Specialty Electric installs smart switches, dimmers and ceiling fan controls, and does the electrical prep behind smart home systems, in homes across San Diego County. Two things decide what works: many smart switches need a neutral wire in the switch box, which older homes often lack, and a ceiling fan needs a fan control rather than a light dimmer. Quotes are free.
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What we install
We install smart switches and dimmers, including Legrand adorne, which you can see on display at our San Diego location, 8020 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. We also install ceiling fan controls, both in-wall and remote. For smart home systems such as Lutron and Control4, we do the electrical prep: conduit pathways, dedicated circuits and rough-in wiring.
The neutral wire question
Many smart switches need power all the time, so they need a neutral wire in the switch box. The electrical code (NEC 404.2(C)) now requires a neutral at switches serving bathrooms, hallways, stairways and living spaces, but homes wired before that rule often don't have one. Replacement switches in those homes are exempt where a neutral can't be added without opening walls or ceilings. Whether yours has one decides which switch fits.
Dimmers, LEDs and fans
LEDs can flicker on a dimmer when they aren't paired with a driver designed to respond to it, so the dimmer and the light have to work together. A ceiling fan is different: a regular light dimmer running a fan can make the motor hum. A fan needs a fan control, and for a fan with a light, a wall control that runs the fan and the light separately. See our lighting design and ceiling fan pages for more.
What to expect
- Permits
- When your job needs a permit, we pull it.
- Time on site
- It depends on the job. Most jobs are done in a day or less.
- Price
- Every job is quoted before we start. The price depends on how difficult the labor is, how long it takes, and the cost of materials.
- Brands we install
- Legrand adorne
- Guarantee
- We guarantee our labor for life. Period.
Frequently asked questions
Do smart switches need a neutral wire?
Many do, because they need power even when the light is off. The electrical code now requires a neutral at switches in bathrooms, hallways, stairways and living spaces, but homes wired before that rule often don't have one. Whether your switch box has a neutral decides which smart switch fits.
Why do my LED lights flicker on a dimmer?
LEDs can flicker when they aren't paired with a driver designed to respond to the dimmer. The fix is a dimmer and light that work together, so the dimmer has to be matched to the fixtures. Ask us to look at it when we quote.
Can I use a dimmer to control my ceiling fan?
Not a regular light dimmer. Running a ceiling fan on a conventional dimmer can make the motor hum. A fan needs a fan speed control, and a fan with a light needs a wall control that runs the fan and the light separately. We install in-wall fan controls and remotes.
What smart switches do you install?
We install smart switches and dimmers, including Legrand adorne, plus in-wall fan controls and remotes. You can see adorne switches and dimmers on display at our San Diego location, 8020 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Which switch fits depends on your wiring, so we tell you when we quote.
Do you wire homes for Lutron or Control4?
We do the electrical prep for smart home systems such as Lutron and Control4: conduit pathways, dedicated circuits and rough-in wiring, ideally planned during a remodel or new build. Tell us which system you're planning when you ask for a quote.
How much does smart switch installation cost?
Every job is quoted before we start, and quotes are free, so we don't publish a flat price. Three things set it: how difficult the labor is (for example, whether a neutral wire has to be run), how long the job takes, and the cost of the switches and materials.