Toronto Electrical Contractor is an ESA-licensed electrical contractor in Toronto, Ontario that installs LED lighting for homes and businesses across the GTA: recessed pot lights, chandeliers, wall sconces, under-cabinet strips, outdoor landscape lighting, and commercial lighting for retail units and offices.
With 15+ years of experience and 1,500+ completed projects, our electricians pull every ESA permit in-house and quote a flat rate before any ceiling is cut. We work in Victorian semis in Leslieville and Riverdale, post-war bungalows in Scarborough and Etobicoke, downtown condos in CityPlace and Liberty Village, and new builds in Vaughan and Oakville.
Below is exactly how each type of lighting installation works, what it costs, and what the Ontario Electrical Safety Code requires.
LED Pot Lights for Plaster, Drywall and Condo Ceilings
Pot lights make up about 70% of our lighting work.
A typical kitchen or living room retrofit involves 6 to 10 pot lights. We often use these to replace a single ceiling fixture or to supplement existing surface-mount lighting. Modern slim-profile LED retrofit cans, like the incredibly popular Lotus LED Lights, are fantastic because they are only about half an inch thick.
Our electricians love using 4-inch models for kitchens and living rooms, while 3-inch models are perfect for hallways and bathrooms. This ultra-thin design lets us install them easily in the shallow joist cavities common in older Toronto construction.
| Pot Light Size | Best Room Application | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Inch Slim LED | Kitchens, Living Rooms | Broad, bright coverage for large areas |
| 3-Inch Slim LED | Hallways, Bathrooms | Focused light, fits tight ceiling joists |
We follow a very specific workflow for a standard 6-light retrofit. The work breakdown looks like this:
- Layout marked on the ceiling for your sign-off.
- Holes cut with a dust-catching hole saw for a perfectly clean edge.
- Wiring run between the lights and tied to a switched circuit.
- Cans installed and snapped securely into place.
- Dimmer installed at the switch, followed by a final test.
Retrofit pot lights run $100 to $250 per light installed (2026 pricing). Plaster ceilings add roughly $25 to $50 per light for the patching premium.
Concrete ceilings in downtown condos need more substantial planning. In CityPlace, Liberty Village, and Yonge and Eglinton towers, our typical approach involves surface-mount or pendant fixtures because cutting recessed cans into a structural slab is not an option, and we coordinate with the condo board or property manager before work starts.
Chandeliers, Pendants and Wall Sconces Hung Safely
We install everything from $50 IKEA pendants to multi-thousand-dollar crystal chandeliers bought from the lighting showrooms on Queen Street West or ordered online. The work itself remains mostly the same regardless of the price tag. Canadian Electrical Code Rule 30-302 limits standard ceiling boxes to holding a maximum of 50 pounds.
Our first step is always to confirm the box rating safely supports your new fixture weight. Heavy chandeliers require a fan-rated or heavy-duty brace box, like an Arlington slider bracket, which safely holds up to 70 pounds.
Pro Tip: Always check the exact weight of your chandelier before buying. Anything over 50 pounds legally requires a specialized heavy-duty brace box in Canada to pass inspection and keep your family safe.
We run the new wiring through the canopy carefully, and then mount and balance the fixture.
Heritage homes in The Annex, High Park, and Forest Hill often want chandeliers installed in original plaster ceiling medallions. Toronto Electrical Contractor crews work with hand tools only near these fragile, historic mouldings. Preserving that delicate medallion during the installation is a major priority for us.
Outdoor Landscape and Security Lighting Built for Toronto Winters
Great exterior lighting makes your property safer and much more inviting.
We install outdoor lighting on detached homes in North York and Mississauga, semi-detached backyards in the east end, and storefronts and parking areas for commercial clients. Choosing the right equipment is vital for surviving our local weather. We strongly recommend professional-grade Kichler or FX Luminaire transformers because they are fully sealed and IP65-rated to handle severe winter freeze-thaw cycles.
Upgrading to a 12-volt LED system also uses 80% less power than outdated halogen bulbs. Most requests fall into a few specific categories.
Path Lighting Essentials
Low-voltage 12V lights are perfect for lining walkways and driveways.
We typically power these using a reliable transformer located in the garage or beside the main electrical panel. A typical project includes 8 to 15 lights, one or two transformers, and simple photocell or timer integration for $1,500 to $3,500.
Accent and Security Fixtures
Up-lights on architectural features, trees, and fences create a beautiful nighttime look. Our higher-end installs use addressable LED strips or smart-controlled fixtures for custom colours.
Motion-sensor LED flood lights at building corners, garages, and laneway entrances provide excellent security. The setup is quick when there is existing exterior wiring, and new wiring runs are priced into the flat-rate quote.
Smart Hub Integration
Connecting your yard to a smart system puts every outdoor light on a schedule.
We frequently integrate systems like Lutron Caseta, Hubspace, and Philips Hue. Your outdoor lights easily pair with the same hub as your interior smart lights. You can see our smart home automation guide for more details on these integrations.
Why Attic Pot Lights Need IC-Rated Cans and Vapour Seals
Moisture control is a priority whenever pot lights go into a top-floor ceiling.
Ceiling lights below an unheated attic are extremely common in Toronto post-war bungalows and storey-and-a-half homes. Pot lights must be IC-rated to safely touch fibreglass batts or blown-in cellulose.
Our crews ensure the vapour barrier is perfectly sealed at the can. Skipping this crucial step creates a thermal bridge that frosts up in January, drips onto the ceiling in spring, and eventually rots the drywall.
The Electrical Safety Authority enforces the Ontario Electrical Safety Code in these zones. Key requirements include:
- Mandatory IC-rated fixtures under Rule 30-906.
- Installation of polyethylene vapour barrier boxes, often called blue boots.
- Acoustical sealant applied around all wire penetrations.
- Full compliance with CAN/CGSB-51.34-M permeance standards.
Every Toronto Electrical Contractor attic install uses IC-rated cans and a proper vapour-barrier seal.
Code inspectors require this protection for good reason. DIY installs unfortunately miss this vital step all the time, leading to expensive repairs down the road.
Smart Dimmers When Your Switch Box Has No Neutral
Upgrading your switches is a brilliant way to modernize a room.
Older electrical systems create a specific wiring challenge. Most Wi-Fi smart dimmers, including Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi models, need a neutral conductor at the switch box to function. About half of pre-1990 Toronto homes do not have one.
Our electricians often find that the original wiring sent only the switched leg down through the wall.
| Dimmer Type | Neutral Required? | Best Application |
|---|---|---|
| Lutron Caseta PD-6WCL | No | Older homes with missing neutrals |
| Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi | Yes | Newer builds with full wiring |
Running a new neutral wire from the fixture through the existing wall is straightforward in basement and ground-floor walls.
We find the process gets significantly more involved and time-consuming on upper floors. If your budget is tight, a no-neutral dimmer like the Lutron Caseta PD-6WCL is a code-compliant workaround.
When you are committing to smart lighting, doing the neutral-wire fix during the main installation is significantly cheaper than calling someone back later. We always flag this detail during the initial quoting process so you know your options upfront.
How Our Lighting Installs Compare
| Feature | Typical Provider | Toronto Electrical Contractor |
|---|---|---|
| ESA permits | Often skipped on new circuits or left to the homeowner | Pulled in-house and included in the quote |
| Pricing | Hourly labour plus materials | Flat rate per fixture, $100-$250 per retrofit pot light |
| Attic pot lights | Non-IC cans, vapour barrier left open | IC-rated cans with a sealed vapour barrier on every install |
| Plaster and heritage ceilings | Drywall-only patching | Traditional plaster patching, hand tools near medallions |
Book Your Lighting Installation in Toronto
A professional lighting installation prevents flickering bulbs, failed ESA inspections, and the drywall damage that comes from unsealed attic cans.
Toronto Electrical Contractor serves Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, and the wider GTA from Mississauga to Pickering. If you are searching for a lighting electrician near you, our ESA-licensed team offers free estimates on all residential projects and a satisfaction guarantee on every install.
Call (416) 900-2963 or request a free estimate to schedule a walkthrough.
