Hi all,

I've read a number of threads here on LEDs, including the davidtay master thread of greatness, and went that route for our new construction house. Now that it is time to pull the trigger, I am a little gun shy. Here's what we have for a roughly 4000 sq ft house:

7 exterior sconces (SLV outbeam g9 - halogen?) at $142.4 each
120+ interior recessed lights -- 4" housing (txf f501al) at $12 + 4" LED Cree CR4, 3000 K at $45 = $57 total
3 directional recessed LED 3000 K (halo housing, light, trim in white) = ~$120 total per each
20+ exterior recessed LED 3000 K (halo housing, light, trim in black) = ~$120 total per each
6 WAC LED step lights at $86 each
2 interior sconces Edge 4" Alpha LED at $153.45
2-3 60" Emerson LOFT fan at $224 each (living spaces)
4-5 54" Minka Aire fans at $206 each (bedrooms)
A variety of bathroom sconces, all incandescent

If anyone has thoughts about what you see above, general or specific, I would appreciate it. Here are a few of my specific concerns or questions:

1. Recessed cans -- Wow, Halo is double the price of the CR4s? That's a lot and it adds up with this many cans. I think we need it for the directional lights because there doesn't seem to be a CR4 version that is directional/on a gimble. For the exterior, we need it to be black, and Cree doesn't appear to have trim kits. Some suggested that I could just paint the trims on the CR4s and use them outside. Is that true? Any other way to make this cheaper (other than just eliminating cans)?

2. So that I understand this correction, with the CR4s, once the bulb (or more likely the necessary circuitry) fails, I need to purchase an entirely new unit at ~$45 per unit? That seems pricey, but I assume the math works out that this better expense than a traditional incandescent flood over the life of the bulb? How long can I expect the CR4s to last? Hopefully a really long time because that will be a pretty large expense given how many of these we have.

3. How do the prices look? Seem fair?

Thanks in advance!