Lighting Plan for Renovation in Singapore: What to Decide Before the Electrician Starts
Last updated: 8 October 2026
Quick answer: A lighting plan for a renovation in Singapore means deciding four things before the electrician starts: which layers of light each room has, with every layer on its own switch; where the switches go; which lights need dimming or smart control; and which ceilings will be dropped to hold recessed fittings and cove light. These choices fix where cables run, and they are far easier to change on a floor plan than after walls and ceilings are closed. In an HDB flat, HDB states that “All wiring installation work must be carried out by an EMA licensed electrical worker”.
The decisions to settle before wiring starts
Wiring is the hardest part of a lighting scheme to change later, so put each decision on the floor plan before cables are run.
| Decision | What it fixes | What to give your electrician |
|---|---|---|
| Layers in each room | Each layer needs its own switch and cable run | A list per room, such as “living room: downlights, cove strip, track spotlights, each on its own switch” |
| Switch positions | Switch cables are run to fixed points | Positions marked on the floor plan, including any two-way switching |
| Dimming and smart control | The light, the switch and any hub must suit each other | The models you plan to use, checked against their listings |
| Ceiling drops and L-box | Recessed fittings and cove strips need space above the ceiling | Which ceilings are dropped, how deep, where the L-box runs and where LED power supplies will sit |
A marked-up floor plan is enough to start. Bring it to your designer, contractor and electrician together, so the ceiling and wiring plans match. For room-by-room ideas, see our HDB lighting ideas.
Put each layer of light on its own switch
Give each layer of light in a room its own switch, so you can use the layers separately.
For what the three layers are and which fittings carry each, see our layered lighting guide.
In a living room with recessed downlights, a cove strip and track spotlights, that means one switch for each, not one for the whole ceiling, because lights wired to one switch cannot be separated later without changing the wiring. You choose which lights share a switch; your electrician decides how the cabling and circuit breakers carry them. Write the groups on your plan, for example “Switch A: downlights. Switch B: cove strip. Switch C: track.”
Choose where the switches go
Put switches where your hand falls as you enter a room, and add a second control wherever you use a room from two places.
- Walk the layout. Stand in each doorway with your furniture plan: a switch behind an opening door or a wardrobe is awkward to use.
- Two-way switching. This controls the same lights from two places, such as the bedroom door and the bedside. It needs extra cabling between the two switches, so say so before cables are run.
Check dimming and smart control before you commit
Whether a light can be dimmed or smart-controlled depends on the exact light and switch, so check each listing first. Our Smart Switch and Smart Lighting categories list models like these; the table quotes what each listing states.
| Listing | What the listing states |
|---|---|
| Lighting Hub DOB Downlight 24W (Round) | “Non-Dimming Driver” |
| Avantgarde Series β 2G DIM / CCT Scene Control | The name refers to DIM and CCT (colour temperature) scene control |
| Mausklick Series β Smart Switch | “A zigbee hub is required”; “Load Range: 3-600W/gang (1-3 Gang)” |
| HaloPro Duo Smart Surface Spotlight 24W | “Connects to Zigbee hub and adjust lighting effects through a mobile App or voice assistant” |
Three checks follow:
- A dimmable light. A dimmer needs a light listed as dimmable; the DOB Downlight above has a non-dimming driver.
- Load. Add up the wattage on each switch and compare it with the switch’s listed load range where one is given, as on the Mausklick listing.
- Hub and wiring. Some smart products need a hub, as the Mausklick listing states. Where a listing does not state lamp compatibility or the wiring a model needs, for example whether a smart switch needs a neutral wire, ask us before the walls are closed. Our product pages also state: “Installation should be performed by a qualified electrician.” For how bulbs, switches and hubs connect, see our guide to how smart lighting works.
Plan the ceiling: drop, L-box and space for heat
Decide which ceilings will be dropped before you choose recessed fittings or cove light, because the space above the ceiling board decides where they can go.
A false ceiling gives recessed downlights somewhere to sit, and an L-box (a raised edge built into the false ceiling) hides a light strip so you see the glow, not the strip. The trade-off is headroom, so measure your clear height first, then ask your contractor which ceilings are dropped, how deep, and where the L-box runs. Aircon piping may need the same ceiling edge, so settle the two together.
In an HDB flat, HDB’s Renovation Guidelines for Building Works state “No” under “Permit Required?” for “Installation of false ceilings in the flat”, subject to conditions that include: “For installation of false ceilings, the minimum clearance height of 2.4 metres measured from finished floor level (not applicable for toilets and bathrooms)”. Have your contractor check the other conditions on that page before you fix the drop.
Recessed fittings and their drivers give off heat, so leave open space around each fitting, keep every driver reachable, and follow each fitting’s installation instructions when you set the depth above the ceiling board. How many downlights you need and how far apart they go is a separate calculation.
For that calculation, see our guide to how many downlights you need.
Use a licensed electrical worker for the wiring
New lighting points, switches and cables are wiring work. In an HDB flat, HDB’s Renovation Guidelines for Electrical Works list additional lighting points among works that do not require a permit, with conditions that include “No embedding of wiring (housed in metal/ high impact PVC conduit) in RC slab, beam, column, wall, in wall plaster or other finishes”. The same page states: “All wiring installation work must be carried out by an EMA licensed electrical worker”. Check the current page and ask your electrician where each new cable will run.
What to send us
Send your floor plan and a few notes to our light specialist, who can assess it and recommend how many fittings each space needs. These help most:
- Floor plan and ceiling height. The layout with room names, and the height in each room.
- False ceiling or L-box. Which ceilings will be dropped and where any L-box will run, if you know.
- Use and mood. What you do in each room and the atmosphere you want.
- Existing switches. Where they are now, and which you plan to keep or move.
Our lighting design service page shows how to book. You can also see fittings in person at one of our 5 showrooms; call the branch first to check what is on display.
To have the fittings installed as well, our installation service page says installation is coordinated through “licensed installation partners” and lists “Wiring extend / adjustment” among possible additional charges, so mention any new wiring when you enquire.
FAQ
When should I plan my lighting during a renovation?
Plan it before the electrician starts, when you settle the floor plan and ceiling design. Layers, switch positions, dimming and ceiling drops decide where cables run, and they are far easier to change on a floor plan than after walls and ceilings are closed.
What should I tell my electrician about lighting?
Give them a marked-up floor plan showing where each light goes, which lights share a switch, where each switch sits (including any two-way switching), which lights will be dimmed or smart-controlled, and where LED power supplies will sit. In an HDB flat, HDB states that “All wiring installation work must be carried out by an EMA licensed electrical worker”.
How should I group lights on switches?
Group them by layer, with recessed downlights, cove strips, track spotlights and task lights each on their own switch so they can be used separately. Lights wired to one switch cannot be separated later without changing the wiring.
Do I need to plan the false ceiling before choosing lights?
Yes. The ceiling drop decides whether recessed downlights and cove strips can be used and how much headroom is left, so settle it with your contractor first. If you prefer to keep the ceiling as it is, surface-mounted track and spotlights need no ceiling cut-out.
Can I put any light on a dimmer or smart switch?
No. The light, the switch and any hub must suit each other, so check each listing for what it supports. For example, the Lighting Hub DOB Downlight 24W (Round) is listed with a “Non-Dimming Driver”, and the Mausklick Series β Smart Switch states “A zigbee hub is required”. If a listing is silent, ask us before you order.
Written by the Lighting Hub team, Since 2009.
