New Construction recessed lighting question

11 years ago

I thought I had posted this last night so I apologize if this is double posted. We are currently designing our house and I'd like to put LED recessed lighting throughout. Reading these forums, it seems like the Cree CR6 or HD equivalent are the lights of choice. However, our architect just sent over a prelim electrical plan stating that LED recessed lighting runs $250-350 each with standard recessed lighting running $150 each. Researching this, I thought that the housing runs no more than $15 with the LED bulbs running $25-40 each. Obviously I'm not including installation but I'm not sure if he is either? Am I missing something? This will be a high-end home with >150 recessed lights so I am a bit concerned about this.

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Comments (7)

David
11 years ago
If halo cans , trim & led lamps are used + install costs perhaps.
David
11 years ago
You might want to find out more details such as
1. What sort of LED module - for example Cree LR6 DR1000 vs Cree CR6 vs Cree LR4 vs Halo vs CSL lighting ...
Some LED lighting packages have a list price > $100 per light.
2. Components for the recessed lighting - trim ring, housing, LED module, ...
3. Did the figure include estimates for installation?

A standard CR6/ CR4 package (using the standard trim and including the can) would have a price range between $40 - $60.
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attofarad
11 years ago
I would guess that he is including installation. I just had 16 additional 6" cans added, , and was charged $88 each for the cans and wiring. This was essentially new construction, since all sheetrock in the area was already torn out for my remodel. I'll probably be using Ecosmart "CR6" for $40 or so each, so no separate trim needed. Dimmers are additional.

As David said, the architect is probably specing something like the Halo, where there is separate trim, and the LED itself may cost 2x as much as the HD Cree.
eddiek1
Original Author
11 years ago
Not having talked to the architect yet, is Halo that much better in reliability and color reproduction to a standard PAR38 halogen? It just seems like $300 a can is pricey.
David
11 years ago
No. Halo is inferior to Cree. CSL is also pricey.

If you use the more commonly available Cree cr 6 or cr4 (eco4-575), the led module pricing is very competitive and actually better than cfl recessed lighting.
attofarad
11 years ago
Sylvania makes the RT6, which is a bit whiter (3000K) than the Cree CR6, and puts out more light. It dims well, and costs only slightly more than the Ecosmart 6". If I recall correctly, the color rendering isn't quite as good as the CR6, but I'm not sure that it is very noticeable.
lee676
11 years ago
It's commonplace for builders to charge a fortune for upgrades - they know when someone's spending $400,000 on a new house, it's easy to talk soon-to-be-homeowners into paying $900 extra for something that costs them only $300 and pocketing the rest, since they can just tack it onto the 30-year mortgage. If the builder won't give you a break on the Cree/Ecosmart lamps (make sure they know they're only $40 or $50 each, and don't require trim bezels), just go with the standard-fare Halo 6" (or 4") cans and incandescent lamps they give you, and buy the Cree lamps and install them yourself. Quite easy usually, after removing the floodlamp bulb and the trim kit they give you.