Cost: Total Fixtures

Recessed lighting has the ability to enhance the aesthetics of your space. The installation of recessed lighting in your home increases its value. But before installing recessed lights in every single room of your house, do research on which types of lights you will need and how much they cost.

Recessed lighting costs vary due to various factors. The fixture type, installation method, location, setting, wiring, labor cost, and complexity all influence the overall cost of the recessed lighting project. Generally, one fixture of recessed light costs from $100-$500. 

Conclusion 

If you ask many lighting experts at the same time about the best installation time for recessed lighting, you will hear the same answer. During the construction of the place. During construction, ceilings have space. Recessed lighting requires a whole new wiring system which would be difficult to do in an already made building. It is still possible to install recessed lighting in your current homes, but the wiring, installation, material, and labor will cost more. 

Setting up a whole new recessed light project in your current ceilings costs $500 for one fixture. The whole setup costs between $800-$2,880. If you are just replacing the current lights, then it costs $200-$300 for one fixture and $800-$2,160 for the total project. 

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