What does new bathroom lighting cost in the Scottish Borders?
Our guide range in the Scottish Borders is £350–£1,150 including VAT. Prices in the Scottish Borders run at about 4% below the UK guide, based on Scotland labour rates.
Essential
- Switching and RCD protection
Layered
- Separate switching
Feature
- Niche and plinth LED strips
Guide prices for Scottish Borders including VAT. Your itemised written quote after the free survey is the price that counts.
Which towns do we cover in the Scottish Borders?
Water across much of the Scottish Borders is soft. That leaves you free to choose matt black, brushed brass or clear glass without worrying much about limescale. Hardness varies street by street, so check the figure for your postcode with your water supplier. Landlords in Hawick get an electrical certificate for new bathroom lighting, which belongs with the property's safety records.
What the job includes
- A ceiling pull-cord or a switch outside the room, with separate switching for mirror and feature lights
- RCD protection on the lighting circuit, checked at the consumer unit and added where it is missing
- Fire-rated downlights or fire hoods where the ceiling has to keep its fire resistance
- IP-rated fittings chosen for each zone, with IP65 downlights over the bath or shower
- A lighting plan: number and position of downlights, mirror lighting, switches and any shaver socket
- A shaver supply unit where wanted, positioned away from direct spray
Decisions to make first
Feature lighting
LED strips in niches, under a wall-hung vanity or along a plinth give enough light for night-time without full glare.
Integrated or replaceable LED
Integrated LED downlights are slimmer and fully sealed. Fittings with replaceable lamps let you change brightness or colour later.
Switching
A pull-cord inside, a switch outside the door or a motion sensor. Dimmers need LED fittings that are compatible with them.
Colour temperature
Warm white, around 3000 K, feels softer; cool white, around 4000 K, is crisper for shaving and make-up. Mixing the two in one room looks uneven.
Rules that apply in Scotland
BS 7671 sets the rules for bathroom electrics across the UK. Every circuit in a room with a bath or shower needs 30 mA RCD protection. Zone 0 is inside the bath or shower tray and needs IPX7 fittings; zone 1 is above it up to 2.25 m and needs at least IPX4, or IPX5 where water jets are used; zone 2 extends 0.6 m out from zone 1, where IPX4 is recommended. Sockets other than shaver supply units must be at least 3 m from the zone 1 boundary.
Scotland has no Part P. Bathroom lighting must meet the building standards and BS 7671, including RCD protection and the zone rules, and small like-for-like work does not normally need a building warrant.