Lighting Installation in Fraserburgh, AB43

Common questions

Lighting Installation FAQs for Fraserburgh

• How long does it take to fit downlighters in a Fraserburgh kitchen?

  Typical 6 downlighter kitchen install: 3 to 4 hours including holes, cabling, transformer mounting, fittings, and testing. We bring fire rated IP rated downlighters as standard. If you're upgrading from existing ceiling roses or pendants, we can usually reuse the original feed which saves time. Granite cottages or older properties with lath and plaster ceilings add 30 to 60 minutes.

• Do I need to be home for the install?

  Ideally yes for the first 30 minutes (so we can confirm exact positions, dimmer locations, and any switching changes you want). After that you can leave us to it. Most installs run 3 to 6 hours. We hand over with a full demonstration of any new switching, dimming, or smart features.

• Will you make a mess in the ceiling?

  Some, unavoidably. Cutting holes for downlighters generates dust and small chunks of plasterboard. We use dust sheets across the floor, M class vacuums on the cutting tool to catch dust at source, and clean up after. Small holes for cable routing are cosmetic only and you can fill with caulk. We don't paint touch ups, that's a decorator job.

• Can you fit downlighters in a bathroom?

  Yes, with the right fittings. Bathroom downlighters must be IP65 rated minimum (waterproof from any direction). They also need to comply with bathroom zoning: Zone 1 fittings (above the bath or shower) need IP67, Zone 2 (within 60cm of the bath) need IP44 minimum. We bring zone appropriate kit and fit accordingly. Typical bathroom: 4 to 6 IP rated fittings, £400 to £550 all in.

• Why does smart lighting cost more than regular dimming?

  Two reasons. First, the kit itself costs more (Hue bulbs £15 vs £5 for standard LED, smart switches £40 to £80 vs £8 for dimmer). Second, the install includes the hub setup, app configuration, scene programming, and integration with whatever voice assistant you're using (Alexa, Google, Apple HomeKit). For 4 to 6 rooms of smart control, expect £400 to £900 total including kit.

• Are LED downlighters worth it over halogens?

  Yes, comfortably. LED lasts 8 to 12 years vs 1 to 3 for halogens. Energy use is 75% lower, you save £40 to £80 per fitting per year on running costs in a typical kitchen. Heat output is far lower, halogen downlighters used to overheat insulation in lofts and cause fires (banned now for new fittings). The upfront cost premium pays back in 2 to 3 years on a typical kitchen.

• Can I have lighting and an EV charger fitted in the same visit?

  Yes, often a sensible combo if you're refreshing an older property. We can do whole house LED upgrade, a Zappi or Ohme EV charger, and a consumer unit upgrade in a single 1 to 2 day visit. Combined visit saves the second call out fee, plus we can plan the cable runs once instead of twice.

• Will my granite cottage cause problems for downlighters?

  The ceilings, no, those are usually plasterboard or lath. The walls if you're adding wall lights, yes, granite is harder to chase. For ceiling downlighters in Fraserburgh granite cottages, the install is the same as any modern home, we just need to know the joist positions before cutting holes. We bring a stud finder and cable detector to map the ceiling first.