What we get asked for
The most common lighting job in Ramsgate is downlight retrofit in a Victorian ceiling: original pendant swapped for 6-10 fire-rated LED downlights on a dimmable circuit. Second most common: exterior wall-lights on a cliff-top or harbour-view balcony, where the spec has to be at least IP65 and preferably 316-stainless-fixings for salt-fog resistance. Third: garden lighting on a Nethercourt or Pegwell family home, low-voltage DALI or wired 230V depending on how deep the customer wants to go.
Price bands
Single-room retrofit, 4-6 fire-rated LED downlights on dimmable circuit, existing ceiling accessible from above: £180 to £320.
Whole-floor retrofit, 5-6 rooms, 30-40 downlights, dimmer per circuit, rewire lighting-only: £1,200 to £2,200.
Exterior harbour-view IP65 wall-light install, single position with cable route through cavity: £180 to £280 per position.
Full garden lighting scheme, 12-15 fittings, transformer, 5-year LED warranty: £1,400 to £2,600.
Fire-rated fittings - non-negotiable
Any downlight cut into a ceiling that forms part of a fire compartment (which is almost every ceiling in a house with occupied rooms above, and every ceiling in an HMO or converted flat) must be a 30-minute or 60-minute fire-rated fitting under Approved Document B. Non-fire-rated recessed downlights breach the compartment and are a straight C2 code on an EICR. We only fit fire-rated. If a customer asks us to fit a cheaper non-rated downlight, we refuse.
Salt-air and coastal spec
The West Cliff, East Cliff, Royal Harbour and Pegwell all sit in the marine-atmospheric-corrosion zone. Standard IP44 exterior fittings - the ones sold in the sheds - corrode inside 18 months. We spec IP65 minimum, 316-grade stainless fixings, marine-grade PVC insulation and gel-filled junction boxes at every joint. It doubles the accessory cost but it means you're not re-doing the install in three years.
Circuits, not just fittings
New downlight retrofits in older properties often need a new lighting circuit run back to the consumer unit - a Victorian 1mm looped lighting circuit will not carry the load of 30 modern LED drivers with any margin for surge. We rewire the lighting circuit when the job needs it, quote it separately at survey, and confirm with you before proceeding. If the existing circuit is fine, we say so and don't upsell.
Dimming, colour temperature, and the Ramsgate look
Trailing-edge dimmers only for LED (leading-edge kills LED drivers over time). 2700K to 3000K for period property interior warmth. 4000K for kitchens and utility. 5000K daylight only when the customer specifically asks and we've walked them through why they'll regret it in a Georgian townhouse. Dim-to-warm for principal rooms in Vale Square or Wellington Crescent where the customer wants the fitting to visually match the historic lamp temperature at low output. We don't fit 6500K cool-white in a domestic room - ever.