pot lights

[jrb]

I went to the Townhouse tonight, (possession Oct 15). The hydro was on so I was turning on the light switches.....LOL

I installed a few pot lights, 2 in great room and 3 in formal room. Wow are they bright.....LOL

I did not install dimmer switches through Mattamy for the pot lights. I wasn't sure if I would need them and Mattamy was charging $159.00 for a dimmer switch on pot lights. The potlights in the model homes dont look that bright....lol...unless they are all on dimmer switches.....

The first thing I will be doing when I move in is too install dimmer switches on the potlights.

Did anyone do this after closing. If so, how much did you pay for a dimmer switch on the pot lights.

Thanks,

[jrb]

This is likely a silly question.....lol but,

do pot light light bulbs come in different voltages.......lol

[Claudia]

dimmer's work great

[jrb]

Thanks Claudia.....

I was really surprised how bright they are.............................I met one of my neighbours and they said they are putting in 6 pot lights in the great room......lol They better get there sun glasses out........lol

I put 2 in my great room and the room is almost as bright as day light....lol

Dimmer switches will be the first thing i do...lol

[K.C.]

I was really surprised how bright they are.............................I met one of my neighbours and they said they are putting in 6 pot lights in the great room......lol They better get there sun glasses out........lol

I put 2 in my great room and the room is almost as bright as day light....lol

Dimmer switches will be the first thing i do...lol

I was thinking about the lighting situation especially in my office that has a 12 foot ceiling because it's completely vaulted. There's a 2 bulb fixture up there and it gets so dark at night. I had ruled out potlights because I was sure they wouldn't be bright enough. We have several dozen potlights in the basement and they're not that bright at all ... our basement contractor did those. I'll have to see the Mattamy potlights in person and if they really are that bright they would be the perfect solution for my office. I'll make sure I get Mr. Potlight or whoever to install the same ones. Does anybody know which company Mattamy used for potlights?

[newhomeowner]

do we have to wait a certain amount of time before we get potlights post close?

[dglyde79]

Anyone know how much these low voltage dimmers cost post-close at like Home Depot or places like that? $160 seems rediculous for a dimmer switch!

[Claudia]

dimmer switches should match the voltage

so if it has 6 bulbs on it ...it should be a 600 volt dimmer....and they are about $40 and very easy to install

[Zach-Cheu]

Did anyone purchase a Thompson with upgraded pot lighting? I'm thinking of getting pot lights for the kitchen area and fireside gathering, but now i'm not sure of how many to get per room, because they are said to be so bright.

Are these the low voltage pot lights that everyone is talking about?

[Claudia]

they also give off a lot of heat

[Bubba]

Potlights are much cheaper after closing, "Mr Potlight" did a lot of business in the mattamy Hawthorne village in Milton. He is $89/potlight(ground floor), 20 minimum. Upstairs is slightly more per light. It's much less than the almost $200 Mattamy charges per light, Mattamy will also charge an exorbitant amount to run the lights to a switch. You might consider waiting. I am doing mine thru him after closing May 2010.

[jrb]

Well last weekend I insatlled my own dimmers on the low voltage potlights, 2 in great room and 3 in formal room.

3 days later I had no hot water. The outlet the hotwater tank is plugged into was no longer working.

Mattamy came in and took out my dimmer switches. Now the hot water tank works.

I have called an electrician now to install my dimmers on the pot lights. So, if you are installing your own dimmers on halogen low voltage pot lights....be careful.

I am not sure how a switch in the greatroom impacts the hot water tank, but some how it did.

I will NEVER again touch anything electrical. It will be interesting to see how much the electrician will charge.

[Zach-Cheu]

Hi Jrb,

Sorry to hear about your pot light disaster. At the same time, I thank you because now I will likely purchase the dimmer switches from mattamy (i guess im going to pay more, but I don't want the hassel).

Another question. You mentioned you purchased 2 potligts for the great room and 3 in the formal room. Are they bright enough to light the rooms? Do you suggest purchasing more than 2 or 3 per room?

[jrb]

hi Zach,

I think you said you purchased the Thompson. I think the Thompson model did a great job with the layout of their potlights. If i remember correctly they only had a few in the great room and the kitchen.

I would follow that exactly.

I am not using potlights to light the entire room, but to give a nice soft light around the walls in the rooms. In my great room I will also use a light on an end table. In addition I have pendant lights in the kitchen which i have on a dimmer.

In addition, in the Thompson, you can have pendant lights above the counter and put those on a dimmer as well for more soft glow.

You are always welcome to come over to my place and see the pot lights at night dimmed and not dimmed. Stop by any time if you want, but best at night so you can see for yourself.

In my opinion the pot lights are very bright and as Claudia said they can be hot. The dimmers make a huge difference.

In my opinion you only need a few.

[jrb]

Hi Zach,

here are 2 pics of pot lights i have. 2 pot lights in great room and 3 in formal room.

Maybe the pic will give you an idea of brightness before they are dimmed...lol

[jrb]

hi Zach,

One more thing.....lol......I deleted the centre light in my great room. I did not feel i needed that and i thought it would take away from the look of the room.

But i saved some money as they could use that switch for the wiring of the potlights. Therefore i did not need an additional wiring.

[Zach-Cheu]

WOW thanks Jrb!

This was really helpful, especially the pictures you posted. The lights look really good along the walls and they do seem bright enough!

I was also contemplating getting the pendant lights over the counter. However I didn't know you could also get them on a dimmer. Now that I think about it, with those pendant lights and the pot lights, both rooms will likely be bright enough.

Thanks for all of your advice Jrb, I really appreciate it!

[jrb]

Hi Zach,

your welcome.

I guess the question is how bright do you really want rooms at night...
For me, I just want a soft back ground glow.....

Dont forget you can dim your pendant lights and your light above the kitchen table.....

You should do the rough in for pendant lights....i think it makes a huge difference.....

[jrb]

Hi Zach,

I forgot too mention i put in undercupboard lighting........i know it is expensive through Mattamy, but i really like it.