Arlington Heights Lighting
Arlington Heights grew up fast in the 1950s and 1960s — and its housing stock reflects that: post-war ranches, split-levels, colonials, and Cape Cods that were cutting-edge when they were built and are still some of the most livable homes in the northwest suburbs today. We install LED recessed lighting in all of them, handling the ceiling type that comes with each era, from drywall to plaster, and leaving every surface patched and painted.
Arlington Heights started as farmland and a small railroad depot community — the train arrived in 1854, and the village officially incorporated in 1887. For decades it grew slowly around what is now the walkable downtown district along Evergreen Avenue. Then the post-war boom hit. Between 1950 and 1970, the population surged to nearly 65,000 as young families moved out from Chicago and filled up new subdivisions as fast as builders could frame them. Today, with roughly 77,000 residents and more than 33,000 housing units spread across 16 square miles, Arlington Heights is the 15th-most populous municipality in Illinois — a full-fledged city that still feels like a neighborhood.
That building history shapes what we find in the ceiling on almost every project we do here. Homes constructed in the 1940s and earlier — particularly near the historic downtown and in Scarsdale and Stonegate, where development stretches back to the 1920s — often have original plaster ceilings. Homes built from the mid-1950s onward typically switched to drywall as that material became the industry standard, which means the Ivy Hill colonials, the Greenbrier ranches, and the Berkley Square split-levels are mostly drywall construction. Knowing that difference before we arrive changes how we prep, cut, and patch — and it affects whether standard pricing applies or whether we need to talk through an adjusted quote for your specific home.
We serve all of Arlington Heights, from the two-Metra-stop commuter neighborhoods near the Union Pacific Northwest Line to the residential streets out near Lake Arlington. Whether your project is a kitchen in a 1960s colonial off Kensington Road or a finished basement in a newer build near the old Arlington Park site, we schedule within two weeks and complete the work — lighting, wiring, patching, and painting — in a single visit for most single-room projects.
The vast majority of Arlington Heights' housing was built during a 25-year window — roughly 1950 to 1975 — and the construction methods of that era create predictable retrofit conditions that we deal with every week.
Homes from the 1930s through early 1950s were almost universally built with plaster-and-lath ceilings. Plaster is harder, heavier, and more brittle than drywall — drilling it cleanly and patching it invisibly takes different tools and more time. If your home falls in this era, standard pricing likely does not apply; we'll walk through your space first and quote accordingly. The good news is that plaster homes often have taller ceiling heights and generous room proportions that make a recessed lighting layout particularly striking once it's done.
This is the dominant era in Arlington Heights, and drywall became the standard building material during this period. Ranch-style single-stories, split-levels with attached garages, and two-story colonials make up most of the housing stock in these neighborhoods. Drywall installations fall within our standard pricing: $500 for the first light in a room, $200 for each additional light, with LED fixtures, dimmer switches, and all patching and painting included. The most common project in this era is converting a single center-mount ceiling fixture in a living room or bedroom into a clean layout of 4–6 recessed lights on a dimmer — a full-day transformation.
Standard pricing applies to ceilings up to 9 feet. Many of the ranch-style homes in Arlington Heights have 8-foot ceilings — ideal for recessed lighting. Split-levels sometimes have vaulted or angled ceilings in certain rooms; if that's your situation, mention it when you reach out so we can quote accurately. Newer construction near the former Arlington Park development site may feature taller or more complex ceiling configurations that we'll assess individually.
Modern LED can lights that cut your ComEd bill while lighting a room properly — no more chasing shadows with a single ceiling fixture. We size the layout to the room, not a template, so a narrow galley kitchen gets different placement than an open living area.
Arlington Heights homes from the 1960s and 1970s often have dated dome lights, surface-mount boxes, or old fluorescent kitchen fixtures. We remove them, patch the opening, and install a recessed layout — ceiling looks like it was always meant to be that way.
Kitchens and finished basements are the two highest-impact rooms for recessed lighting in Arlington Heights homes. A typical kitchen with 6–8 lights runs $1,500–$1,900. Basements — especially the drop-tile ceilings common in 1960s and 1970s builds — are among the cleanest retrofits we do.
If you want voice control, app scheduling, or integration with a smart home system, we can wire for that — but note that smart switches (WiFi, Alexa, Google) are an upgrade beyond standard dimmer pricing and will be quoted separately. We set up everything and walk you through the app before we leave.
We work across the northwest suburbs and are in Arlington Heights regularly. Quick response times and genuine familiarity with the housing stock here — we've seen the full range, from downtown plaster homes to Ivy Hill colonials to newer builds.
Fully licensed electricians with comprehensive insurance. All work meets Illinois electrical codes. Your home is protected and the job is done right the first time.
We tell you upfront whether your ceiling is standard or non-standard — and what that means for your quote. No surprises when we show up and find plaster where you thought there was drywall.
$500 first light, $200 each additional — includes LED fixtures, dimmer switches, all wiring, patching & painting. Standard pricing for drywall, drop tile, and open ceilings. Non-standard situations quoted separately, always before work begins.
We protect your floors and furniture, patch every ceiling penetration, paint to match, and haul away all debris. You get finished lighting, not a to-do list for someone else.
Most Arlington Heights projects are scheduled within 2 weeks. Single-room installations are completed in one day. We respect your schedule and call when we're on the way.
Most Arlington Heights projects fall right in line with the standard estimate. We'll confirm everything during your free consultation — no obligation.
We service residential and commercial spaces throughout Arlington Heights and the northwest suburbs. We do not service high-rise buildings in the City of Chicago.
We provide recessed lighting installation throughout Arlington Heights, including:
The first light in a room is $500; each additional light in that room is $200. Everything needed is covered — LED fixtures, dimmer switches, 3-way and rocker switches as needed, all wiring, patching, and basic painting. A typical Arlington Heights kitchen with 6–8 lights runs $1,500–$1,900. We offer 10% off for 3+ room projects. Non-standard situations — plaster or lathe walls, ceilings over 9 ft, smart/WiFi switches, splitting a room into multiple zones — may require an adjusted quote.
Yes, but plaster ceilings require different techniques than standard drywall and fall outside our standard pricing — we'll quote that work separately after seeing the space. Many homes near downtown Arlington Heights and in older sections of Scarsdale and Stonegate have original plaster. We adapt to the material and still deliver a clean finish.
Standard pricing covers drywall, drop tile (suspended grid), and open ceilings. The majority of Arlington Heights homes built during the 1950s through 1970s boom used drywall as construction shifted away from plaster, so most projects in neighborhoods like Ivy Hill, Greenbrier, and Berkley Square fall into standard pricing. Plaster, concrete, or similar non-standard surfaces require an adjusted quote.
Most retrofit recessed lighting installations — where we're working with existing circuits — don't require a permit from your municipality. Our base pricing assumes no permit. If you want a permit pulled for your project, we can handle the entire process and quote it separately.
A single-room project typically takes 3–5 hours. Multi-room installations in Arlington Heights homes usually take 1–2 days. We schedule most projects within 2 weeks and complete cleanup — including patching and painting — before we leave.
Yes. We work throughout Arlington Heights — downtown, Ivy Hill, Stonegate, Scarsdale, Greenbrier, Berkley Square, Dunton, Camelot, and every other neighborhood in the village. We also serve nearby communities including Palatine, Schaumburg, Mount Prospect, and Buffalo Grove.
In addition to Arlington Heights, we provide recessed lighting installation in:
Ready to transform your Arlington Heights home with recessed lighting? Tell us about your project below — including your neighborhood and ceiling type if you know it — and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.
Serving Arlington Heights & Surrounding Areas
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