Ceiling fan installation cost guide

A ceiling fan can work wonders at circulating the air around your home, which can also cool you down on hot days. It’s a relatively quick and simple job to complete, so you can enjoy a cooler home without having to wait too long.

Buying a ceiling fan

First things first, you’ll need to choose a ceiling fan to suit your room.

They vary in price depending on size and quality, but you can expect to pay around £50 for a basic one and up to £350 for a luxury model.

How much does ceiling fan installation cost?

It shouldn’t be too tricky or time-consuming a job for a trained professional to install your new ceiling fan.

Once you’ve added the cost of buying your dream ceiling fan to the electrician’s time, you can expect to pay between £100 and £450 in total.

Electrician ceiling fan installation cost

It’s advisable to get a few different quotes before choosing an electrician to install your ceiling fan.

It should only take around an hour to install your fan, but some electricians may charge by the hour, a portion of a day rate or just the call-out charge with a small sum added on top.

On average, it should cost around £75 for installation of a ceiling fan by a qualified electrician.

FAQs

Do I need special wiring installed for a ceiling fan?

You don’t usually need any special wiring to install a ceiling fan. Unless the wiring is old or damaged (in which case it should be replaced), you can just use the wiring for the existing light fitting in the centre of the room.

You may also need new wiring if you’re planning to have your fan in an unusual or out-of-the-way spot, where there isn’t an existing lighting circuit.

Can I install a ceiling fan myself?

As ceiling fans are wired into existing lighting circuits, it shouldn’t be too difficult a job to handle yourself. Most fans will come with wiring diagrams and full instructions to follow.

However, unless you’re very confident with wiring, it’s usually recommended to call in an experienced professional to fit your new ceiling fan.

You don’t necessarily need an electrician, but it can give you peace of mind to use one. After all, the last thing you want is for incorrect wiring to damage the fan or cause a dangerous situation.

Are ceiling fans expensive to run?

Modern ceiling fans are designed to be quite economical, as they run off the standard lighting circuit. It could cost less than a 100w light bulb to run your fan.

Does a ceiling fan need to be attached to a joist?

Fans don’t tend to be very heavy and are designed to be located on ceilings. Plasterboard is designed to take a certain amount of weight and, in most cases, is perfectly fine to carry the weight of domestic light fittings and fans.

If it is a particularly heavy fan, a tradesperson will be able to advise on the best practice following the recommendation of the manufacturer.

Where should a ceiling fan be positioned?

Regarding where to locate the fan, you are pretty much guided by where the existing light pendant is currently situated in the room.

Choosing an alternative location is doable, but it would involve additional associated work such as relocating wires, cutting into the existing ceiling, patch repairing the ceiling where the original pendant was located and also redecorating.

There must also be enough clearance for the blades.

Will a ceiling fan wobble?

As long as it has been installed correctly, with fixings properly tightened, there should be no problems unless the fan itself has a fault. We recommend hiring a qualified professional for a safe fitting.