Lighting & Recessed Lighting Installation
Good lighting is both electrical infrastructure and part of how a finished room feels and functions.
J.I.C. Electric installs and modifies residential lighting systems for remodels, upgrades and existing spaces — layout, fixtures, switching and controls.
What Are You Trying to Fix About the Lighting?
Lighting complaints are usually specific. Pick the closest one.
The room is too dark
Usually a layout problem rather than a wattage problem — too few sources, in the wrong places.
- ✓Layout planned for the room and its use
- ✓Fixture count and spacing set for even coverage
- ✓Existing circuits evaluated for the added load
A photo of the room in the evening helps.
You want recessed lighting
Recessed layouts should be planned against the furniture and ceiling structure, not spaced evenly on a grid.
- ✓Locations checked against framing and obstructions
- ✓Trim and beam angle chosen for the purpose
- ✓Switching and dimming zones planned with the layout
Tell us the ceiling type and whether there is attic access.
Kitchen lighting
Kitchens need task light where you actually work, plus ambient and accent layers.
- ✓Task lighting over counters and the island
- ✓Under-cabinet lighting and its controls
- ✓Pendant locations coordinated with the millwork
Send the cabinet plan if there is one.
Bathroom lighting
Mirror lighting decides whether the room is usable. Ceiling light alone rarely does the job.
- ✓Vanity and mirror lighting placement
- ✓Separate control from ceiling and fan
- ✓Required protection for the location
Note whether the vanity is moving.
Dimmers buzz or flicker
Almost always a compatibility problem between the dimmer, the driver and the lamp.
- ✓Dimmer and fixture compatibility checked
- ✓Correct control type specified
- ✓Verified before fixtures are ordered where possible
Tell us the fixture and dimmer models if known.
Replacing fixtures
Straight swaps, heavier fixtures, relocated boxes or converting a can to a pendant.
- ✓Box and support suitability confirmed
- ✓Wiring and controls updated as needed
- ✓Ceiling repair needs identified up front
Fixture weight and location matter here.
Interior Lighting Work
This page covers lighting inside the property. Exterior and landscape lighting is handled on its own page.
Recessed Lighting Installation
New recessed layouts in existing ceilings or during remodel and construction work.
Lighting Layout Planning
Fixture locations planned around furniture, millwork and how the room is actually used.
Ceiling Fixture Installation
Flush, semi-flush, pendant and chandelier installation with appropriate support.
Kitchen Lighting
Task, ambient and accent lighting including under-cabinet and island lighting.
Bathroom Lighting
Vanity, mirror and ceiling lighting with the protection the location requires.
Dimmers & Controls
Dimmer, switch and control installation with compatibility verified for the fixtures.
Switching Changes
New switch locations, three-way conversions and switch bank reorganization.
Fixture Replacement
Replacing existing fixtures, including heavier fixtures needing different support.
Lighting Circuits & Wiring
The wiring behind the layout — new circuits where the existing ones cannot carry it.
Outdoor Lighting
Landscape, path and architectural lighting are covered separately.
Landscape & Outdoor Lighting →
What Makes a Lighting Layout Work
Most disappointing lighting was installed competently and planned casually.
- 1Design
Start with the room
What happens in the space, where people sit, work and walk — before any fixture is placed.
- 2Design
Layer the light
Ambient, task and accent layers on separate controls, so one room can be several rooms.
- 3Feasibility
Respect the structure
Framing, ducts and plumbing decide where a can light can actually go.
- 4Before ordering
Specify the controls
Dimmer and driver compatibility, plus switch locations a hand actually reaches.
- 5Capacity
Check the circuit
Added fixtures and controls have to land on a circuit that can carry them.
- 6Finish
Keep it consistent
Trim style and color temperature consistent within the sightline so the room reads as one design.
Lighting is where sloppy work is most visible
Crooked trims, mismatched color temperature and a switch bank in the middle of a tile pattern are all avoidable. Approximately 20 years of residential work means the layout is planned and the trim lines up.
Two completed lighting layouts photographed in the finished rooms — a full recessed and fan plan across a renovated Del Cerro ranch, and recessed plus linear lighting through two modern units in Golden Hill.
Whole-home ranch renovation
- Property / project type
- 1960s single-story ranch on a canyon lot
- Electrical challenge
- Original branch wiring and undersized distribution throughout
- Scope of work
- Panel replacement, complete rewire, recessed LED on dimmers, kitchen appliance circuits, fan-rated boxes, deck lighting, smoke and CO coverage
- Result
- Labeled panel, tested circuits, passed final inspection
Two-unit infill, separately metered
- Property / project type
- Two-unit modern infill on a single urban lot
- Electrical challenge
- Two metered services and two inspection scopes on one schedule
- Scope of work
- Separate metering and panels per unit, parallel rough-in, recessed and linear lighting, kitchen and laundry circuits, device layout around full-height glazing
- Result
- Both units trimmed and passed on the same inspection cycle
Lighting Questions
Can recessed lighting be added to a finished ceiling?+
Usually yes. Access from above or through the ceiling determines the approach, and any patching needs are identified before the work starts.
How many recessed lights does a room need?+
It depends on the ceiling height, the room size, the fixture beam angle and what happens in the room. The layout is planned rather than spaced by formula.
Why do my LED lights flicker on a dimmer?+
Typically a compatibility issue between the dimmer and the fixture driver. The correct control type resolves most cases.
Can you put existing lights on dimmers?+
Often yes, if the fixtures are dimmable and the wiring supports it. Both get checked first.
Can you move a light fixture?+
Yes. Relocation involves new wiring and a new box, and ceiling patching is planned in advance.
Do you handle outdoor lighting too?+
Yes, on the Landscape & Outdoor Lighting page — different fixtures, transformers and design considerations.
Planning a Lighting Project?
Tell us which rooms and what is wrong with the lighting now. Photos taken in the evening are more useful than daytime ones.
- ✓Layout planned for the room, not a grid
- ✓Control compatibility checked before ordering
- ✓Works for single rooms or whole houses