How to use the recessed lighting cost calculator
- Count the fixtures and choose an existing finished ceiling or a new-construction / open ceiling.
- Treat routing around joists, drywall repair, paint and dimmers as extras unless the quote already includes them. HomeGuide lists about $200 per light to route around joists or ducts.
- For the wire run out to a shed or a long addition, check voltage drop on the voltage drop calculator and fill on the conduit fill calculator.
Existing ceilings versus new construction
HomeGuide (August 29, 2025) prices existing-ceiling work at $125–$300 per light (center $212.50) and new construction at $65–$175 (center $120), and also publishes a $180 national average that mixes both. HomeAdvisor (June 20, 2026) lists $100–$300 per fixture with a published $180 average. Fixr (January 31, 2025) lists $176–$328 per light (center $252). The existing-ceiling typical is the median of $212.50, $180 and $252, or $212.50 per light, with a spread of $180–$252. Six lights typically cost $1,275, in a $1,080–$1,512 band.
New-construction work has only one clearly independent per-light series (HomeGuide $65–$175). The calculator keeps that published spread and a $120 typical, and labels the mode as a single-source rate rather than inventing a second series. Thumbtack reports a $667 average project and $170 average labor with no reliable per-light installed basis, so it is not averaged in.
A worked example: six lights in an existing ceiling
Six recessed lights in a finished ceiling at $212.50 typically cost $1,275, with a spread of $1,080–$1,512. The same six lights in new construction, using HomeGuide only, typically cost $720 ($390–$1,050).
Sources & assumptions
How this calculator gets its numbers. Full method: our methodology.
- Existing-ceiling typical $212.50 per light is the median of HomeGuide’s $125–$300 mid, HomeAdvisor’s published $180 average, and Fixr’s $176–$328 mid.
- New construction uses HomeGuide only ($65–$175, typical $120) and keeps that published spread. It is labeled as a single-source rate.
- Thumbtack’s $667 average project and $170 average labor have no reliable per-light installed basis and are not averaged in.
Sources
- HomeGuide, Cost to Install Recessed Lighting. Aug 29, 2025: existing ceiling $125–$300 per light; new construction $65–$175; national average $180.
- HomeAdvisor, Recessed Lighting Installation Cost. Jun 20, 2026: $100–$300 per fixture including materials and labor; average $180.
- Fixr, Recessed Lighting Installation Cost. Jan 31, 2025: $176–$328 per light; 6-light project average $1,467.
Last reviewed . Product figures vary by brand; the label on what you buy wins.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to install six recessed lights?
In an existing ceiling, typically $1,275, from the $212.50 per light median of HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor and Fixr. The spread is $180–$252 per light, or $1,080–$1,512 for six.
Is new construction cheaper?
Usually, because the ceiling is still open. This page uses HomeGuide’s $65–$175 range (typical $120) for that mode and labels it as a single source, because a second independent new-construction series was not available.
Does the typical include drywall repair and dimmers?
Not as a separate guaranteed line. Many published per-light figures assume a straightforward install. HomeGuide lists about $200 extra per light to route around joists or ducts, drywall repair at $300–$1,500+, and dimmers at $55–$150.
Can I use this as a wiring design?
No. It is an installed-price estimate. Circuit design, voltage drop and conduit fill are separate checks, and a licensed electrician or the authority having jurisdiction has the last word.