How much does lighting installation cost?

It depends on the fixture count, the wiring that exists today, and how hard the access is, so we quote the actual job rather than guess over the phone. The service call is a flat $129, credited toward the work if you approve the quote. You will always see the price before we start.

Can you add recessed lighting without tearing up my ceiling?

Usually, yes. Remodel-style recessed fixtures are designed to install into existing ceilings, and we fish wiring to keep drywall damage to a minimum. Where a layout will require patching, we tell you before we cut, not after.

Do I need an electrician to replace a light fixture?

A simple swap on existing wiring is within reach for some homeowners, but people call us for good reasons: aluminum or aging wiring, no ground where the fixture needs one, heavy fixtures, tall ceilings, and boxes that are not rated for the load. Ceiling fans in particular need a fan-rated box, and that is where do-it-yourself installs most often go wrong.

My LED lights flicker on the dimmer. Can you fix that?

Very often the cause is a dimmer that is not designed for LED loads, and the fix is a compatible dimmer matched to your fixtures. If the flicker points to a wiring problem instead, we troubleshoot it the same visit. See our electrical repair page for how diagnostics work.

What outdoor lighting works best for dark winters?

For most homes the workhorses are motion-activated security lights at driveways and entries, steady porch and step lighting for safe footing, and pathway lights where you walk. We use weather-rated LED fixtures and controls like timers, photocells, and motion sensors so the lights run when you need them without you thinking about it.

recessed ceiling downlights in a warm modern room

Licensed, bonded, and insured

Lighting Installation in Bellingham, WA

Good lighting is one of the cheapest ways to make a house feel better, and bad lighting is one of the most common things homeowners live with for years. Bellingham Electrical installs residential lighting across Bellingham and Whatcom County: recessed lights, kitchen and under-cabinet lighting, exterior and security lighting, dimmers, and ceiling fans. Wired correctly, on circuits that can handle it, by a licensed electrician.

Our service call is a flat $129, credited toward the work if you hire us. You will see the price of the job before we start.

Call or text (360) 218-4499 or book online.

Call or text (360) 218-4499 Book Online

Licensed, bonded, and insured. WA L&I contractor registration CASCACH748MH.
Licensed electrical work, led by Eric Chan, WA electrical administrator AD CHAN*E*743C7.
$129 service call, credited toward the work if you hire us.
On time or it's on us. Miss the window we gave you and the $129 service call is free.

Recessed and can lighting

Recessed lighting is the most requested lighting job we do, and it is also the one where shortcuts show. Done right, it means:

A layout that fits the room. Spacing and placement planned before anyone cuts a hole, so you get even light instead of a runway of hot spots and shadows.
The right housings for the location. Insulation-contact rated where fixtures sit in an insulated ceiling, and appropriate trims for bathrooms and other damp locations.
LED from the start. Modern LED recessed fixtures run cool, sip power, and come in selectable color temperatures, so the light can be warm in the living room and crisp over a workbench.
Clean drywall work. Holes cut to size, wiring fished with as little damage as possible, and honest talk up front about any patching a layout will require.

Retrofitting recessed lights into an existing ceiling is normal work for us. You do not need a remodel to get rid of the single glare bulb in the middle of the room.

Kitchen and under-cabinet lighting

Kitchens work hard and most of them are lit like hallways. Common upgrades we install:

Under-cabinet lighting that puts light on the counter where you actually chop, read recipes, and clean up, instead of behind your head.
Recessed lights over work zones laid out around the cabinets and island rather than a generic grid.
Pendants over islands and sinks hung at a usable height on properly supported boxes.
Dimming by zone so the same kitchen can be bright for cooking and low for the end of the night.

If your kitchen circuits are already crowded, we will tell you what the wiring can support before you commit to fixtures.

Exterior and security lighting

Winters here are long and dark, and a house that goes black at the property line is no fun to come home to. Exterior lighting earns its keep in a Pacific Northwest winter:

Entry and porch lighting so keys, steps, and door locks are not a guessing game in the rain.
Motion-activated security lights at driveways, garages, and dark side yards.
Eave and soffit lighting for even coverage around the house without glare.
Landscape and pathway lighting for walkways that stay usable after dark.

Exterior work means weather-rated fixtures, proper covers and gaskets, and GFCI protection where the code calls for it. We install lighting built for the wet season, not just for the week it goes up.

Dimmers and lighting controls

A room with one switch and one brightness is leaving most of its potential on the table. We install:

Dimmers matched to the load. LED fixtures need LED-compatible dimmers; mismatches are a top cause of flicker and buzz.
Smart dimmers and switches as lighting controls, including models you can schedule or adjust from your phone.
Three-way and four-way switching so stairs and long rooms can be controlled from both ends.
Timers and motion sensors for closets, garages, and exterior lights that should run themselves.

One honest note: we install and wire lighting controls, including smart dimmers. Whole-home smart-home system design and integration is not a service we offer.

Ceiling fans

Ceiling fans are a lighting-adjacent job we handle all the time: new fan installation where a light fixture exists today, replacements, and fans with integrated lights. The part that matters is the box in the ceiling. A fan on a standard light-fixture box will wobble and eventually fail, so we install fan-rated boxes and braces where they are needed. If there is no wiring at the spot you want a fan, that is a new-circuit conversation we can price for you.

Fixture swap or new circuit?

Not every lighting job is the same size, and we will tell you which kind yours is before any work starts.

A fixture replacement uses the wiring already in the ceiling or wall. Swapping a dated fixture for a new one, or a light for a fan-rated setup, is usually quick and priced accordingly.
New lighting where none exists means running cable, adding switches, and sometimes adding a circuit. Recessed layouts, under-cabinet runs, and exterior additions often fall here.
Older homes need a look first. If your house still has aging or original wiring, we check what the new lights would be connecting to. Sometimes the right answer starts behind the walls; see our whole house rewiring page for what that involves.

And if your existing lights flicker, dim, or trip breakers before we touch anything, that is a troubleshooting job first. Our electrical repair page covers how we run those visits.

FAQ

Ready for better light?

Flat $129 service call, credited toward the work. A clear quote before anything gets cut or wired, from a licensed Bellingham electrician.

Call or text (360) 218-4499
Book Online

Cascade Crest Home Services LLC dba Bellingham Electrical. WA L&I license CASCACH748MH. Bellingham Electrical, 8125 Birch Bay Square St, Unit 205, Blaine, WA 98230, (360) 218-4499