// NYC · Master Licensed · All 5 Boroughs
Lighting & Fixture Installation in NYC
Recessed lighting, chandeliers, pendants, under-cabinet, exterior, and LED retrofits — installed to code by master-licensed electricians who know NYC’s plaster ceilings and pre-war wiring.
- Recessed / can lighting with dimmers
- Chandelier & pendant hanging (any weight)
- Under-cabinet & accent lighting
- Exterior & landscape lighting
- Whole-home LED retrofits
- Smart dimmer integration (Lutron, Leviton)
Lighting installation in NYC buildings — what’s different
Lighting installation in a modern suburban home with drywall ceilings and attic access is straightforward. NYC is a different job. Plaster ceilings in pre-war buildings crack if cut carelessly — we use the right hole saws and cutting technique to keep openings clean. No above access is the norm: most NYC apartments have another unit overhead, so wiring is fished horizontally through joist bays rather than dropped from above.
Fire-rated fixtures matter in NYC. When installing recessed lighting below another occupied unit, fire code typically requires IC-rated, airtight fixtures — and in some buildings, fire-rated enclosures. We specify the right fixtures from the start so your co-op board, your inspector, and your upstairs neighbor are all satisfied.
Co-op and condo note: Simple fixture swaps usually don’t require board approval. Recessed lighting that involves cutting ceilings and running new wiring usually does. We prepare the scope of work letter and insurance documentation your building requires.
What we install
Recessed / can lighting
LED wafer and can lights, layout planning, dimmer integration. IC-rated and airtight where code requires.
Chandeliers & pendants
Any weight, any height — including stairwells and double-height spaces. Box bracing and reinforcement included where needed.
Under-cabinet lighting
Hardwired LED strips and pucks with dimmers. Cleaner and more reliable than plug-in kits.
Exterior & landscape
Wall sconces, path lighting, floodlights, and security lighting. Weatherproof, GFCI-protected, photocell or smart-controlled.
LED retrofits
Whole-home or whole-building conversion from incandescent/fluorescent to LED. Major energy savings; relevant to Local Law 88 for larger buildings.
Dimmers & controls
Standard, smart (Lutron Caseta, Leviton), occupancy sensors, and timers. We verify LED compatibility so nothing buzzes or flickers.
Track & accent lighting
Gallery-style track systems, art accent lighting, and adjustable spots for living spaces and commercial settings.
Bathroom & vanity lighting
Code-compliant wet-location fixtures, vanity bars, and exhaust fan/light combos.
Recessed lighting — the most-requested job, done right
Recessed lighting is our most common lighting request in NYC, and the difference between a good job and a bad one shows up in three places:
Layout. The rule-of-thumb (one fixture per 4–6 sq ft) gets you a count, but placement determines whether the room feels evenly lit or full of glare and shadows. We plan the layout around furniture, sight lines, and what the room is actually used for — and we mark every location with you before cutting.
Fixture selection. Modern LED wafer lights need only 2″ of ceiling depth and no housing — ideal for NYC’s shallow joist bays and concrete-adjacent ceilings. Where building fire code requires it, we use IC-rated airtight housings instead. Color temperature matters too: we default to 2700K–3000K in living spaces unless you want cooler light.
Dimming. Every recessed installation we do includes a compatible dimmer. LED dimming compatibility is where DIY and handyman installs go wrong — mismatched dimmers cause flicker, buzz, and dead zones at low levels. We match driver and dimmer so dimming is smooth from 100% to 5%.
Service areas
Lighting and fixture installation throughout Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx — brownstones, pre-war apartments, lofts, new construction, and commercial spaces. See our lighting installation cost guide for detailed NYC pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Lighting installation in NYC runs $150–$800 per fixture depending on type. Recessed lights are $150–$350 per can; chandelier installation $150–$800 depending on weight and height; under-cabinet lighting $120–$250 per linear foot; exterior fixtures $180–$500. See our full lighting cost guide for detailed breakdowns.
Not for fixture replacements on existing circuits. If new circuits or wiring runs are needed — common with whole-room recessed installations — a NYC DOB permit is required, and we handle it as part of the job.
Yes — this is the standard NYC scenario. We fish wiring horizontally through ceiling joist bays from the fixture openings themselves. Modern LED wafer lights need minimal depth and no housing, which makes this practical even in shallow NYC ceilings.
Yes. Fixtures over 50 lbs need a braced or fan-rated box, which we install if the existing box isn’t rated. For double-height spaces and stairwells we bring appropriate ladders or scaffolding. No fixture is too heavy or too high.
Yes — this is almost always a dimmer/driver compatibility mismatch. We replace the dimmer with one matched to your LED fixtures (forward-phase vs reverse-phase matters) and adjust low-end trim so dimming is smooth across the full range.
Yes — retail, office, restaurant, and gallery lighting throughout NYC, including track systems, emergency/exit lighting, and LED conversions that satisfy Local Law 88 requirements for covered buildings.
What our customers say
“They installed 14 recessed lights across our living room and kitchen in our Park Slope co-op — plaster ceilings, no attic access. Zero cracks, perfect layout, smooth dimming. The board approval paperwork was handled entirely by them.”
“Hung a 70 lb chandelier in our double-height entry in Riverdale. They reinforced the box, brought scaffolding, and it’s rock solid. Other electricians wouldn’t even quote it.”
“Whole-apartment LED retrofit plus Lutron dimmers in our UWS prewar. Everything dims smoothly — no buzz, no flicker. They clearly understand LED compatibility better than the last two electricians we tried.”
Get a free lighting quote
Tell us the rooms, the fixture types, and your ceiling situation — we’ll give you a written per-fixture or whole-room price, usually within 24 hours.