'factory direct' recessed light companies, any good?

I am building a new house and want to have some (many) recessed lights... I am going to use a mixture of 5" incandescents and 4" halogens, the incandescents are cheap enough so I have been researching the low voltage fixtures... I went at a specialty lighting store who recommended Elco recessed lights and they quoted me a price of $80 for a low voltage housing ($55) and trim ($25) this was at "wholesale price' for the whole house. I then came home to do some research and found the same housing and trim on Ebay for $62 delivered, which is a nice saving IMO...

That then brings me to my qu, today I was looking at recessed lights online again and I came across some factory direct companies like CCL-Light.com and SunriseLights.com both of whom charge ~$30 for the same, or at least very similar, low voltage housing and trim... Has anyone ordered from these companies, is there a big difference between brand names and factory direct? Or any advise on whether or not to use these companies?

You'd be best off to order a sample of each so you can compare the quality-  You'll find a huge variety of quality- especially how solid the housing is, how the wiring for the lamping is connected, how ithe trim fits the housing etc.  Some people make the mistake of thinking that a recess fixture is installed and covered up so the only critical thing is the trim-  But the way the lamp is held in the fixture, the arrangement of the wiring (for when you have to change the bulb), and a solid installation kit that's going to last and hold the trim firmly are all critical.  Don't forget that if you have one bad fixture in the bunch you're going to wipe out all your savings the minute you have to change it.

You'll also want to make sure that the cheap fixtures are really UL- listed.  Never install anything that isn't UL listed.

Let us know what you find-  

Right now there's two companies that we use a lot beacuse we find that the quality throughout the life makes up for the few hundred dollars extra-

One product I love- Contrast Lighting makes a line voltage fixture that uses a GU/GZ-10 lamp that is like a PAR lamp but it is a "twist and lock" fitting that doesn't wear out like those teeny little bi-pins that are so hard to get in when they are 8' over your head.  The light quality is the same as a LV but you won't have the wiring limitations and added cost and complexity of a LV system.

http://contrastlighting.com/en/prodrecline.htm

the other company making a really fine light these days is  Specialty Lighiting.  These things are spiffy (but the price isn't so spiffy)

http://www.specialtylightingindustries.com/slinew/sli_pro.asp?ProdType=5

JB,

thanks for your reply.  You brought up another question that I had been having which is line VS low voltage.  As you said you can get the GU10 and PAR bulbs in line voltage both are halogen bulbs so they should give off the same quality of light as a  low voltage halogen.  I would have thought the type of bulb (halogen, incandescent or florescent) and lens shape gives the quality of light not the voltage, but every light expert I talk to makes it sound like its low voltage or bust when talking about ascent and task lighting...

The low voltage housings are the expensive part and if I can get the same quality of light from a line voltage housing with a halogen bulb it a no brainer... 

When it comes to decorative dangly little fixtures and eleganttrack fictures LV is the only way to go-  when it comes to recess housings LV used to be the only way to get a PAR style lamp.  The GU10 halogen lamps produce a light that is identical to a PAR lamp.  IN an A/B comparison there is no difference so if it works for your application then it's agreat way to simplify your electric package.  It's not like LV is some problematic exotic thing- but it adds another set of equipment to order/deliver/ install/mangage- so if you can simplify you can save money. 

A lot of people haven't seen the GU10 fixtures in person and think that a GU10 lamp looks the same as a halogen bulb in an incandescant housing,  but GU10 is a different beast altogether.  I use both LV PAR lamps and GU10 depending on what I need- but the GU10 is so much easier to change the bulbs on- and the light quality is so nice- that I love them.  As a builder anytime I can reduce work and eliminate additional components, save money, and get an identical look with superior function- it's a goood thing.

The least expensive thing you can buy, and still have a small aperture downlight with "sparkle", is a 3" line voltage, PAR20 downlight.  I've recommended these on many high end projects and installed them in my own house.  The end result on all of these projects has been great.  Lithonia Lighting offers their L3 and Halo offers its H99 series housing at a much lower cost than any low voltage housing. 

The PAR20 lamp is very simiar in size to the low voltage MR16 (.5" larger).  The cost of a PAR20 lamp vs. a good GU10 base lamp is about half.  I haven't seen GU10 housings as economically priced as the line voltage PAR20 housings.  Be aware of IC vs. non-IC & airtight capabilities. 

Good luck with your lighting project!

Chuck,

That is the conclusion I arrived at yesterday.  I could not justify the additional cost of using an MR16 bulb, low or line voltage.  PAR20 and PAR16 seem the best compromise IMO they give me 90% of the functionality at %50 the price.

thanks guys.

We used Elco 4 inch lights in our townhomes along with their MR16 lights.

We typically pay under $20 for an Elco 4 inch can lights with the refelctive trim. They are great lights.

Try here:

http://www.westsidewholesale.com/