Homeowners love recessed lighting for its clean ceiling lines, flexible beam angles, and the instant upgrade it gives to kitchens, living rooms, and finished basements. Yet the first question our project consultants hear at CountBricks.com is the same: “How much does it cost to install recessed lighting?” The answer depends on several factors—some obvious, others hidden inside your attic, joist bays, and electrical panel. Below you’ll find a detailed cost roadmap built from thousands of residential projects completed with CountBricks AI estimates and field-verified invoices.
• Builder-grade canless LED: $20 – $45 per unit
• Mid-range dimmable or color-selectable LED: $45 – $80 per unit
• Designer trim or smart-home-ready fixtures: $80 – $150+ per unit
Fixtures make up roughly 20-35 % of total spend. CountBricks catalogs over 12,000 SKUs in real time, so our material pricing updates every morning at CountBricks.com/services.
• Single-story homes with attic access: 0.75-1.25 labor hours per light
• Multi-story or finished-ceiling retrofits: 1.5-2.25 labor hours per light
• Premium fire-rated or sound-dampened assemblies: add 15-25 % to labor
Licensed electricians on the CountBricks network charge $65-$120/hour depending on regional wage averages tracked by our AI cost engine.
• Open breaker slots and modern 14/2 or 12/2 wiring: no additional cost
• Minor breaker upgrades or AFCI/GFCI protection: $150-$350
• Panel replacement or service upgrade: $1,800-$3,500
CountBricks AI flags panel deficiencies during the digital blueprint takeoff so surprises are minimized before the first hole is cut.
• Standard drywall: baseline labor
• Plaster or lath: add 10-15 % for demolition and patching
• Tongue-and-groove wood or faux beams: add 20-30 %
Ceiling height also matters—anything over 10 ft requires staging that can tack on $2-$3 per square foot of platform coverage.
1. Fixtures: $160-$270
2. Labor: $300-$550
3. Electrical materials: $60-$90
Total: $520-$910
1. Fixtures: $360-$700
2. Labor: $800-$1,300
3. Electrical materials & AFCI breaker: $200-$350
Total: $1,360-$2,350
1. Fixtures: $1,600-$3,000
2. Labor: $2,800-$4,600
3. Panel upgrade & permits: $2,000-$3,500
Total: $6,400-$11,100
• Insulation removal or replacement around IC-rated cans
• Fire blocking in multi-family dwellings
• Decorative ceiling medallions or trim kits requested after rough-in
• Municipal permits—$75-$250 depending on jurisdiction
Traditional estimating takes hours of manual fixture counts, code checks, and phone calls to suppliers. With CountBricks voice-activated estimating, our platform listens to your conversation, loads the correct blueprints, and auto-populates:
• Fixture quantities and SKUs pulled from today’s price tables
• Labor hours matched to your zip-code wage index
• Permit and inspection line items tailored to local code
The result is a shareable PDF estimate and invoice ready before you hang up the call. View a sample at CountBricks.com/portfolio.
• Choose canless fixtures to cut rough-in time by up to 30 %
• Group switches on smart dimmers instead of individual modules
• Schedule installation before insulation is blown in for new builds
• Run low-voltage speaker or data lines simultaneously to reduce future ceiling cuts
• Lock material pricing with CountBricks early—our AI tracks supplier promos daily
Whether you’re adding four accent lights over a kitchen island or retrofitting an entire first floor, CountBricks delivers transparent cost data and vetted electricians. Speak your scope, watch the estimate build in real time, and sign digitally—all on one platform. Visit CountBricks.com/consultation to schedule your free call today.
When the Chen family in Albany wanted to brighten their 1980s kitchen, they called CountBricks hoping for “just a ballpark.” Using our voice chat, Mrs. Chen described the 12′ × 18′ room, existing fluorescent box fixture, and desire for dimmable warm LEDs. While she spoke, the CountBricks estimator opened the digital blueprint, clicked the kitchen zone, and selected six 6-inch canless fixtures from our preferred vendor catalog.
1. The AI engine compared open-attic access against local labor benchmarks and set the install time at 6.2 hours.
2. It flagged the home’s 100-amp panel as adequate, eliminating a $2,000 upgrade the Chens feared.
3. Within three minutes, a line-item estimate of $1,280 (fixtures, labor, permit) appeared on their screen.
Because CountBricks pulls supplier inventory daily, we suggested a weekend promotion that shaved another $72 off materials. The Chens e-signed the proposal that night, and our licensed electrician completed the work the following Saturday—no change orders, no surprises. The final invoice matched the original AI estimate within $3 due to a permit fee adjustment.
• Real-time material pricing locked in at quote stage
• Labor hours calculated from 500,000+ historic CountBricks tasks
• Digital blueprint takeoff eliminated quantity errors
CountBricks isn’t just software; it’s a network of vetted trades, transparent data, and frictionless paperwork. Whether you need four lights in a hallway or a whole-home smart lighting overhaul, the process is identical:
• Speak your vision over video or phone
• Watch the cost model build live
• Approve, schedule, and pay on the same dashboard
Visit CountBricks.com/services to experience cost certainty the moment inspiration strikes.
