Most of the questions that reach our inbox after an order are not about the fixture. They are about the ceiling it is going into. Almost all of them could have been answered before the order was placed, in about five minutes.
Here is that five minutes.
Hardwired or plug-in?
Every product page states which one you are buying. Get this right first, because it decides everything else.
Hardwired means the fixture connects directly to your home's wiring at a ceiling or wall box. There is no cord and no plug. It needs an existing electrical box in the right place, or a new one run to it.
Plug-in means a cord and a standard wall plug, usually with an inline switch. No electrician, no box, no commitment — you can move it to another room next year. Several of our wall sconces are plug-in for exactly this reason.
Is there a box where you want the light?
If you are replacing an existing fixture, yes — and you are most of the way there. If you are putting a light somewhere that has never had one, an electrician needs to run a circuit to that point. That is a bigger job than the installation itself, and it is worth getting a quote before you order the fixture rather than after.
Can the ceiling take the weight?
The weight is listed in the specifications on every product page. A standard ceiling box is rated for around 50 pounds; anything heavier needs a brace or a fixing into a joist.
Stone fixtures — alabaster, travertine, marble — weigh considerably more than they look. If your fixture is going into plasterboard rather than a joist, tell your electrician the weight before they start, not when the box is already open.
Will your switch work with it?
Two things catch people out here.
Dimmers. If a fixture has an integrated LED, it only dims on a compatible dimmer — usually TRIAC. An old incandescent dimmer will often produce flicker or a buzz, or simply refuse to go low. Where a fixture is dimmable, the type is listed in its specifications. If you have an existing dimmer and are unsure, send us the model and we will check.
Voltage. Our fixtures are AC 110–240V and work on standard US household current. If you are wiring into a low-voltage landscape system at 12V or 24V, a standard fixture will not work — several of our outdoor lights are available in a DC version on request, but that has to be arranged before you order.
Indoors, outdoors, or a bathroom?
Look for the IP rating in the specifications. IP20 means indoor use only — not a bathroom, not a covered porch, not a laundry with a lot of steam. Only fixtures in our Outdoor Lighting collection are rated for exposure to weather.
This is the single specification most worth checking, because getting it wrong is not a matter of taste. Water and IP20 do not mix.
Do you need an electrician?
For anything hardwired, we recommend one. It is usually a short job, and it keeps your warranty and your home insurance intact — a self-installed fixture that causes damage is a conversation you do not want to have with an insurer.
For plug-in fixtures, you need a wall socket and nothing else.
What arrives in the box
The fixture, its mounting hardware, canopies, rods or cable, and the manual. Bulbs are included only where the product page says so — for integrated LED fixtures the light source is built in and there is nothing to buy.
Open the box and check the contents when it arrives, before you book an electrician. If something is missing or damaged in transit, tell us within seven days with photographs of the item and the packaging, and we will send replacement parts at our cost.
Still not sure?
Send us a photo of the spot, your ceiling height, and the fixture you are considering. We will tell you what the installation involves before you spend anything — support@haviera.com, and we answer within one business day.
Our full installation guide covers the process step by step.