LED Light Installation Cost Guide

LED lighting is a great option for lighting your home, as it is energy efficient and low maintenance compared with other forms of traditional lighting.

While some LED bulbs are compatible with existing wiring so you can often simply change your bulbs, if you want a new LED light installation you’ll probably need an electrician. So how much does LED light installation cost?

How much does it cost to install LED lights?

Costs depend on how many lights you want and what type. There are 3 types of installation that may require an electrician, LED downlights, LED florescent tubes and LED strip lighting. Depending on the type of LED light fitting you want, you should expect to pay between £125-£300 to install LED lights. HaMuch has a large database of hourly and daily rates for electricians based on your area, so take a look at them for a more accurate labour cost, but these are the average LED light installation costs in the UK:

What are LED lights?

LED lights (Light Emitting Diodes) emit light when an electric current is passed through them. This is different to traditional lightbulbs that produce light by heating a filament until it glows, which is very inefficient – 90% of the electricity used to light these bulbs goes on producing heat.

LED lights come in the form of strip or tube lights, downlights, golf bulbs, candles and many more. Technology has advanced so that any type of light you used to have in a halogen or incandescent bulb is probably now available as an LED bulb.

LED lights are extremely energy efficient and therefore have lower energy costs than other types of lighting. That also means they reduce your carbon footprint, since they use less energy. You can expect LED lights to last at least eight years, if not longer.

Common brands of LED light

While there are lots of generic LED lighting brands out there that will do the job, sometimes it pays to spend a bit more on a well-known, trusted brand to ensure you get long-lasting, high-quality light. Here are some of the top LED downlight brands and the costs associated with them:

Image	Name	Cost
	Ultraleds - Tagra LED Strip Light 8W - 5 metres	£33.60
	NTUBE by Tagra LED Neon Tube Light, RGB Colour Changing, 24V, IP20 1 metre	£34.74
	LED 6x Brushed Nickel Round Under Cabinet Kitchen Light Kit Warm White	£95.00
	Tagra 30mm Circular LED Linear Luminaire Suspendable Light	£96.00
	Revive LED 5m Flexible Strip Light Kit - Cool White	£100.00
	Seamless LED Strip Pack for 240V Dimming: Natural White 9m	£145.00
	Mod Lighting Haylen WATERPROOF LED WALL LIGHT	£230.00
	6 x JCC CoraLED Plus Dali Dimmable Commercial CCT LED Downlight 18W	£515.00

Cost to install LED downlights in the UK

It costs an average of £300 to install 6 LED ceiling lights, or downlights, in the UK. It’s worth remembering that an electrician will need access to your ceiling cavity, and if this is difficult, it will drive up the cost. There are solutions available if you don’t have access to your ceiling cavity, but again, these will drive up the price.

Why do I need an electrician to install LED lights?

If you’re just changing your traditional bulbs over to LED light bulbs, there’s no need to hire an electrician for this if it’s a simple and easy swap. However, some old downlight fittings are not suitable for LED lights, and may flicker and fail to dim correctly. A total upgrade including dimmer switch and LED lights would then be necessary.

So, If you are planning a new LED light installation, then you do need an electrician. While you could install them yourself if you have some experience with electrics, electricians can pick the best lights to suit your budget and install the lighting professionally.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, you could potentially shock yourself or cause a fire hazard. It’s not worth risking you and your family’s health to install LED lights more cheaply. Speak to an electrician or lighting specialist who will be able to help you maximise the budget you have available.

Are LED lights worth the cost?

LED lights give such a sleek look to a room and are very versatile, giving you options to add warm, white or coloured lighting to your home. Combinations of strip lighting and downlights can completely change the look of your kitchen, bathroom or living area. 

LED lights are also energy efficient and therefore are a more sustainable way to light your home, so you know you’re doing your bit for the environment by switching to LED downlights. You will notice lower electricity bills if you are replacing halogen or florescent bulbs.

Things to do before getting LED downlights installed

Check your electrics

It’s a good idea to get an electrician to carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) to check that your electrics, including your consumer unit, are in good working order. If you’re adding extra lighting, this could overload an old fuseboard, so if your electrics are old it’s a sensible step to take.

Shop around

While you might get the best prices for LED lights online, nothing compares to getting advice from a professional. Go into a few local lighting stores and ask for advice about which LEDs would be best for you. An expert will be able to help you best if you can give accurate measurements of your room, what you use it for and what kind of ambience you want to create.

Get a range of quotes

Before hiring an electrician to install your LED lights, make sure you get a variety of quotes from registered electricians. They should be accredited by an official trade body like NAPIT, NICEIC or ELECSA. 

At HaMuch we’ll put you in touch with local electricians to install your LED lights. Make an enquiry now to compare prices and choose the best person for the job.

Estimates for common electrician jobs;

Rates for other trades