Ceiling Fan and Light Fixture Replacement in Fort Collins
Swapping a light fixture or a ceiling fan is the single most common job I get called for, and it is the one most people put off longest. A straight replacement on an existing circuit is usually a one-visit job with a flat price agreed off a photo.
Most houses in Fort Collins are on their original builder-grade fixtures, and there are a lot of them. The 1990s and 2000s stock in this town went in with the cheapest lighting the builder could specify, and twenty years later it is the thing people look at every evening and never quite get around to changing.
The work itself is not complicated. What makes it worth paying for is the part people skip: checking what the fixture is actually mounted to, and balancing a fan properly so you are not listening to it tick for the next decade.
What actually goes wrong
The three problems I find most often, in order:
The box is not rated for a fan. A ceiling box that was installed to hold a five pound light fixture is not built for a thirty pound fan that moves. If a previous owner or a helpful relative hung a fan off a light box, it is a matter of time. That is an electrician job to put right, and I will say so.
Nobody balanced it. A wobble is not a defect you have to accept. It is normally an unbalanced blade set, a loose bracket, or a downrod that is not fully seated. Balancing is part of the job, not an extra.
The wrong size for the room. A 52 inch fan in a small bedroom moves air badly and looks wrong. Tell me the room size and ceiling height before you buy and I will tell you what to get.
Why a flat price works here
This is a job where a photo tells me nearly everything: the fixture, the ceiling height, and whether there is a box behind it. That means you can get a fixed number by text without anyone scheduling a visit to look at a light. Most fixture swaps land on the minimum call-out, and several in one trip is where a half day block starts making sense.
What is included
- Taking the old fixture or fan down and disposing of it.
- Mounting the new one on the existing box, checked for a fan rating where a fan is involved.
- Assembly of the new unit, including blades, downrod and shades.
- Balancing the fan so it does not wobble, and checking it runs quiet on every speed.
- Testing the switch and any pull chains or remote before I leave.
- Cleaning up and taking the packaging with me.
What it costs
| Job | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Light fixture swap, like for like | $125 | Minimum call-out covers it in most rooms |
| Ceiling fan replacement, existing fan-rated box | $125 to $210 | Depends on ceiling height and assembly |
| Fan on a vaulted or high ceiling | quoted | Needs a ladder assessment from the photo |
| Multiple fixtures, same visit | $340 half day | Four to six fixtures usually fits a half day |
Full rates, block pricing and the minimum call-out are on the pricing page.
This service covers replacing an existing fixture or fan on an existing circuit and an existing fan-rated box. New circuits, panel work, service upgrades and rewiring are not in scope and go to a licensed electrician. If your ceiling has no fan-rated box, that is an electrician job first and I will tell you so from the photo.
What I do not do here
- New circuits, additional switches or moving a fixture to a different spot on the ceiling.
- Panel work, breaker replacement or service upgrades.
- Rewiring, or diagnosing a circuit that trips.
- Adding a fan where there is no fan-rated box.
Who to call instead: a licensed electrician. Send me a photo first and I will tell you which side of that line your job is on, at no charge.
The full list is on what I do not do.
How it works
- Send a photo. Text or email a picture. Most jobs get priced without a site visit.
- Get a flat price. Written and fixed before I start.
- I show up and finish. On the day I said, parts in the truck, swept up after.
Why a solo operator
The same person quotes the job, does the job and cleans up after it. There is no call centre, no dispatcher and no rotating crew who have not seen your house. The price you were given is the price, because the person who quoted it is the person holding the tools.
Related work
Ceiling fans & light fixtures questions
Can you put a ceiling fan where there is only a light?
Only if the box in the ceiling is fan-rated. A standard light box is not built to carry the weight or the movement of a fan, and hanging one off it is how ceilings end up cracked. If yours is not rated, that is an electrician job and I will tell you from the photo rather than trying it.
Why does my new fan wobble?
Almost always an unbalanced blade set, a downrod that is not fully seated, or a mounting bracket that is not tight to the box. All three are fixable. A wobble is not something you have to live with, and balancing is part of the job when I hang one.
Do I need to buy the fan first?
Either way. If you buy it, you pay nothing extra. If you want me to pick it up it is cost plus 25% and I will send the receipt. Tell me the ceiling height and the room size and I will tell you what size to get.
How long does it take?
A straight light swap is usually under an hour. A fan is longer because of the assembly, typically an hour to two. Multiple fixtures in one visit is where a half day block gets cheaper than hourly.
Can you install a fan I bought secondhand?
Yes, if all the parts are there and the wiring is intact. I will look at a photo first. If a unit is missing its mounting hardware it is usually cheaper to buy new than to source the parts.