Lighting Installation Geelong
Pendants, feature lights, switches and LED upgrades for homes across Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast, by CabledIN
CabledIN Electrical Solutions is a licensed electrician based in North Geelong that installs and repairs lighting for homes across greater Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, Golden Plains and Werribee. We fit pendants, feature lights, downlights, oyster and batten lights, switches and dimmers, run any new wiring, test the circuit and give you a Certificate of Electrical Safety (REC 30925).
Replacing one fitting like for like is usually a short visit. A room of new lights or a whole-home changeover takes from half a day. We price the job once we have seen it, so you know the price before any work starts.
- What we install
- Pendants, feature lights, downlights, switches and dimmers
- Our experience
- More than 210 completed lighting jobs in our job records
- Paperwork
- Certificate of Electrical Safety for the work
- Who does it
- Licensed electricians, REC 30925
Lighting we install in Geelong homes
Our job records hold more than 210 completed lighting jobs, most often in Corio, Newtown, Bannockburn, Leopold, Hamlyn Heights and central Geelong, with more in Highton, Belmont, Lara and Ocean Grove. The work falls into these groups:
- Light fixture installation: pendants, wall lights, oyster and batten lights and statement fittings, new or replacing old ones. Oyster and batten lights alone account for more than 40 of our completed jobs.
- Downlight installation: new LED downlights or halogen changeovers, the fitting we install most. See our downlight installation page.
- LED strip lighting under kitchen cabinets, in shelving and along stairs.
- Light fixture repair: flickering, buzzing, dead or tripping lights traced and fixed.
- Switches and dimmers, including two-way switching and extra switch positions.
- New light points where a room has none, or not enough.
- Outdoor lighting installation: sensor, garden and alfresco lights. See outdoor lighting installation.
Pendant light installation
A pendant is the fitting people notice first, and the one most often hung at the wrong height or from the wrong spot. Pendants feature in more than 20 of our completed lighting jobs. We install pendants you have already bought as well as ones we supply, and we sort out the things the box does not mention:
- Position. The existing light point is rarely centred over a new island bench or table. We move the point in the ceiling so the pendant hangs where it should, without a swagged cord.
- Height. As a guide, island and dining pendants usually sit about 70 to 90 cm above the surface. We hold the fitting in place and set the drop with you before the cord or chain is cut.
- Weight. Plasterboard alone will not carry a heavy glass or metal fitting. Heavy pendants and chandeliers are fixed to a joist or to timber we add above the ceiling.
- Groups of pendants. Two or three over a bench need extra light points spaced evenly, wired back to one switch or dimmer.
- High and raked ceilings. Stairwell voids and cathedral ceilings need the right mounting and safe access equipment.
- Dimming. A pendant over a table is far more useful on a dimmer matched to its globes.
We also convert a downlight or batten holder to a pendant point, and repair pendants with loose connections, damaged cord or failed lamp holders.
Talk to a licensed Geelong electrician (REC 30925).
Switches, dimmers and two-way switching
Many lighting jobs include switch work, and more than 15 of our completed lighting jobs included a new dimmer. The most common requests are:
- Replacing worn or yellowed switches with modern plates, in one, two or three gang to suit the wall.
- Two-way switching, so a hallway, stairwell or bedroom light can be switched from both ends.
- LED dimmers. Older dimmers were built for halogen loads and often make LED lights flicker, buzz or refuse to dim low. An LED-rated dimmer matched to the fitting fixes that.
- Moving a switch that ends up behind a door or a new cupboard.
- Timers and motion sensors. The Australian Government's energy.gov.au notes they can provide lighting only when and where it is required. Some controls do not suit every light type, so we match the control to the fitting.
LED upgrades and whole-home lighting
If the house still runs halogen downlights, fluorescent tubes or old incandescent fittings, an LED upgrade cuts the power the lighting uses and ends the routine of changing blown globes. Energy.gov.au says LEDs use about 75% less energy than halogen light bulbs and last 5 to 10 times longer, and incandescent and halogen globes are being phased out of the Australian market where an LED equivalent is available. Our guide compares LED and halogen downlights.
For a whole-home upgrade we walk through room by room, count the fittings, check the switches and dimmers, and note anything that should be fixed while we are there. Many of the LED fittings we install have a colour switch on the fitting, so you can choose warm white, cool white or daylight for each room on the day.
Extending the house? We plan lighting with the rest of the wiring so switches, light points and power points are in the right places before the plaster goes on. That work is covered under house wiring and rewiring.
What are the rules for bathroom lighting?
The Australian wiring rules, AS/NZS 3000, divide the space around a bath or shower into zones. As the Building Commission NSW summarises the standard, a light switch is not allowed in the zones closest to the water, and in the next zone out it must sit at least 0.3 m above the floor and be rated IPX4.
An IP rating, set out in the standard AS 60529 (the IP Code), shows how well a fitting's enclosure keeps out solid objects, dust and water. We place switches outside the zones wherever the room allows and choose light fittings rated for the spot they go in. Bathroom lighting often goes in with an exhaust fan (more than 25 of our completed lighting jobs) or a bathroom heater (more than 15).
Not sure what you need? Tell us what is happening and we will talk it through.
How a lighting installation works
- Tell us what you want. Call 1300 025 555 and tell us the rooms and the fittings you have in mind.
- We look at the job. We visit, look at the room, the fittings and the roof space, and measure up. We price the job once we have seen it: the price lists the fittings, any new light points or switches, and anything the existing wiring needs.
- On the day. We lay drop sheets, isolate the lighting circuit, and work from the roof space where there is one. Power to the rest of the house stays on wherever possible.
- Fit and position. Fittings are fixed, heights and positions are checked with you, and dimmers are set up.
- Testing. The circuit is tested before it goes back into service.
- Clean up and paperwork. We take the packaging and old fittings away and issue your Certificate of Electrical Safety.
Light fixture repair: flickering, buzzing and lights that stop working
Faults and flicker make up more than 80 of our completed lighting jobs: lights that flicker, buzz, trip the power or simply stop. Usual causes are a dimmer that does not suit the LED, a failed driver (the small power supply that runs an LED fitting) or transformer, a loose connection, or a tired switch. Our guide why are my lights flickering? walks through the common causes.
Energy Safe Victoria lists flickering lights among the tell-tale signs that household wiring may be faulty. If lights across the house flicker or dim together, do not touch the switchboard or anything metal, and call Powercor on 13 24 12. If the problem is in one room or one fitting, call us to find the fault. A burning smell, scorch marks or a hot switch is a job for our 24/7 emergency electrician.
In older homes, repeated lighting faults are a good reason to book an electrical safety inspection.
What affects the cost of lighting installation in Geelong?
Once we have seen the job you get a price before any work starts. The things that move the price are:
- Like for like or new. Swapping a fitting on an existing light point is the simplest job. A new light point needs new cable from the switch.
- Access. A single-storey house with roof space is quicker to wire than a ceiling under an upper floor or a flat roof.
- The fittings. Heavy pendants and chandeliers need extra fixing. We can supply fittings or install ones you have bought.
- Switching. Dimmers, two-way switching and extra switch positions add parts and time.
- How many at once. A whole room or house in one visit usually works out cheaper per light than separate visits.
- The existing wiring. Old cabling or a full switchboard can add work, and we tell you before we start.
Lighting circuits in older homes may not be protected by a safety switch (RCD), a device that cuts the power within milliseconds when it detects electricity leaking to earth. If yours are not, we can add one: see safety switch installation.
Who can install light fittings in Victoria?
Changing a globe is fine. Installing, replacing or moving a hard-wired light fitting or a light switch is electrical installation work, and in Victoria that must be done by a licensed electrician. Energy Safe Victoria is blunt about DIY electrical work: it is illegal and it can be deadly.
A Certificate of Electrical Safety must be provided for all electrical installation work, whatever the size of the job. Lighting is non-prescribed work, so there is no separate inspection, and your copy arrives within 30 days. See Energy Safe Victoria's guide to certificates.
Why choose CabledIN Electrical Solutions for your lighting
- Licensed Victorian Registered Electrical Contractor, REC 30925
- More than 20 years' experience, family owned and based in North Geelong
- Lifetime workmanship warranty
- 2,000+ five-star Google reviews: read them on our reviews page
- Open 24 hours, 7 days, with emergency call-outs across greater Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, Golden Plains and Werribee. See the Geelong suburbs we cover.
Recent lighting installation jobs around Geelong
Pendants, feature lights and LED upgrades completed by our electricians.
What customers say
Andrew and the CabledIN team were great. He came in right away, checked everything I asked him to, explained what he thought the issues could be and fixed my lights super quickly.100% recommended
Alex, Google review
Frequently asked questions
Can I install a light fitting myself in Victoria?
No. Changing a globe is fine, but installing, replacing or moving a hard-wired light fitting or light switch is electrical installation work. In Victoria it must be done by a licensed electrician, who gives you a Certificate of Electrical Safety. Energy Safe Victoria says DIY electrical work is illegal and can be deadly.
Will you install pendant lights I have already bought?
Yes. CabledIN installs light fittings you supply as well as ones we supply. Send us the product details or a photo first so we can check the weight, the mounting and whether the fitting can be dimmed, and bring the right fixings on the day.
How high should pendant lights hang over a kitchen island?
As a guide, about 70 to 90 cm above the benchtop, high enough to see across the bench and low enough to light it. We hold the pendant in place and agree the height with you before the cord is cut.
Can a pendant go where there is no light now?
Usually, yes. We add a new light point, or move the existing one, and run cable through the roof space. Where there is no roof access, such as under an upper floor, it can still often be done but takes longer.
Why do my LED lights flicker on the dimmer?
Most often the dimmer was made for halogen lights and does not suit the LED. Replacing it with an LED-rated dimmer matched to the fitting usually fixes flicker, buzzing and lights that glow when switched off.
How long does it take to install a light?
Swapping one fitting on an existing light point is usually a short visit. A new light point, a heavy pendant or a room of lights takes longer, and a whole-home LED upgrade is commonly half a day to a day.
Do I get a certificate for lighting work?
Yes. A Certificate of Electrical Safety must be provided for all electrical installation work in Victoria, including lighting. Lighting is non-prescribed work, so no separate inspection is needed, and you receive your copy of the certificate within 30 days.
Is it worth changing old lights to LED?
For most homes, yes. The Australian Government's energy.gov.au says LEDs use about 75% less energy than halogen light bulbs and last 5 to 10 times longer, and LED fittings run cooler and need far fewer globe changes.
Can you install lights in a bathroom?
Yes. Bathroom lighting follows the zones in the Australian wiring rules, AS/NZS 3000, which keep switches out of the areas closest to the bath and shower and call for water-resistant (IPX4) switches in the next zone out. CabledIN places the switch and chooses fittings rated for the spot, and can wire an exhaust fan or heat lamps at the same time.
Do you repair light fittings as well as install them?
Yes. Light fixture repair is a regular part of our work: flickering or buzzing lights, a fitting that has stopped working, a failed LED driver, a loose connection or a light circuit that trips the safety switch. We find the cause first, then repair the fitting, or replace it if a repair is not worth it.
Can you install LED strip lighting under kitchen cabinets?
Yes. Hard-wired LED strip lighting under kitchen cabinets, in shelving or along stairs runs from a small driver that needs a 240 volt supply, and installing that supply and switch is licensed electrical work. CabledIN hides the driver where it stays cool and reachable, and matches any dimmer to the strip so it does not flicker.
Which areas do you cover for lighting installation?
CabledIN Electrical Solutions installs lighting across greater Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, Golden Plains and Werribee. Our completed lighting jobs are most often in Corio, Newtown, Bannockburn, Leopold and Hamlyn Heights, and we are open 24 hours, 7 days for lighting faults that cannot wait.
Still have a question? Ask the CabledIN team.