|
Purchasing lighting for the first time can seem
like a challenge. With thousands of lighting manufacturers and
retailers, your search for lighting will uncover a dizzying array
of brands, quality levels, and styles. So how do you find the
right light? Ask the experts! Below you will find lighting options
and suppliers that are right for you.
Generally speaking, electricians, builders, and lighting
contractors buy lighting directly from wholesalers - a category
made up of distributors and big box stores. If you are an
experienced builder who buys lighting in large quantities and
requires a minimum amount of advice and service, then you will
typically make a wholesale purchase.
Most homeowners tend to buy lighting through retailers, a category
which includes furniture showrooms, lighting specialty stores and
the Internet. Retail lighting sales are generally small quantities
of lighting equipment, and the buyer is often a homeowner who can
benefit from advice and service both during and after the sale.
The lighting showroom salesperson will take the time to help
choose lighting equipment, and may even teach you some
installation tricks.
Many big-box retailers and specialty lighting stores will often
have staff available to help you evaluate the many options; some
can even help you lay-out your lighting to achieve better results.
Often the Do-It-Yourself homeowner can find the right lighting at
big box wholesale stores, which often provide just enough advice
for the experienced consumer. The Do-It-Yourselfer uses a
combination of wholesalers and retailers to increase choice and
help manage cost.
If you're building a new home, you are probably using a builder or
lighting contractor who supplies most of your lighting. Builders
and contractors use a lighting fixture allowance, which represents
the contractor's cost to purchase the lighting plus profit, and
which is included in the cost of the home. However, because the
lighting fixture allowance only covers standard (and usually
inefficient) lighting, informed homeowners can make arrangements
to pay the builder the difference in order to get more efficient
lighting equipment. If you choose this route, be prepared to do
some shopping around, as your builder will want you to specify
which lights you want. Your builder may have a preferred lighting
vendor, but you might save some money by shopping around with
other lighting showrooms and/or wholesalers.
|
