Dimmer incompatibility
Many older dimmers aren't designed for LED loads and cause flickering, buzzing, or fittings that won't dim smoothly.
LED lighting installsfor homes and businessesin South Hampshire
Better light, lower running costs, and a tidy finish, planned around your rooms and how you actually use them, priced in writing before we start.
Rated 5.0 on Google · 12+ years in the trade · NAPIT registered
18th Edition
Installations carried out to current wiring regulations
NAPIT registered
Notifiable work reported to building control directly
£5m / £10m cover
Public and employer's liability insurance in place
5.0 on Google
Rated by clients across South Hampshire
Clean, tidy working
Dust sheets down, site left as we found it
Overview
What an LED lighting install covers
An LED lighting install replaces or adds fittings, downlights, spotlights, strip lighting, pendants, or outdoor fittings, and the wiring, switching, and control gear that supports them. It's rarely just a fitting swap: the circuit, dimming compatibility, and layout of the lights often need attention too if the result is going to look right and work reliably.
It suits kitchens and bathrooms being refitted, living spaces that need better light for how they're actually used, gardens and driveways where outdoor lighting adds usability and security, and whole-house upgrades where every room is moving from older fittings to LED. It's also common after a rewire or extension, when a room's lighting is being designed from scratch rather than adapted.
LEDs are not a drop-in replacement for every existing fitting or dimmer. Getting a genuinely good result, even light levels, no flicker, dimmers that work smoothly, and fittings rated for their location, depends on choosing the right products and wiring them correctly, which is where a qualified installer earns their keep over a DIY swap.
Who it's for
Homeowners refitting a room, upgrading whole-house lighting, or adding garden and security lighting.
When it's needed
Kitchen or bathroom refits, extensions, ageing or inefficient fittings, or a lighting scheme that no longer suits the space.
What you get
New or replacement fittings, correctly wired circuits and switching, and a minor works or EIC certificate as the job requires.
Why it matters
Poorly matched dimmers, undersized cabling, or wrong-rated fittings cause flicker, buzzing, or early failure.
What happens if it is left
Where LED installs commonly go wrong
LED fittings and control gear behave differently to the old incandescent and halogen fittings many circuits were originally wired for, and a straight swap can create problems that only show up once everything is installed.
Wrong fitting for the location
Bathrooms, showers, and outdoor areas need fittings rated for that environment's moisture and impact exposure.
Overloading a single circuit
Adding multiple fittings to an existing lighting circuit without checking its capacity can push it beyond what it was designed for.
Poor heat management
Recessed downlights fitted into insulated ceilings need fittings and clearances suited to that installation, or heat can build up.
Common mistakes we are called out to fix
- Buying fittings before checking dimmer and driver compatibility.
- Fitting non-rated downlights into bathroom zones or insulated ceiling voids.
- Ignoring the existing circuit's capacity when adding several new fittings.
- Treating outdoor lighting as a simple extension of an indoor circuit without proper outdoor-rated cable and protection.
Our process
How we plan and install LED lighting
A good lighting install starts with how you use the room, not with a fitting catalogue.
- 01
Discuss the space
We talk through how each room or area is used, where light is needed, and any dimming or control preferences.
- 02
Plan the layout
We work out fitting positions, circuit routing, and switching arrangements, and confirm suitable fittings for each location.
- 03
Written quote
You receive a written quote covering the fittings, wiring, and any consumer unit or circuit changes needed.
- 04
Install and test
We carry out the wiring and fitting installation, testing each circuit and dimmer combination as we go.
- 05
Certify and hand over
We issue the appropriate certificate for the work and notify building control directly where it's notifiable.
What you get
What you get from a properly installed LED lighting scheme
Speed
We can usually turn around straightforward installs quickly once scheduled.
Safety
Correctly rated fittings and circuits protection reduce fire and shock risk compared with mismatched components.
Longevity
Fittings and drivers chosen for the location and load last longer and fail less often.
Cost clarity
Every install is priced individually once we understand the scope, with a written quote before work starts.
Reliability
Compatible dimmers and drivers mean no flicker, buzzing, or intermittent faults.
Peace of mind
Correct certification and Part P notification where required, and a clean, tidy job site throughout.
In detail
The detail behind a good LED installation
Fittings, drivers, and dimmers
LED fittings rely on driver circuitry to convert mains supply into the current the LEDs need, and that driver has to be matched to the fitting and, where dimming is wanted, to a dimmer designed for LED loads rather than older resistive dimmers. Mismatches between driver, dimmer, and fitting are the single most common cause of flicker and buzzing in LED installs.
Colour temperature and beam angle also matter more with LEDs than they did with older lamp types, because the wrong choice is far more noticeable and harder to correct after installation. We talk through these choices with you before ordering fittings, not after they're on the wall.
Circuit and control planning
Adding downlights or a garden lighting run to an existing lighting circuit needs the circuit's existing load checked first, since too many fittings on one circuit can exceed what it was designed to carry. Where a room's lighting is being significantly extended, a new circuit from the consumer unit is often the better long-term solution rather than extending an already loaded one.
Switching and control layout is planned alongside the fittings themselves: multi-way switching, dimmer positions, and any smart or scene-based control need to be agreed before cabling goes in, since retrofitting extra control wiring later is far more disruptive.
Location-specific requirements
Bathroom lighting has to account for zoning around baths and showers, with fittings rated appropriately for each zone. Outdoor lighting needs weatherproof fittings, suitably rated cable, and correct circuit protection given its exposure to moisture and temperature swings. Recessed downlights in insulated lofts or ceiling voids need fittings and fire-rated covers suited to that build-up, so heat isn't trapped against combustible material.
Residential and commercial scope
Domestic installs are typically room-by-room or whole-house, focused on comfort, task lighting, and kerb appeal outdoors. Commercial premises often need lighting planned around specific areas of use, switching zones, and existing distribution board capacity, so the scope is assessed on site rather than assumed. In both cases, notifiable work is reported to building control directly as part of the job.
Recent work
Photographs from jobs we have completed
Scroll across to see more of our completed work.
Common questions
Answers before you get in touch
How much does an LED lighting install cost?
Every install is priced individually once we know the number and type of fittings, the wiring involved, and any circuit changes needed, we confirm everything with a written quote first.
How long does an install take?
It depends on scope: a handful of downlights is quicker than a whole-house rewire of lighting circuits, and we'll give you a time estimate once the plan is agreed.
What's the process from enquiry to finished job?
We discuss the space, plan the layout and fittings, send a written quote, then carry out the install and test everything before handover.
Will I get a certificate for the work?
Yes, we issue a minor works certificate or EIC as appropriate, and notify building control directly where the work is notifiable under Part P.
How long do LED fittings last?
Lifespan depends on the fitting, driver quality, and how well the circuit and dimmer are matched to it; correctly specified fittings run reliably for a long service life.
When are you available to book?
We work Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, call 07730 498814 to check availability.
Do you install lighting across Southampton and Fareham too?
Yes, alongside Locks Heath we cover Warsash, Hedge End, Southampton, Fareham, Titchfield, Park Gate and Whiteley.
Can you fit dimmers to existing LED downlights?
In many cases yes, but the driver in the existing fitting needs checking for dimmer compatibility first, we'll assess this before quoting.
Related services
Other work we take on
Next step
Plan your LED lighting install
Tell us about the rooms or areas you want lit and we'll come back with a written quote, call 07730 498814 or get in touch online.
07730 498814
hardielectrical@outlook.com
Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm
NAPIT registered · £5m public liability · £10m employer’s liability