Set Your Budget

Lighting can cost surprisingly little or surprisingly much. Set a realistic budget before you fall in love with fixtures you can't afford.

Lighting Budget Calculator

Flush Mounts

Pendants

Chandeliers

Fixture Quality Tier

Number of Bulbs

Basic Dimmers ($20 ea)

Smart Switches ($50 ea)

LED Strip (feet @ $4/ft)

Under-Cabinet Lights ($45 ea)

Electrician Hours ($100/hr)

4 hours = $400

Fixtures (3 items)$375

Bulbs (15 basic led)$120

Switches & Dimmers$160

Electrician Labor$400

15% Buffer$158

Total Budget$1,213

Solid Upgrade: Several fixtures, dimmers, and smart controls. Noticeable improvement.

$50-$500+ each

Flush mounts $50-150. Pendants $75-300. Chandeliers $150-500+. Statement pieces more.

$10-$40 each

Basic smart $10-15. Color-changing $25-40. Hue and LIFX on higher end.

$30-$60 each

Basic dimmer $15-25. Smart dimmer $40-60. Lutron Caseta, TP-Link popular options.

$75-$150/hour

Simple swap $50-100. New recessed $150-200 per can. Complex work adds up.

Splurge on: Dining chandelier, entryway fixture, kitchen island pendants. High-visibility spots.
Save on: Recessed cans (all look the same), closet fixtures, utility spaces.
Don't skip: Quality dimmers and smart switches. You use these daily.
Good cheap options: IKEA, Amazon Basics, Wayfair sales. Great for less visible spots.

•Add 15-20% buffer: Unexpected costs happen. Electrician finds old wiring, etc.
•Phase the project: Do high-priority rooms first. Spread costs over time.
•Watch for sales: Black Friday, Labor Day, end of model year. Big fixture savings.
•DIY what you can: Fixture swaps and smart bulbs save labor costs.