How Much Does It Cost to Install Recessed Lighting In 2024? (2024)

Recessed lighting is a great way to illuminate any room. It’s also an easy way to increase the value of your home since buyers love it. However, before you equip every room in your home with recessed lighting, make sure you do some research into what it’ll cost you to install these types of lights.

The cost of recessed lighting can vary widely based on several factors, including the number of fixtures, the type of fixtures, the location of installation, the complexity of the wiring and labor costs in your area. Typically, a single recessed fixture costs between$100 to $500 per light—with an average price of$350.

How Many Recessed Lights Do I Need?

Determining the number and spacing of recessed lights for your home is a matter of taking a few factors into account, including the size and intended use of the room, as well as the desired lighting level. Here are some general guidelines to help you determine the number and spacing of recessed lights for different room sizes:

• Room size and layout:When installing recessed lights, it is recommended to install one fixture approximately every 25 square feet. For example:
  • Small rooms (less than 100 sq. ft.): 2 to 4 fixtures
  • Medium rooms (100-200 sq. ft.): 4 to 8 fixtures
  • Large rooms (200-400 sq. ft.): 8 to 10 fixtures
  • Very large rooms (over 400 sq. ft.): 10 or more fixtures
• Spacing guidelines:When arranging recessed lights, it is recommended to space fixtures approximately 4 to 6 feet apart to achieve balanced general illumination.
• Arrangement: The most common arrangement is a grid pattern, where lights are spaced evenly throughout the room. However, you can adjust the layout based on the room’s shape and features. Aim for even lighting without creating dark spots or overly bright areas.

The type of housing you choose for your recessed lighting can impact the price of your installation. Housing refers to the cans each light sits in and contain electrical parts, a bulb socket and a mounting frame. Different housing types are suited to different ceiling designs, each with its own benefits and price ranges.

IC-Rated Housing

IC-rated housing is rated for insulation contact and costs $10 to $110 per fixture. Many ceilings contain insulation, which poses fire and health risks when exposed to heat from recessed lighting. You can safely install lights with IC-rated housing near insulation without the risk of insulation melting, warping or emitting harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Non-IC-Rated Housing

Non-IC housing costs $10 to $150 per fixture. These lights get hot and pose a fire risk when they touch insulation. You can safely use non-IC lights in ceilings without insulation or spaces where they’ll be at least three feet away from insulation. Otherwise, it’s recommended to stick with IC-rated housing.

Airtight Housing

Airtight recessed lights cost $10 to $120 per fixture. The housing creates a tight seal to prevent airflow through the ceiling and heat loss. This is beneficial in specific situations, like when recessed lights are dropped from an unfinished attic. In other cases, like when a home is heated by a wood stove, airtight housing can actually hinder proper air circulation.

Shallow Housing

Shallow recessed lighting housing costs $10 to $150 per fixture. Standard recessed lighting cans go 5 to 6 inches into a ceiling, but not every ceiling can accommodate this depth. Some ceilings are as shallow as 2 inches, especially in older homes. Shallow housing is a potential solution. If your contractor tells you that recessed lighting won’t work in your home, ask if shallow housing is a viable option.

Canless Housing

Canless recessed lighting costs $20 to $160 per fixture. These minimalist lights have no visible can and sit completely flush with the ceiling. They use energy-efficient LED bulbs that produce less heat. They are also available in smart home light options with built-in features for dimming, changing colors or remote control use.

Wet-Rated Housing

Wet-rated recessed lighting housing costs $20 to $100 per fixture. It protects lights from water and is often required to install recessed lighting in a moisture-prone space safely. This includes bathrooms, kitchens, showers, saunas, patios, gazebos and other outdoor areas. You’ll find wet-rated housing for LED, fluorescent, dimmable and halogen light bulbs.

Vaulted Ceiling Housing

Vaulted ceiling recessed lighting housing costs $20 to $75 per fixture. If your ceiling isn’t flat, it’s considered vaulted. Vaulted housing is installed at an angle to make recessed lighting possible in vaulted ceilings. You may pay more in labor for these lights since vaulted ceilings tend to be higher with limited access from above.

Housing isn’t the only major cost factor when installing recessed lighting. Labor, location, wiring and customizations like trim, finish and bulb type are all important to consider when budgeting for your project.

Professional Labor

Projects that involve electrical work tend to require professional labor. The cost to hire an electrician ranges from $85 to $105 per hour, and installing recessed lights in an existing home takes about two and a half hours per fixture.

Including labor and materials, recessed or canless light installation costs $200 to $250 per fixture. Labor costs vary by installation complexity. For example, it takes less time to install lights on one circuit than it does to run wiring to different parts of a house.

Bulb Type

A variety of bulbs work for recessed lighting. Each has a specific use and price point.

Trim Type

Trim refers to the material that covers the gap between the housing and the hole cut in your ceiling for a clean look. There are a variety of styles available.

Finish Color

You can choose from different finish colors to customize your recessed lighting trim. While most homeowners opt for a traditional white finish to match their white ceilings, other shades can complement different wall colors and decorative features.

For example, copper and bronze are popular in rustic designs, while black or gold offers a stylish and moody aesthetic. Nontraditional finishes tend to cost more.

Ceiling Material

If you’re interested in installing recessed lighting, it’s important to know that the installation cost is impacted by ceiling material. The more complex your ceiling is, the more labor will be required to install the lights.

For instance, a standard drywall ceiling is straightforward, making installing recessed lighting more affordable. Meanwhile, suspended or drop ceilings could involve additional steps, increasing labor costs. Concrete or vaulted ceilings are the most expensive due to their intricate nature. Labor costs to install recessed lighting are also impacted by wiring accessibility, ceiling height, trim choices and the contractor’s expertise.

Wiring and Fixture Location

Unless you’re replacing preexisting lights, your recessed lighting project will require wiring. Wiring material costs $0.20 to $2 per linear foot. Prices are higher for older homes with copper wiring, which costs twice as much as the aluminum wiring used in new builds. Obstacles to the installation, such as HVAC ducts, joists or wiring from other devices, can add about $200 in extra labor fees.

Installation location also impacts cost. Attic or crawl space access above the installation means lower prices than if your electrician has to cut into the ceiling to run wiring. This also means ground-floor installations in two-story buildings often cost more. Bathroom lighting installations are also more expensive because they require wet-rated lighting.

Every recessed lighting installation comes with a unique set of cost considerations. Here are other costs to look out for.

Drywall Repairs

If there isn’t easy access above your recessed lighting installation, your electrician may need to cut into drywall to run wiring. Drywall repairs after recessed lighting installation cost an average of $300 plus $1 to $3 per square foot to touch up walls and ceilings.

Permits

You’ll need a permit if your recessed lighting installation involves adding new circuits to your house’s wiring. A building permit for an electrical project can cost $50 to $500 depending on the codes in your area. You can get exact costs from your local building inspection office. If your electrician is registered with your city, they’ll usually tell you whether or not you need a permit after a survey of the job site.

Customizations

There are several ways to customize your recessed lighting. For about $125, you can add a dimmer switch with bulbs that can be brightened or softened depending on the ambiance you want. You can also add a wall panel with both dimmer and standard switches for $50 to $100.

Not sure how to lay out your installation? You can hire a lighting designer for $85 to $300 per hour. These pros have expertise in planning lighting layouts, determining how many lights a room needs, how to space them, where to direct the light and lighting temperature.

Recessed lighting is an excellent choice for enhancing your home, offering many advantages that traditional lighting options may not provide. Its unique design and placement within the ceiling is beneficial to your living space’s aesthetic and functional aspects.

More Lighting Coverage

Recessed lighting installation is a great option for modern spaces. Its discreet and versatile design allows it to cater to diverse lighting needs, whether for ambient, task or accent lighting. You’ll be able to shine a light—literally—on virtually any part of the room. Additionally, recessed lighting’s ability to accentuate architectural features or focal points like artwork is a major plus.

Variety of Styles

Recessed lighting is a great way to add light to your space, but it’s also a great way to add style. Recessed lights come in various styles, so you can choose the ones that complement your room’s look. Whether you prefer a modern, minimalist look or a more traditional aesthetic, recessed lights come in various designs and finishes to enhance the overall ambiance of your space.

Clear Light

Recessed lighting installation provides clear and focused light, creating a well-defined and unobstructed illumination that enhances visibility and visual clarity in a space. The recessed fixtures are strategically positioned to direct light precisely where needed, reducing shadows and minimizing potential glare. This focused and controlled lighting is particularly beneficial for tasks requiring clear vision, such as reading, cooking or working, making recessed lighting an ideal choice for functional and aesthetic purposes.

The best time to install recessed lighting is during new construction. During the initial build of a home or addition, ceilings are still open with no drywall. Since all the electrical work is new, no rewiring or circuit breaker updates are needed. Existing homes have air ducts, drywall and wiring for contractors to work around, increasing labor and material costs.

Building an entirely new recessed lighting setup into a ceiling costs about $500 per fixture and $800 to $2,880 for a complete setup. You’ll pay less if you’re replacing existing lights in a ceiling, with costs of $200 to $300 per fixture and $800 to $2,160 in total.

Forbes Home doesn’trecommend installing recessed lighting yourself. While you can technically save about 50% on the cost of this project by skipping labor costs, you’ll need either certification as an electrician or extensive home wiring experience to properly install recessed lighting yourself. Any mistakes can increase your risk of injury, fines, and electrical fires. Since this project only costs $330 on average, hiring a pro is an affordable way to protect yourself and your home.

To find the best electrician near you, be sure to compare quotes from multiple pros, read their online reviews and ask for their credentials and references. Recommendations from trusted friends and family members are usually a good place to start.

To arrive at the average costs in this article, editorial team members surveyed one providers and five cost databases on national and local levels. All averaged figures were correct at the time of publication and may be subject to change.