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Recessed Lighting Installation Ann Arbor, MI
LED recessed lights for plaster ceilings, tree-shaded rooms and new basements, wired on a sound circuit with a matching dimmer. Free written quote.
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3D Electric offers Recessed Lighting Installation Ann Arbor, MI for older city houses, rentals near campus and newer homes in Pittsfield and Scio townships. We plan the layout with you, run new wire to each spot and finish with an LED dimmer that suits the fixtures. This page on Recessed Lighting Installation Ann Arbor, MI covers what changes when the ceiling belongs to an Ann Arbor house.
We are a family-owned, licensed and insured crew working out of Belleville, about 18 to 22 miles east along I-94. Every quote is free and written before work starts. Lighting is one part of our electrical work across Ann Arbor, and the 3D Electric Ann Arbor overview covers the city and the townships we reach.
Lectro's tip
Before the quote visit, peek into the attic above the room with a flashlight and note which way the joists run.
Why Ann Arbor rooms end up dim
Ann Arbor is known as Tree Town, and the name fits. Mature trees shade most of the older streets, so many living rooms stay dim even at noon. Older houses were also built with one ceiling fixture per room, or none, and a switched outlet for a lamp.
Recessed lights fix both problems without hanging anything low. A row of 4-inch or 6-inch LED lights spreads even light across the room, and a dimmer lets you turn it down at night.
Where people start
A kitchen with one center light and dark counters.
A front room under a heavy tree canopy.
A basement that still runs on bare bulbs with pull chains.
A home office or study that needs steady, glare-free light.
Recessed lights in older city houses
The Old West Side dates to the 1800s and sits on the National Register, and other blocks near downtown and the University of Michigan hold older houses too. Their ceilings bring three questions we answer before quoting.
Plaster and lath
Plaster cracks if it is cut the wrong way. We score each opening and cut it slowly, and we keep the dust inside a covered work area. Canless wafer lights help here, since each one needs only a small round hole and very little depth above it.
Getting wire across the ceiling
A story-and-a-half house often has a knee-wall attic or a finished room above, so we fish wire between joists from below. Joist direction decides how the rows line up. We check it with you before anyone cuts.
The circuit behind the switch
Some older houses still have original wiring with no ground wire. We do not tie new lights into a circuit we cannot trust. If the old circuit is in poor shape, we run a new one from the panel for the lights.
Basements and kitchens in Pittsfield and Scio
Township homes are often newer, with a 200-amp panel and a basement waiting to be finished. Ann Arbor is hilly, and a sloped lot often comes with a walkout basement.
Open joists before drywall
An unfinished basement is the simplest place to add recessed lights. We set the boxes and pull cable while the joists are open, then come back after paint to install the lights and dimmers. Plan the layout around ducts and beams, since a bulkhead can push a light off its row.
Low basement ceilings
Thin LED wafer lights sit almost flush, so they suit a basement ceiling that cannot lose an inch. They also fit under ducts where a full can will not.
Insulated ceilings below an attic
Top-floor rooms sit right under attic insulation. Any light there must be rated for insulation contact and air-tight, so warm air stays in the room through a Michigan winter.
Planning the layout for each room
A good plan starts with what happens in the room. We walk through each space at the quote visit and mark the spots together.
Room | What we plan around | Usual choice |
|---|---|---|
Kitchen | Light over the counter edge, not behind you | 4-inch lights in rows, neutral white |
Living room | Even light plus a dimmer for evenings | 6-inch lights, warm white |
Basement | Ducts, beams and ceiling height | Thin wafer lights on two switches |
Hallway or stairs | Switching from both ends | A few lights on a three-way circuit |
Pick one color temperature per room, and use the same fixture throughout so the light matches. Our recessed lighting guide explains spacing, sizes and trims in more depth.
Rentals and multi-unit houses
Many houses near campus are rentals. Landlords often ask for LED recessed lights because they last a long time and need no bulb changes between tenants. We can use one fixture model across every unit, so a spare trim fits anywhere. Work in an occupied unit is planned with the tenant, and we clean up the same visit.
Permits, panels and the rest of the job
Adding a circuit or new wiring for lights usually needs an electrical permit. Inside the city, the Building Department in Build, Rent, Inspect at 301 E. Huron St. issues it through the STREAM online system. Pittsfield and Scio townships run their own offices. Confirm current requirements for your address, and the quote says whether we file one.
When the panel comes first
LED lights draw little power, so most jobs fit on one new circuit. A full fuse box with no room is different. Then an electrical panel upgrade in Ann Arbor may come first, and a house on a small old feed may need a 200 amp service upgrade for Ann Arbor homes.
One trip, more done
Since we drive in from Belleville, we like a full list. If you are also thinking about backup power, ask about standby generator installation in Ann Arbor at the same visit. Send your rooms through the Ann Arbor estimate request or our main contact page.
Related pages
Panels, service, chargers, surge protection and repairs
Flickering lights and dead circuits traced to the cause
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually, yes. We score and cut each opening slowly so the plaster does not crack, and canless wafer lights need only a small hole. The framing above decides where the rows can go.
Interior lights do not change how the house looks from the street, so they rarely raise the question. Exterior changes are different. If you are adding lights under the eaves or on the front, ask the city first.
Yes. Thin LED wafer lights sit almost flush with the drywall, so they keep headroom and fit under ducts. We plan the rows around beams and bulkheads.
It depends on the parcel. City addresses go through the Building Department and its STREAM system, while Pittsfield and Scio townships each have their own office. We check the parcel before filing.
Sometimes. If the existing circuit has room and is in good shape, we can use it. If it is old, ungrounded or overloaded, we run a new circuit from the panel instead.