For an investment of about $200 in hardware, we were able to take the lighting in our Smart Home kitchen, to the next level, thanks to Lightify’s Flex RGBW strips. There are other costs, of course: Your time, if you are a DIY type and installed all the lighting and wiring your self, or perhaps the cost of a handyman.
I estimate that my not really inexpensive, ($35/hr.), but talented handyman would likely have charged another $200-$250 for all the labor. But then, consider what he would have had to do.
Our cabinets are in three isolated groups in the kitchen. No way to run wires between them without them showing, except through the walls.
As a result, from one small set of cabinets, to the largest set, we ran wiring through the wall so that all of those could be on the same “run”, and be controlled together. Through the walls We had to run:
- One set of wires to connect the two sets of cabinet lights,
- One set for the above cabinet lights
- One for the below cabinet lights.
Running three strips instead of one, added really no significant time to the job, but the job also included patching up the holes the wiring went through, (it’s all low voltage), and then repainting the areas. I’m figuring that patching and painting into the estimated price $200-$250 labor estimate if our handyman did all the work. BTW the last run, counter lighting on the far side (far right side in some of the pictures), is just one 2 foot strip, with RF controller. As a separate run, we didn’t need to connect it to the others.
[postAdditionalContent]
Art's been reviewing high tech products and editing their reviews for 15 years. He launched his first website presenting solutions.com (sold in 2003) in early 1995 when there were only a few thousand .coms. He launched ProjectorReviews.com in 2000, and started planning Smarterhomeautomation.com back in 2011.
Art's goal is to provide in-depth reviews on the latest and hottest products that fit into the Smart Home, aka Home Automation, as well as insightful articles to educate people into what's available, what makes the most sense, and where the market is going, so people can better plan, and implement their goals for energy efficient, convenient, and downright "cool" capabilities.
Ancient history: Born in Allentown PA, Graduated 1972. Sold and managed stereo stores (and did a little surfing) in the early, mid-70's before getting into computers and more AV. Managed the first computers store in Pa, starting in 1979 (not the first manager). Moved to selling computers to major accounts. Then moved west to SF area, for a four year stint with Epson starting in 1982, then left for one of the early large venture backed start-ups in the Silicon Valley - Presentation Technologies. Left there to start up Presenting Solutions, which became the first projector focused reseller on the internet (Jan 1995). Married Lori in 1990, and have been enjoying our daughter Lisa, since 1992! Presently living, and working in San Clemente, CA.
