Concrete ceilings in condo buildings
You can't recess lights into a concrete slab. In condos we use low-profile surface LED fixtures, track or a dropped soffit to hide wiring.
Serving Lombard & nearby Villa Park, Glen Ellyn
Kitchen Lighting Installation in Lombard, IL
Recessed, pendant and under-cabinet lighting for Lombard kitchens, laid out so the counters are bright and wired by a licensed electrician.
- Crews working in Lombard ZIP 60148
- Most jobs done in days, with your kitchen still usable
- Samples and a written quote before we start
Kitchen lighting problems we solve in Lombard
A single fixture in the center of the ceiling leaves you working in your own shadow. Our Lombard electricians replace it with lights placed over the counters, the sink and the island, using LED fixtures that suit your ceiling and wiring.
Light that looks too blue or too yellow
Color temperature sets the mood. Warm white around 2700 to 3000K is common in kitchens, while cooler light can make wood and stone look harsh.
Under-cabinet lighting: hardwired or plug-in?
Hardwired LED strips run from a wall switch with the driver hidden in a cabinet, and the wiring disappears. Plug-in kits are simpler but leave a cord to an outlet.
Visible LED dots and glare under the cabinets
Cheap strip lights show a row of bright dots on glossy counters. We use diffused channels or fixtures and mount them toward the front of the cabinet.
Fluorescent box or panel that hums and flickers
Fluorescent tubes and ballasts wear out and are hard to dim. A switch to LED fixtures gives steadier light and dimming.
Pendants over the island
To hang pendants over a new island, the ceiling boxes have to be in the right spots and rated for the weight. We set them, then fine-tune the drop.
Switches in the wrong place or one switch for everything
We add switches at each kitchen entry and separate controls for ceiling, island and under-cabinet lighting.
Recessed lights under an insulated attic
On a top-floor kitchen, we use IC-rated, airtight recessed lights so the insulation stays in place and heat doesn't escape.
What the work covers
- Wiring and circuit checkExisting circuits checked for capacity; a permit pulled when new circuits are added.
- Old fixtures removedFluorescent boxes, old cans and outdated fixtures taken down and wiring made safe.
- Wire fished to fixtures and switchesWe pull wire from the switch to each fixture location.
- Fixtures installedRecessed, pendant, surface and under-cabinet lights mounted and connected.
- Switches and dimmersLED-compatible dimmers and separate switches for each lighting layer.
- Testing and adjustmentWe run each circuit and fine-tune before leaving.
- Patching and cleanupAccess holes patched and the kitchen cleaned of dust.
Materials and finishes
Under-cabinet LEDHardwired strips, puck lights or light bars mounted under the wall cabinets.
Recessed lightingCanless LED wafers or housings with LED trims, IC-rated where insulation is present.
Color temperature optionsLEDs in a consistent, warm color with good rendering.
Pendants and linear fixturesHanging fixtures that light the island and set the style.
Surface and flush fixturesLow-profile LED discs and flush or semi-flush fixtures for shallow or concrete ceilings.
Kitchens like yours in Lombard: before and after
Before
AfterLombard kitchen, postwar bi-level: kitchen lighting installation
The site: a postwar bi-level in Lombard. Before: a fluorescent box light. What bothered the owners most: an old fluorescent box that flickered. Finished kitchen: two glass pendants and recessed lights on separate switches. The job covered old fixtures removed, wire fished to fixtures and switches, plus switches and dimmers.
Before
AfterA Villa Park 1960s ranch: before and after
A 1960s ranch in Villa Park, a typical kitchen for Villa Park. The kitchen as it was: a round fluorescent ceiling ring. The reason for the call: an old fluorescent box that flickered. Finished kitchen: black cage pendants and slim recessed lights on separate switches. On site this meant wiring and circuit check, wire fished to fixtures and switches, plus switches and dimmers.
Kitchen Lighting Installation in Villa Park →
Before
AfterKitchen Lighting Installation in a 1960s ranch, Glen Ellyn
A 1960s ranch in Glen Ellyn, a typical kitchen for Glen Ellyn. Before: a dome ceiling light. The reason for the call: a single old light that left the counters in shadow. After: a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights on separate switches. On site this meant wire fished to fixtures and switches, switches and dimmers, plus patching and cleanup.
Kitchen Lighting Installation in Glen Ellyn →
Before
AfterKitchen Remodeling in a postwar Cape Cod, Lombard
Cabinets in dark teal with brushed nickel bar pulls, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters, a white 2x8 tile in a vertical stack backsplash, hickory luxury vinyl plank flooring and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Remodeling in Lombard →
Before
AfterKitchen Cabinet Painting in a 1950s ranch, Lombard
What changed: the same doors sprayed in powder blue, new satin brass pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Lombard →Day by day
- Share photos and plansSend photos of the kitchen, the ceiling and any fixtures you've picked.
- Layout visitAn electrician looks at the space and plans the layers and switching.
- Written estimateAn itemized estimate listing fixtures, wiring, switches, patching and any permit.
- Install and testFixtures wired and mounted, dimmers set, ceiling patched and everything tested.
Kitchen Lighting Installation questions from Lombard homeowners
Do I need a permit for kitchen lighting?
It depends on the scope. New wiring and circuits typically require a permit, which we pull.
Hardwired or plug-in under-cabinet lights?
Both work. Hardwired needs an electrician; plug-in needs a free outlet near each run.
How far from the cabinets should recessed lights be?
Lights too close to the uppers wash the doors; too far back leave you in shadow. We place them over the front of the counter.
How high should pendants hang over an island?
We start in the usual 30 to 36 inch range and adjust before fixing the final drop.
How much does kitchen lighting installation cost?
It depends on the number and type of fixtures, ceiling access, switching and any new circuits. We give a written, itemized estimate after the layout visit.
Do Lombard condo associations need to approve kitchen lighting project?
Associations usually set rules for work hours, elevators, deliveries and insurance, and many require approval for plumbing, electrical or structural changes. We provide the certificate of insurance and follow the building's rules.
Do I need a Lombard-registered contractor for kitchen lighting project?
Contractors must register with the Village: $100 fee, valid 1 year, online or via Building Division; insurance certificate with at least $300,000 liability coverage. We take care of that before work starts.
Does Lombard require a licensed electrician for kitchen lighting project?
Registration requires a copy of a current electrician license from a testing municipality plus a certificate of insurance. New circuits and wiring are done by licensed electricians.
Lombard building permit for kitchen lighting project: where do I apply?
Permits go through Building Division, Community Development and Building, phone (630) 620-5750. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need a permit for kitchen lighting project in Lombard?
It depends on the scope. Lombard's rule in short: Village requires a building permit for new structures and updates to existing structures; replacing interior doors and fixtures at the same size with no structural change needs no permit. We handle the permit when one is needed with Building Division, Community Development and Building.
Do you work in my part of Lombard?
Yes. Our crews work across Lombard — ZIP 60148 — and nearby Villa Park, Glen Ellyn, Addison.
Working in Lombard
- A lot of Lombard kitchens date from the 1960s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Condo or townhome? We follow association rules on work hours and elevators and bring the insurance certificate your board asks for.
- We know how Building Division, Community Development and Building handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60148
Kitchen Lighting Installation nearby
Other kitchen services in Lombard
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.
Kitchen Backsplash InstallationTile backsplashes with clean lines and flush outlets.