Lighting That Works — and That’s Safe
Lighting is the most frequently touched part of any home’s electrical system, which makes it one of the most important to get right. Poorly installed fixtures overheat. Underpowered dimmers hum and flicker. Outdoor fixtures wired without proper weatherproofing corrode and create shock hazards. Code compliance isn’t a formality — it protects your home and your family.
PowerPlus Electric has been installing lighting throughout Fairfield and New Haven County since 2004. We handle everything from single fixture swaps to full recessed lighting layouts, new circuit runs for kitchen upgrades, and landscape lighting systems for larger properties. CT E1 #197810. Free estimates on all projects.
Recessed Lighting
Recessed lighting is one of our most requested jobs — and for good reason. Clean-installed recessed cans eliminate the visual clutter of surface fixtures, spread light more evenly, and work with dimmers to give a room real flexibility.
New construction installs are straightforward: new cans, new wiring, new circuits laid out before drywall goes up. Retrofit installs — adding recessed lighting to existing finished ceilings — require more planning. We assess attic access, confirm the ceiling material, determine whether existing circuits can handle the added load, and route wiring to minimize drywall work. In most rooms, retrofit recessed lighting can be completed without opening up the ceiling.
We specify IC-rated (insulation contact) recessed cans anywhere insulation is present, and airtight fixtures to meet Connecticut energy code requirements. Trim styles and color temperatures are your choice — we handle the electrical side.
Dimmer Switches and Wiring
A dimmer installation is not just a switch swap. The wiring at the box must support a dimmer, the circuit load must fall within the dimmer’s rated capacity, and — critically — the light fixtures must be dimmer-compatible. Pairing an incompatible LED bulb or fixture with a dimmer causes flickering, buzzing, and premature bulb failure.
When we install a dimmer, we verify all three: the box wiring, the circuit, and fixture compatibility. For whole-room dimmer upgrades — say, a new recessed layout on a 3-way or 4-way system — we’ll plan the wiring before any hardware goes in. Lighting scenes that actually work the way you expect them to require this upfront coordination.
We install Lutron, Leviton, and other major dimmer brands. Smart dimmers (Caseta, Decora Smart) are available and can be wired to work with or without a neutral wire depending on your existing wiring.
Outdoor and Landscape Lighting
Outdoor lighting presents different technical requirements than interior work. Every fixture must be rated for wet or damp locations as appropriate. Junction boxes must be weatherproof. Conduit is used where code requires it. Motion sensor wiring must account for the sensor’s activation range and any interference from nearby structures or vegetation.
Security and area lighting — flood lights, soffit-mounted fixtures, garage lighting — is typically wired directly to a 120V circuit. We mount fixtures, run conduit where required, and connect back to your panel.
Low-voltage landscape lighting runs on a transformer wired to a standard 120V outlet. We install the transformer, run the low-voltage cable, mount pathway lights, spotlights, and accent fixtures, and set the timer or dusk-to-dawn sensor. Permits when required for the work.
Motion sensor lighting is installed throughout the service area — driveway lights, entry lights, back-of-house security. We set the sensitivity and timeout at install so the light behaves as expected from day one.
Under-Cabinet and Accent Lighting
Under-cabinet lighting requires a power source behind or above your cabinets — which means fishing wire through walls and adding a switch or outlet in the right location. This is not a plug-in job if you want a clean finished result. We run the wiring in the wall, install a dedicated switch or connect to an existing switched circuit, and leave you with no exposed wiring and no power bricks on the counter.
Accent lighting — toe-kick lighting, cabinet uplighting, cove lighting — follows similar principles. We discuss the visual result you’re after, then plan the wiring and switch layout to match.
LED Upgrades and Fixture Replacement
Replacing a fixture is one of the simpler jobs we do — but it’s worth doing right. We confirm the box can support the fixture weight, inspect the wiring at the junction box, and verify the circuit is appropriate for the new fixture. For LED conversions, we check driver compatibility and confirm the fixture is rated for the circuit.
For whole-home LED upgrade projects — replacing multiple fixtures throughout the house, converting recessed cans to LED-compatible trims, upgrading chandelier wiring — we’ll scope the project on-site and give you a complete estimate before any work begins.
Pricing typically $150–$2,500 depending on project scope. This is an estimate only — get a free on-site quote.
What to Expect
Most lighting jobs are completed in a single visit. We arrive with the necessary hardware if you’ve chosen fixtures, or we install owner-supplied fixtures. For larger projects — multi-room recessed layouts, new circuit runs, outdoor systems — we’ll discuss the timeline on-site before work begins.
Permits are handled by us when required for the work. CT law determines which lighting projects require permits; we know the rules and pull what’s needed.
PowerPlus Electric is available 7AM–11PM, 7 days a week. Call (203) 747-5335 for a free estimate.
