Lighting control in Kingston
Lighting control is one of the upgrades Kingston homeowners ask about most often when they are renovating. The Royal Borough has a varied mix of housing, from 1930s semi-detached around Norbiton and Berrylands, to Victorian and Edwardian terraces along the Portsmouth Road and the town centre, to newer riverside apartments around Canbury and Kingston Bridge. Each of these property types lends itself to a slightly different approach.
On the older end of the stock, lighting circuits are typically a patchwork of additions made over the decades. Many KT1 and KT2 homes still have a single switch drop per room, no neutrals at the switch position, and a mix of pendant and downlight loads on the same circuit. Retrofitting a system like Lutron RA2 Select or Rako Wireless means we can usually leave most of the existing wiring in place and replace the switches and dimmers, rather than chasing new cabling through plastered walls. That keeps disruption down on homes where the decoration is already done.
In newer Canbury and town centre apartments, the wiring is usually in better shape and the conversation is more about scene control, blinds integration and bringing keypads into living areas to replace banks of plate switches. For larger Kingston Hill or Coombe properties under refurbishment, we more often specify a wired Lutron HomeWorks or Rako Wired system at the first fix stage, with the cabling laid in alongside the rewire.
We are based in Kingston, so site visits, programming tweaks and the inevitable second visit after the client has lived with the scenes for a few weeks are all straightforward. The aim is to leave you with a system that feels intuitive to use rather than one that needs a manual.
What lighting control covers
A lighting control system replaces traditional switches with keypads, dimmers and a central programming layer. In summary the work typically involves:
- Survey of existing circuits, load types and switch positions
- Specification of the right platform (Lutron RA2 Select, Lutron HomeWorks, Rako Wireless or Rako Wired)
- First fix cabling on new build and full refurbishment projects
- Installation of keypads, dimmer modules and central processors
- Programming of scenes, timers, occupancy logic and app control
- Integration with blinds, audio visual and home automation where required
- Handover, training and aftercare for tweaks once the system is in daily use
For a full breakdown of the platforms we work with and how a typical project runs, see the main lighting control page, the Lutron installation page and the Rako installation page.
Common installs in Kingston properties
The shape of a Kingston lighting control project depends heavily on the property and the stage of works. A few patterns we see often:
- 1930s semis in Norbiton, Berrylands and parts of New Malden: typically a Lutron RA2 Select or Rako Wireless retrofit. Switch plates and dimmers are swapped, scenes are set up for the open plan kitchen diner that often sits across the back of these houses, and the hallway and landing run on timed presets.
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces around the town centre and Portsmouth Road: usually wireless systems to avoid chasing original lath and plaster. Front reception, kitchen and main bedroom are the spaces that benefit most. Keypads replace clutter where four or five plate switches sit side by side.
- Riverside and Canbury apartments: often wireless retrofits with a small number of keypads in living and dining areas, plus app control for the bedrooms. Blinds and curtain integration is a common add on in these properties.
- Larger Kingston Hill and Coombe houses under refurbishment: typically a wired Lutron HomeWorks or Rako Wired specification, laid in at first fix as part of a wider rewire, with multiple keypads per floor and full scene control across reception rooms, the principal bedroom suite and outside lighting.
- Converted flats in older Kingston buildings: usually a single zone wireless system, often paired with a consumer unit upgrade where the existing board cannot accommodate the new load arrangement.
What to expect
Every Kingston lighting control project is quoted after a site visit, because the cost depends heavily on the platform, the number of zones, the keypad count and whether the work is retrofit or first fix. As a guide:
- Single room retrofit (kitchen, principal bedroom or reception room): priced after a short site visit
- Whole floor or whole house wireless retrofit: quoted on zone count and keypad layout
- Wired Lutron HomeWorks or Rako Wired for refurbishment or new build: priced as part of the wider electrical scope
Survey visits in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames can usually be arranged within a few working days. There is no travel charge anywhere in the borough. Programming is typically done on site over a day or two for retrofits, with a follow up visit to refine scenes once you have lived with the system. Contact us for a quote based on your property and what you want the system to do.
Frequently asked questions
Can lighting control be retrofitted into an older Kingston property without chasing the walls?
In most cases, yes. Lutron RA2 Select and Rako Wireless are both designed for retrofit, and they typically work with the existing cabling in a KT1 or KT2 property. We swap the switches and dimmers for the new units, add a small processor or hub, and program the scenes. Where a switch position has no neutral, there are workarounds for many load types. We confirm what is possible at the survey stage so there are no surprises later.
Lutron or Rako for a Kingston home?
Both work well. Lutron tends to suit clients who want a slightly more polished keypad finish and broader third party integration. Rako is often a strong fit where a wired system is being specified into a refurbishment, and where the homeowner wants a UK based platform with good aftermarket support. We talk through both at the survey and recommend whichever genuinely fits the project rather than defaulting to one brand.
Will the system still work if the internet goes down?
Yes. The keypads and dimmers operate independently of any internet connection. App control, voice control and remote access need a working network, but the lights themselves continue to respond to the keypads, occupancy sensors and timed presets regardless of what your broadband is doing. This is a question we get often from clients in older Kingston properties where the broadband is variable.
Can the system be expanded later?
Both Lutron and Rako are designed to be extended. A first phase covering the living, dining and kitchen areas can be expanded to bedrooms, the landing or outside lighting later, as budget and appetite allow. We always set the initial install up with future expansion in mind, particularly in larger Kingston Hill and Coombe houses where projects often run in phases.