If you buy lighting for a project, you already know that a quote is more than a price. It is the document everyone will refer back to when something arrives late, looks different or turns out to be a different model. A good one saves arguments later.
Here is how a lighting quote usually comes together, what you can do to speed it up, and what to check before you say yes.
Step 1: Send what you have
Suppliers can work from very little, but the more precise the input, the tighter the quote. Useful items, in rough order of value:
- The BOQ or lighting schedule, listing each fitting by tag, model, quantity and location
- A floor plan or reflected ceiling plan, with the zones marked
- Ceiling heights and ceiling type (plasterboard, exposed slab, grid)
- Any must-haves: colour temperature, CRI, IP rating, dimming, finish
- The date the lights need to be on site
A BOQ is the itemised list of what is being bought. A lighting schedule is the fixture-by-fixture record that goes with the drawings, including mounting and control details. If you only have a rough idea, say so. We would rather talk it through than guess.
Step 2: Matching and clarifying
A supplier reads the schedule and checks each line against what they can supply. Three outcomes are common.
The exact model is available and quoted as specified. An equal is proposed, with the datasheet, so your designer can approve or reject it. Or the item is not something the supplier can source, and they say so.
If an item can't be sourced, a supplier who says so early saves you a week.
If you do not have a schedule, send us the drawing and your brief, and we will suggest fittings from our range. Our LED panels, downlights, tubes and battens, track lights and floodlights cover most standard commercial areas.
Step 3: What a good quote contains
Read the quote against this list. Missing items are worth a question.
- Each line shows the model, quantity and unit price. "LED light, 100 pcs" is not a line
- Whether prices include or exclude GST
- Lead time for each category, not one number for the whole order
- How long the quote is valid
- Warranty terms for each item, and who handles claims
- Whether installation, delivery and accessories (drivers, rails, brackets) are in or out
- What documents come with the order
Step 4: Samples before the order
For anything you will buy in quantity, see one first. A sample tells you what a datasheet cannot: how the colour looks against your finishes, how the glare feels, whether the fixing really fits the cut-out.
Approve the sample in writing and keep it. If the delivered batch looks different, you have something to compare it to. At Home Genie, samples are charged at full price, and a bulk order that follows a sample gets a discount.
Step 5: Lead times, item by item
Different items live on different clocks.
Stocked items are the quickest, but only up to the quantity on hand. A quote for 500 pieces is a different conversation from a quote for 20. Items that need to be ordered in take longer. Made-to-order pieces take longest. At Home Genie, custom lighting takes around 2 months from design approval, depending on complexity.
Ask the supplier to state which category each line falls into. That makes your programme honest. Quote turnaround at Home Genie depends on local availability of the goods.
Step 6: Bulk pricing
Bulk pricing is usually a conversation, not a price list. It depends on quantity, how many different items there are, how firm the order is, and the payment terms. At Home Genie, pricing is discussed per project.
A practical tip: if you have a choice between two similar models, tell your supplier. Consolidating onto fewer models often improves the price more than haggling over one line does.
Step 7: Installation and variations
Decide who installs before you lock the quote. Lighting installation on a project is not a DIY job, and it affects the programme. At Home Genie, our installers can quote installation alongside supply. For larger jobs and bulk retrofits, we assess the job and the access requirements first, by site visit.
Finally, agree how changes will be handled. If a model is discontinued or a quantity changes, you want it in writing, with the new price, before the order goes in.
Common mistakes
- Comparing quotes with different scope. One has installation, one has not
- Ordering without a sample
- Forgetting spares. A few percent extra is cheaper than a repeat order in a different batch
- Approving the quote without checking the lead time of the longest item
- Leaving out drivers, rails or brackets, which come as separate lines
Ready to start?
Send your BOQ, schedule or drawing by WhatsApp to 8837 6682, or email enquiries@homegenie.com.sg. See our project and commercial lighting page for what we supply, or read our guide to choosing a hotel lighting supplier.
FAQ
What do I need to send to get a lighting quote?
A BOQ or lighting schedule if you have one, plus a floor plan or reflected ceiling plan, ceiling heights, your must-haves such as colour temperature and IP rating, quantities and the date you need the lights on site.
What is a lighting BOQ?
A bill of quantities is the itemised list of fittings being bought, with model, quantity and location. A lighting schedule is the related fixture-by-fixture record that sits with the drawings.
Can I get samples before placing a project order?
Samples are the best way to check colour, glare and fit before you buy in quantity. Ask for one, approve it in writing and keep it for comparison against the delivered batch. At Home Genie, samples are charged at full price, and a bulk order that follows a sample gets a discount.
How long do project lighting orders take?
It depends on the item. Stocked items are quickest, ordered-in items take longer, and custom lighting at Home Genie takes around 2 months from design approval. Our quote turnaround depends on local availability of the goods. Ask for lead times line by line.
Does Home Genie offer bulk or trade pricing?
Pricing is discussed per project. WhatsApp 8837 6682 with your list and we will quote.
