Downlight retrofit
The typical Dover kitchen re-light job: 8 to 14 old 50W GU10 halogen cans, pulling around 500W total, hot enough to melt loft insulation when covered. We swap them for fire-rated dimmable LED cans - typically 5W to 8W each, 3000K warm white or 4000K cool white, running on a Lutron rotary dimmer or a Rako smart dimmer.
Fire-rated means the can is designed to maintain the 30-minute or 60-minute fire integrity of the ceiling it is fitted into. In practice, always fire-rated.
Kitchen re-lights
Not just replacing bulbs - a proper kitchen re-light includes:
- Task lighting: fire-rated LED downlights over the worktop and hob (aim for 300-500 lux at the worktop)
- Feature: under-cabinet LED strip on a separate dimmer
- Ambient: pendant over the island or breakfast bar
- Dedicated cooker hood circuit if the new hood is over 750W
- Switching plan - two-way at the door and at the far end, dimmer at the door
Garden and driveway lighting
Outside work needs IP-rated fittings. In Dover coastal exposure - anywhere within 500m of the seafront - we spec IP65 minimum on wall-mounted and specify stainless-steel or marine-grade aluminium bodies. Painted-steel bollards fail in 3 to 5 years within salt-spray range.
Common driveway jobs: 6-10 IP65 bollards along a gravel or block-paved driveway, dedicated 6A radial with a timer-and-photocell control, or Wi-Fi smart control.
Listed-building lighting
Dover has around 500 Listed buildings. If your property is Grade II or Grade II* Listed, any new light fitting on a period elevation, any surface-mounted cable route on original plasterwork, and any switch or socket in an original-fabric room needs Listed Building Consent.
What we install: brass or bronze period-sympathetic fittings, cotton-braided flex, Bakelite or brass toggle switches. We handle the LBC application if you need us to.
Pricing
Downlight retrofit, 10 fire-rated cans: £395 to £520. Full kitchen re-light including switching plan: £650 to £980. Driveway lighting, 6-10 bollards with timer: £520 to £780. Listed-building fitting install per point: £85 to £140.
Why did my last set of LEDs fail so fast?
Usually one of three things. First - non-dimmable LED on a dimmer circuit (they overheat and the driver fails). Second - LEDs installed in a can with no thermal gap in loft insulation (the driver cooks). Third - cheap LED with a bad driver. We spec Aurora, Ansell, or Collingwood - all UK-market, all serviceable.