Fixture installation is the fastest-growing handyman service in Los Angeles because every homeowner is one Amazon delivery away from a project that needs a pro. The new pendant light, the smart doorbell, the Lutron switch, the kitchen faucet — they all sit in their boxes for weeks because the install instructions assume things you don't actually have. Red Stag is the un-box-it-and-install-it crew. You buy it, we put it in correctly, today, and we test everything before we leave.
The boundary between handyman work and electrician work in California is clear: a licensed handyman can replace any like-for-like fixture (light, fan, doorbell, switch, outlet, faucet) using the existing wiring, junction box, or plumbing supply. Where it crosses into electrician territory is anything that requires running new wiring, adding a new circuit, upsizing a breaker, or modifying the panel. Red Stag does fixture swaps all day; we do not run new wiring. If your job is the swap, we're the right call. If you need a new circuit run for a new bathroom or a new EV charger, we'll refer you to a licensed sub.
Smart-home installs are where most handyman companies fall down — they install the device but don't pair it, configure it, or test it inside the homeowner's existing app ecosystem. Red Stag walks you through pairing every smart device we install: Ring/Nest doorbells get added to your account on-site, smart locks get paired to your phone before we leave, Lutron Caseta switches get linked to your hub, smart bulbs get added to your routines. We're not a tech-support service, but a smart-fixture install includes 'works the way you expected it to' — that's the standard.
Ceiling fans are the highest-skill fixture in the home. Most existing junction boxes are not rated to hold the weight of a fan plus the dynamic load of the blades spinning at speed, which is why fans wobble, drop their canopies, or eventually fail. Red Stag's fan installs include a fan-rated brace box (Saf-T-Brace or equivalent) installed up through the existing j-box hole — no attic access required for most installs. The fan goes up balanced, the canopy goes up tight, and the fan runs whisper-quiet on every speed setting.
Bathroom hardware is the second-biggest source of fixture installation regret because anchors fail. A towel bar pulled out of drywall isn't the bar's fault — it's that the previous installer used a plastic hollow anchor instead of finding the stud or using a proper toggle. Red Stag's bathroom hardware installs use stud mounts where possible, snap-toggle or strap-toggle anchors where studs aren't available, and tile-rated diamond-tipped anchors for stone or porcelain. Hardware we install stays installed.
Flat-rate pricing across all 29 of our LA County service cities. Final price is locked in before any work begins.
| Service Type | Flat-Rate Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Light fixture swap (existing j-box) | $95–$185 |
| Chandelier install (under 50 lbs) | $185–$385 |
| Ceiling fan install (fan brace included) | $225–$450 |
| Recessed light retrofit (per can) | $65–$125 |
| Ring or Nest doorbell installation | $125–$245 |
| Smart lock install + pairing | $135–$235 |
| Smart switch / dimmer (per device) | $95–$175 |
| Bathroom hardware kit (5–8 pieces) | $185–$365 |
| Kitchen faucet swap | $185–$315 |
| Garbage disposal swap (like-for-like) | $225–$385 |
Click your city for local pricing, response time, and the housing-stock context that makes fixture installation different in your neighborhood.
If it's a like-for-like swap (replacing an existing fixture using existing wiring), a licensed handyman can do it under California law. If it's a brand-new fixture in a location that doesn't currently have wiring (e.g., adding a chandelier where there's no junction box), that requires an electrician to run new wiring. Red Stag does the first; we refer the second.
A standard Ring or Nest doorbell installation in LA runs $125–$245 depending on whether you're using existing doorbell wiring (faster, cheaper) or going battery-powered with a new mounting plate. Both options include WiFi pairing, account setup, motion zone configuration, and a test ring before we leave.
Yes. We install a fan-rated brace box (Saf-T-Brace or equivalent) up through the existing junction-box opening — no attic access required in most cases. The brace anchors between the joists, supports the fan dynamic load, and the new j-box mounts to it. Standard ceiling fan install with a fan-rated brace runs $225–$450 in LA.
Yes. Smart-fixture installs include pairing and testing on your phone before we leave. We add the device to your existing app (Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, Ring, August, etc.), test that it works as expected, and walk you through the basics. We're not a long-form tech support service, but if it's not working when we leave, we haven't finished the job.
Yes. Tile and stone walls (bathroom hardware, kitchen pot fillers) require diamond-tipped masonry bits and tile-rated anchors. We tape the surface, mark with a center punch, drill at low speed with water cooling for natural stone, and use sleeve or strap-toggle anchors. Properly installed tile-mounted hardware is permanent — no cracking, no slow loosening.