At a Glance
Lighting installation typically costs $100–$250 per point across Australia. That covers labour, fittings, and basic wiring for standard LED downlights or replacements. Sydney sets the baseline. Perth and Adelaide run 10 to 15% higher due to smaller trade pools, while Melbourne and Brisbane track close to Sydney rates.
What's Included
A standard lighting installation price covers:
- Call-out fee. Most electricians charge a minimum attendance fee, usually absorbed into the first fitting or two.
- Labour. Roughly 30 to 45 minutes per point for a straightforward replacement. New installs requiring cable runs from the switchboard take longer.
- The fitting. Basic LED downlights are inexpensive. Pendants, track systems, and architectural fittings add significantly to the total.
- Ceiling cut-out. For new downlight positions in plasterboard ceilings, including hole-sawing and minor patching.
- IC-4 rated housings. Required where ceiling insulation contacts the fitting, as specified in the AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules. These fire-rated enclosures allow insulation to sit directly over the fitting.
- Dimmer switches. If requested. Adds the cost of the switch hardware plus LED-compatible wiring.
What Affects the Cost
- New install vs replacement. Swapping an existing fitting is far cheaper than running new cable to a location with no existing wiring.
- Ceiling type and access. Plasterboard with roof cavity access is the easiest scenario. Concrete slab, lath-and-plaster, or double-brick ceilings cost more due to restricted access and harder cable routing.
- Number of points. Bulk installs of 10 or more downlights attract a lower per-point rate. A single fitting call-out has a higher effective cost because the minimum attendance fee is spread across fewer points.
- Dimmer compatibility. LED dimmers must match the driver in the fitting. Cheap or mismatched dimmers cause flickering and buzzing, and replacing them doubles the cost of the dimmer component.
- IC-4 rating. Insulated ceilings require fire-rated housings. Non-IC-rated fittings installed against insulation are a fire risk and a compliance failure.
- Ceiling height. Cathedral ceilings, atriums, or multi-storey voids require scaffolding or elevated work platforms, adding hire costs and time.
- Old halogen transformers. Existing low-voltage halogen fittings (MR16 and similar) often have 12V transformers that are incompatible with LED replacements. The transformer needs replacing alongside the fitting.
A straightforward LED downlight swap in a modern home with accessible plasterboard ceilings sits toward $100. A new lighting installation in a period home with lath-and-plaster ceilings, no roof access, dimmer upgrades, and halogen transformer replacements pushes toward $250.
City and Regional Price Comparison
Prices vary by city and by property type within each city.
At the city level, Sydney is the baseline at $100–$250 per point. Melbourne and Brisbane track close to Sydney, though Melbourne's older double-brick housing stock can push individual jobs higher. Perth and Adelaide typically run 10 to 15% above Sydney due to smaller contractor pools and higher material logistics costs.
Within any city, the biggest price variable is ceiling construction and access. Inner-city terraces with lath-and-plaster ceilings and no roof cavity access (Paddington in Sydney, Fitzroy in Melbourne) cost significantly more per point than modern plasterboard homes in outer suburbs like Tarneit, Springfield, or Baldivis. Brisbane's Queenslander homes offer some of the best roof cavity access in Australia, keeping installation costs lower despite being older properties. Homes with halogen downlights requiring full transformer replacement sit at the higher end of the range regardless of location.
How We Calculate
Estimates are based on current licensed Electrician rates, adjusted for regional labour markets and typical property types. All prices include GST. We factor in standard materials, call-out fees, and typical job complexity. Premium fittings, switchboard upgrades, or plastering repairs are excluded and would be quoted separately by your Electrician.