Distinguish a condition register from a design assessment. Agree areas, measurement requirements and expected proposals before attendance. Scope emergency lighting separately so normal illumination is not confused with provision for loss of ordinary supplies.
For the fittings, controls and occupied areas covered by a proposed lighting job, explore commercial lighting.
Record the existing installation
Record each area's luminaires, type, condition, position and controls. Identify failures, damage and difficult maintenance access. Keep measurements and images traceable to the relevant space and fitting.
Establish operating hours, switching and presence or daylight control arrangements. Lamp or fitting wattage alone cannot explain room consumption without the duration and control of use.
Observe the space in use
HSE workplace-lighting advice supports assessment against actual activities. Circulation, desk tasks, storage and detailed production have different demands. Include user experience when assessing glare, shadows and repeated difficulties.
Where readings are commissioned, record method, position and conditions. Note daylight, furniture and which fittings were operating. A lone measurement without that context provides weak evidence for decisions across a whole building.
Turn findings into a practical scope
Separate repair priorities and routine upkeep from design changes. An upgrade may change positioning, controls and equipment, while a repair restores existing provision. Establish compatibility, access and associated electrical work before assuming direct replacement.
Specify the intended result and verification after installation. Modelled savings need a baseline, operating hours and transparent assumptions; present them as forecasts rather than demonstrated site performance.
Plan the work around occupation
Agree access windows, protection and outages around occupation. Coordinate overhead activity with the spaces below. Include disposal, reinstatement and instruction for those using the new control arrangement.
Reconcile the completed installation with the design and handover specification. File revised layouts, equipment information and appropriate electrical test records with the estate documentation.
FAQs
Does a survey always mean replacing the lights?
No. Evidence may support cleaning, repair, control changes or a defined upgrade. Recommendations should address the observed problem.
Are emergency lights included automatically?
No. Specify them expressly. They have different functions and checks from ordinary lighting even where shared equipment contains both.
What should we provide before the visit?
Provide layouts, operating periods, past works and problem locations, together with proposed changes in room activity.
Related services and guidance
Explore commercial lighting provision, emergency lighting support and installation work. Review repair and renewal choices, or submit a lighting survey brief.
