What’s included
- Plug-in LED bars mounted and linked cabinet to cabinet
- Halogen puck lights and old fluorescent strips swapped for LED
- Hardwired fixtures replaced where a cabinet feed and switch exist
- LED tape in an aluminum channel for narrow or shallow cabinets
- Remote, dimmer or smart-plug control
- Light rail trim where the fixture would otherwise show
What we don’t do
- Adding circuits, upgrading the panel or swapping breakers; those are outside our scope.
- Running wire to a new location in a wall or ceiling.
- Mounting anything heavier than its box is rated to carry.
In Alhambra homes
About 77 percent of Alhambra homes predate 1980, according to a city housing report, and their kitchens were usually lit by one ceiling fixture. Standing at the counter puts your own shadow on the work. The U.S. Department of Energy’s brief on LED undercabinet lighting notes that LEDs emit light in one direction, which suits task lighting, and that they run at low temperatures that reduce burn hazards compared with halogen.
Get a quote in one text
Send photos of the counters and upper cabinets, one looking up at a cabinet bottom, the outlets on the backsplash, and any fixtures you have picked. Our number for photos is (310) 628-9399, and the price comes back before any work is booked.
Energy use
The Department of Energy’s consumer lighting guide says LEDs use up to 90 percent less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
Placement
Fixtures go toward the front edge of the cabinet bottom. Mounted at the back, they light the backsplash and leave the front of the counter dim.
Plug-in sets
Plug-in bars need only an outlet near the cabinets. Linking cords jump between cabinets and the last one drops to a backsplash outlet or behind an appliance.
Existing wiring
Some Alhambra kitchens updated in the 1980s and 1990s already have a feed and wall switch for halogen pucks. We replace those fixtures with LED on the same wiring.
Color and brightness
Warm white blends with older kitchens; neutral white shows food color more accurately. We match the color of your ceiling light so the room looks even.
Dimming
The DOE brief lists dimming among the useful features of LED undercabinet fixtures. Not every set dims, so we check the box before you buy.
Older cabinets
Original cabinets often have a face frame lip that hides a slim fixture. Flat-bottom cabinets may need a small trim strip.
Tape light
Adhesive alone tends to let go on wood and in kitchen heat. We set tape in a screwed aluminum channel so it stays put.
Condos
In a condo kitchen we work from your own outlets and fixtures inside the unit. Nothing touches shared building wiring.
Old fixtures
We remove halogen and fluorescent fixtures and take the tubes and bulbs away.
Corner cabinets
A short bar or puck lights the corner and links to the runs on each side, so a single switch or remote turns on the whole kitchen.
Where our part ends
A new circuit, a new switch box cut into the wall, or wire fished through walls for a fully hidden system is outside our scope.
In older Alhambra houses this job often turns up next to outlet, switch and GFCI replacement, cabinet and hardware repair, light fixture replacement and range hood installation, so mention those when you text and we can price them together.
Sources: City of Alhambra, housing needs report (age of housing stock); U.S. Department of Energy, Residential Undercabinet Lighting with LEDs; U.S. Department of Energy, Consumer Guide to Energy-Efficient Lighting.
Under-cabinet lighting questions from Alhambra homeowners
Why did my under cabinet lights stop working?
A failed driver, a loose plug or a tripped GFCI upstream. We test the power before replacing the bars.
Can a handyman install under cabinet lighting?
Yes, plug-in kits or on existing wiring.
How much does under cabinet lighting cost?
It depends on the total cabinet length and plug-in versus hardwired. Measure the runs and text us for a quote.
Repair guides for this job
- Living with two-prong outlets in an older homeWhy many older Alhambra homes still have two-prong outlets, what an ungrounded outlet means for you, and how a GFCI replacement can add protection.
- Replacing ceiling and wall fixtures in a 1920s houseReplacing a light fixture in an older Alhambra home: shallow or missing boxes, plaster ceilings, heavy lanterns, and checking the old wiring first.
- Putting a ceiling fan where an old light used to hangHow we install ceiling fans in 1920s and 1930s Alhambra rooms where the ceiling box was built for a light, plus wall switch options and balance tips.
- Bathroom fans for bathrooms that only had a windowMany 1920s and 1930s Alhambra bathrooms were built with only a window for ventilation. Here is how a quiet exhaust fan helps, and how we replace noisy ones.
Looking for a handyman in Alhambra for more than one job? Send the whole list and we’ll price it together.
We serve Alhambra first, plus Monterey Park, San Gabriel and other nearby cities. Have a question? See the handyman FAQ.