ᐅ What is the typical cost of recessed ceiling lights (installed by a general contractor in a new build)?
Created on: 12 Aug 2020 21:40
A
Abzug86
Hello,
when planning the lighting, I was a bit shocked when our construction consultant quoted 200 EUR per recessed ceiling spotlight. These are to be installed in the precast concrete ceiling. With 46 ceiling spotlights throughout the house, that would amount to 9,200 EUR. Is this a normal price for materials and labor from a general contractor in 2020? Of course, I lack alternatives regarding the spotlights since the precast ceiling is being installed by the general contractor’s scope of work.
Thank you!
when planning the lighting, I was a bit shocked when our construction consultant quoted 200 EUR per recessed ceiling spotlight. These are to be installed in the precast concrete ceiling. With 46 ceiling spotlights throughout the house, that would amount to 9,200 EUR. Is this a normal price for materials and labor from a general contractor in 2020? Of course, I lack alternatives regarding the spotlights since the precast ceiling is being installed by the general contractor’s scope of work.
Thank you!
Shiny86 schrieb:
We were given a price without the light fixture.
I’m not familiar with this. Do you usually buy the fixtures yourself? Or does the general contractor provide the fixtures during the selection process? I find the 170 EUR quite excessive. At the time, we had the option to choose only the preparation (recessed boxes are concreted in and wired) or the complete installation (the electrician also installs a standard GU-10 socket plus the bulb). The preparation cost was just under 70 EUR, which, considering the material value and effort, certainly wasn’t a loss for the general contractor. The complete installation would have been 120 EUR, which I still think is way too high.
H
hampshire30 Aug 2020 08:20Pierre schrieb:
A few light bulbs don’t cost a fortune, do they?Of course, they start in the single-digit euro range. How you like the lighting afterward is another question. I believe the OP still knows little about lighting. There is more to consider than just the installation location, type, and price.
K1300S schrieb:
The electrician is installing a basic GU-10 socket plus light bulbs Is that actually a bad option? That’s what we’re planning as well. I thought a standard solution would give me the most flexibility. Is that a misconception, or is this just expensive "perfectionism" that other threads criticize as unnecessary cost drivers?
I don’t want to start a fundamental debate about this either.
Let’s put it this way: It’s not my preferred solution, but if it has to be done, I would focus on high-quality sockets/fixtures and, above all, *my* light bulbs. Otherwise, I simply don’t see the point in using a retrofit solution in new construction when I have the opportunity to plan almost “native” LED lighting.
H
hampshire30 Aug 2020 10:43OWLer schrieb:
Is this actually a bad option? No, it’s not a bad option. It’s just not the main goal. The focus is on natural light in the rooms and creating a comfortable living environment with that light. From this perspective, the choice of fixtures and their placement follows naturally. I doubt that the aim of “comfortable living” can be achieved well and cost-effectively with a plan relying heavily on recessed downlights.
The choice of the lighting system is secondary and should serve that goal. Of course, GU-10 systems can be perfectly suitable and practical in many areas. And of course, it doesn't have to be expensive. Intelligent planning pays off fully in both budget and results. So my advice as a “lighting expert”: educate yourselves and get professional advice. Lighting and acoustics are direct factors for comfort in the home and are often underestimated.
There are also excellent retrofit lamps, for example those that get warmer in color temperature when dimmed and have a high CRI value. These can be difficult for supposedly native LEDs—whatever that means—to match. As mentioned before, it always depends on what you want and how the overall concept looks.