Choose all of the fixtures now and get a firm price that you like. If that drives down the suppliers price he won't be able to give the GC as much of a kick back and the GC will then have to raise the installation price.

In other words, you pay for it one way or another. Shopping for fixtures usually just gets you lower quality knock off fixtures with no warranty. If you want to do that just tell them you will supply the fixtures and the GC will raise the installation price and take them out of the warranty.

A contract is a negotiation so negotiate.

If you don't like a term of the contract, ask to change it. Worst that happens is they say no.

The advice above that shopping for fixtures gives you low quality, knockoffs is wrong.

I agree with Renovator, if you go this route, then choose everything in advance and put it in the contract.

But I go disagree that purchasing it yourself equals crap.

A kichler light fixture, is a kichler light fixture. Doesn't matter if I order it online or through my local lighting store.

However, if you order on your own, order well in advance and make sure you have the fixtures on hand when it's time for install. If any of the fixtures are broken, you will be responsible for exchanging them. Lighting can be hard as far as trying to determine the scale and seeing things in a showroom and getting help can be useful.

Contractors prefer to have you shop somewhere that they know will provide good quality, good service, and timely shipping. If a light comes in damaged, they know the company will assist you in getting it replaced. They don't know if AAAA Bail Bonds and Lighting Products will sell you something that will be the same quality, have all of it's parts, and get there on time.

If YOU are willing to assume the responsibility for all of that, then by all means write that into the contract. I would expect the install price to go up. Not necessarily because of any kickbacks to the contractor, but just because in the contractor's experience, he has had delays, incorrect product, and crappy products show up on site when the customer picked out the product. Delays cost money. Guess who ends up paying for those delays? And calculate that additional expense for the upcharge and you assuming all responsibilities for the product (including asking for warranty work or replacement) into your decision as to where you prefer to shop.

A Kichler fixture is always the same cheap fixture made in China except when it is a fake Kichler made in China.

REVIEW
"Amazon Verified Purchase
I had purchased three other lamps just like this one at a local store. I needed one more and purchased online. The one I received looked TOTALLY different from the ones I purchased in the store even though it was the same brand name and model. It was painted a cheap gold color (to look like brass) and was made of a cheap, light material. It is a VERY CHEAP knockoff of the real lamp. VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!"

Frankly, I would stay away from Kichler decorative lighting unless you are unable to see it and feel it before buying it.

We ended up buying 75% of our lighting through our GC's local lighting retailer. The prices were pretty competitive with online venders except the sales tax but I thought it was worth it for the service and peace of mind. We choose our lighting with one vender, but they went out of business. Thank god we had not placed our order yet. The other vendor that my GC uses did not carry all of the brands that I had chosen so I ordered them online. A few others, I found here and there i.e. Ethan allen. The item numbers matched. I think if you use a reputable online store ( we used lightinguniverse) then it's fine. Smaller towns have have limited availability and you gotta do what you gotta do. Granted we did go cheap on lighting so you probably think it's all crap, but it was the same crap I would have gotten from the lighting store.

My concern for the OP is that the lighting vendor gave us a significant discount compared to list price. If the vendor knows the home owner has no other options then he has no incentive to give such a discount.