Based in the Phoenix Valley.

Licensed and bonded. Arizona ROC 326650BBB A+

Shawkes Electric
(602) 879-5489Get a free estimate

Lighting and fans

Interior and accent lighting in the Phoenix Valley

Under-cabinet strips, a backlit media wall, recessed cans where one ceiling light used to be. Shane plans the circuit and the switching so the light lands where you want it and dims without flicker.

Get a free estimateor call (602) 879-5489
Color temperature
2700K to 3000K for living spaces
Recessed cans
$150 to $250 each
Layout
Marked on the ceiling with you

Signs a room needs better lighting

  • The kitchen has one light in the middle and the counters are in shadow.
  • I want the TV wall backlit with the wires hidden.
  • Our recessed lights are the old yellow cans and half of them flicker.
  • The living room has no ceiling light at all, just a switched outlet.

What a lighting job involves

Good lighting starts with a layout. Shane marks every fixture on the ceiling with you before we cut, spaced to the room. On an 8 foot ceiling, recessed lights about 4 feet apart and about 2 feet from the walls give even light, and in a kitchen they sit over the counter edge so you are not working in your own shadow.

We install traditional recessed cans and canless wafer lights. A can has a housing above the ceiling and suits rooms with attic access. A wafer is about an inch thin and mounts in the drywall with a small junction box, which helps under a second floor or where the joists are tight.

Recessed light layout for a 16 by 10 foot roomPlan view of a 16 by 10 foot room with an 8 foot ceiling and eight recessed lights in two rows of four. The lights are 4 feet apart, 2 feet from the end walls and 3 feet from the side walls, on one dimmer.2 ft4 ft3 ft4 ftDimmerRoom 16 ft by 10 ft, 8 ft ceilingLights about 4 ft apart and 2 to 3 ft from the walls
On an 8 foot ceiling, spacing recessed lights about 4 feet apart gives even light across the room.

What a lighting job costs

Prices on these pages are typical ranges for Phoenix Valley homes. Shane gives you the real number in writing after he sees the job.

Under-cabinet lighting, typical kitchen

$600 to $1,400

Recessed can, each, in an accessible ceiling

$150 to $250

What moves the price

Under-cabinet lighting for a typical kitchen runs $600 to $1,400 installed. Recessed cans run $150 to $250 each in an accessible ceiling.

No attic access, a second floor above, or smart dimmers and several zones move the number up.

What moves the number

Attic access
Cans in a ceiling with attic above are straightforward. Cans under a flat roof or a second floor mean fishing wire.
Count and layout
Six cans on one dimmer is one price. Sixteen cans in three zones is another.
Low voltage strips
Strip lighting needs a driver and a place to hide it. Good placement is most of the work.

How the options compare

Recessed canCanless waferLED tape
Space above the ceilingRoom for a housingAbout an inchNone, it mounts on a surface
Insulation contactIC-rated housing requiredMost models rated for contactNot in the ceiling
Best forGeneral light with attic accessTight joists or a floor aboveUnder cabinets, coves and backlit walls
DimmingOn an LED-rated dimmerOn an LED-rated dimmerOn a dimmer matched to the driver

Get a written price for your lighting job.

Tell us the room and what you want lit, and Kai calls back the same business day to set the layout visit.

Get a free estimateor call (602) 879-5489

What the price includes

What is included

  • Layout marked on the ceiling with you before we cut
  • Fixtures, drivers and dimmers matched to each other
  • Switch legs and new switches where needed
  • Permit when the job needs one
  • IC-rated fixtures wherever insulation touches them

What is not included

  • Drywall patch and paint
  • Cabinet modification to hide strips
  • Outdoor and roofline lighting, quoted separately

How the job goes

  1. 1

    Visit and layout

    Within a few days of your call Shane walks the room with you, marks the fixture spots and checks the attic.

  2. 2

    Written price

    Within a day or two of the visit Priced by the fixture and the zone, with the dimmer type for each zone.

  3. 3

    Install

    1 to 2 days for most rooms Holes cut to the fixture size, wire run from the attic, fixtures and drivers set.

  4. 4

    Final walk-through

    Before we leave Dimmers set, scenes saved and the room cleaned up.

The number on the quote is the number on the invoice.

Permits, inspection and code

Adding recessed lights or a new lighting circuit is wiring work, and the permit rules come from your city, or from the county outside city limits.

The permit office and the utility change by city. We cover Ahwatukee, Maricopa, Mesa, Queen Creek and Apache Junction.

What code asks for

  • A recessed light that touches insulation must be rated IC for insulation contact.
  • Under-cabinet lighting cannot connect to the countertop outlet circuits. Those circuits serve outlets only.
  • Junction boxes and remote drivers have to stay accessible, never sealed behind drywall.

Photos from our jobs

Tap a photo to see it larger.

What customers say

Quoted word for word.

★★★★★

Shane helped me out with lighting in the man-cave and bathroom. He was very professional and honest. Clean work and highly recommend.

Amer NoueihedGoogle review

The license and the record

Arizona ROC license
326650, class R-11
BBB rating
A+, zero complaints
In business
Since 2007
Estimates
Free, in writing

Look up ROC 326650 on the state site

Questions about interior and accent lighting

Anything else, call (602) 879-5489 or send the form below.

Can you add recessed lights without wrecking the ceiling?

With attic access, yes. The holes are the size of the can and nothing else gets cut.

What color temperature should I pick?

2700K to 3000K for living spaces. 3500K for kitchens and baths if you like a cleaner white.

Can I replace old cans with LED without new holes?

Usually, yes. An LED retrofit trim screws into the old can's socket and fills the same hole.

How many recessed lights does a room need?

Spacing the lights about half the ceiling height apart is a good start, so about 4 feet apart on an 8 foot ceiling. A 12 by 14 foot room usually lands at six to nine lights, depending on the trim size and how bright you want it.

Get a free estimate on interior and accent lighting.

Send the form and Kai calls or texts back to set a time. Shane looks at the actual job and writes the price. No charge for the visit.

What happens next

  1. Kai gets back to you the same day.
  2. Shane comes out and looks at the actual panel, circuit or roofline.
  3. You get the price and the install date in writing.

Rather talk? Call (602) 879-5489.

Step 1 of 4

What do you need done?

CallFree estimate