What is the best place to buy paddle/rocker light switches?

1,938 Views | 16 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by beachfront71
96ags
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AG
So, my wife and I are building a new home and I decided the price the builder wanted to "upgrade" from standard light switches to the paddle type was too high. Therefore, I will be replacing the standard switches out shortly after moving in.

Anyone found a good place to order/buy them from?

Thanks.
aggieforester05
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AG
Electrical supply house
Do you know what you're doing? Can get tricky when you get into three and four way switches if you're inexperienced, especially if you're swapping out with Lutron dimmer switches. There shouldn't be much price difference from the builder or electrician for going with decora switches. I'd ask to see the electricians bid with a material takeoff. Call a local electrical supply house and ask for the price difference between switches. Note that the electrician will get a discounted price versus the one they give you. That could be a lot of work to swap them out and is bound to cost more than doing it right the first time unless they're just gouging you on the switch costs.
96ags
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AG
Yes, I'm pretty comfortable changing them out.

Probably not a lot of cost difference but at the time the builders mark up seemed too high to me. Could have been the other upgrades my wife did, but my inner tightwad came out and I can't admit a mistake now!

Thanks.
planoaggie123
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AG
We are re-doing a lot of switches, plugs, plates, etc. All rocker switches. It has been stages with some stages still to come but we are at about 15 - 20 dimmer switches (Lutron dimmer for LED), 20-30 standard rocker swithces (both single pole and 3 way), 20+ new plugs and 30+ new cover plates.

The Lutron dimmer were obviously most expense and I actually found a really good deal on Amazon for them. I was suprised. Beat everything i saw online by several dollars per.

For the "standard" rockers, I went with Levitron Decor and at about $2/ I did not bother pricing around much. I just bought from Home Depot out of convenicence.

After failing miserable on a three-way switch, I admited defeat and have hired an electrician to come out each time. They only charge about $75 per hour and really knock out a lot. I was satisfied plus provides piece of mind knowing I didnt do something stupid

aggieforester05
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AG
No problem, I'm guessing it's not a cost plus build then? That's the only way I work, I'm not really familiar with builder mark ups. We do cost plus 15% and then get a discount at the supply houses that pretty much makes up for the 15% builders fee (Just on supply house materials, not labor or other materials with no builder discount).

If you're talking about doing Lutron dimmer switches instead of a standard rocker switch then yes there is a big cost difference.

That's the only way I'd dim three or four way switches though.

Also be careful working on hot boxes with those. If you accidentally touch the hot to the frame or ground lug it's going to go boom and you have to buy a new switch.

There's several different ways that three ways can be wired depending on the location of the switch leg and power leg, so keep that in mind.
GrimesCoAg95
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AG
This sounds like a huge pain. You plan to take out all of the switches after they finish? How much extra do they want? I just built a custom house, and it took 3 of us quite a few hours to install plugs, switches, and lights.

If it is a cost-plus contract, talk to the contractor. See why it is so much more. Is there something else driving it up? If this is a bid and you have an allowance, ask if you can waive the allowance and just buy different switches. Even you lose the allowance, you don't have to redo the work.

This seems like something that can be worked out with a conversation.

Oh yeah, you can buy them at Elliot Electrical Supply. You will also need all new plates. Plates come in the unbreakable and the hard plastic. Get the hard plastic as the unbreakable ones do not look as good. Plates also come in 3 sizes. Regular (barely as big as the box), Jumbo (look huge), and Midsize (as Goldilocks says...just right). The midsize look great and will cover any small gaps between the box and drywall. HD/Lowes do not carry the midsize in hard plastic, but Elliot does.

http://wiringdevicesupport.eaton.com/Wall-plates/70709692/What-is-the-main-benefit-of-Mid-Size-wallplates-vs-Standard-size.htm
texsn95
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AG
I did the same a few years ago, probably ~40 switches total but well worth it.
GrimesCoAg95
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AG
I agree that it is worth it. I was just encouraging him to find a way to get it done initially. I used them in my home as well.
Garrelli 5000
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AG
I replaced a lot of decora style w/lutron caseta a few weeks ago. Not difficult, but sometimes a huge pain in the ass to find room to fit them in due to the size of the caseta back.
Olag00
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AG
I have a lot of them including 3 way switches if interested...probably close to 40. We built and I had to do the same thing except I went from paddle to Zwave switches. Let me know if interested.
96ags
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AG
Absolutely.

If you don't mind, send me an email so I can contact you.

ragag at Suddenlink dot net

Thanks
Olag00
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AG
In contact with you.
nonameag99
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You can generally buy online as cheap as you can get from the supply house.

I am an electrical contractor and I buy all sorts of tools and equipment online if I do not need it today.
bco2003
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AG
Olag00 said:

I have a lot of them including 3 way switches if interested...probably close to 40. We built and I had to do the same thing except I went from paddle to Zwave switches. Let me know if interested.
Olag, which Zwave switches did you go with?
Olag00
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AG
I have used a mixture of GE/Jasco, Honeywell, and now trying Inovelli. I haven't installed the Inovelli yet so can't comment on them. I have stopped using GE/Jasco and started using Honeywell lately. I do have 4 or 5 Inovelli I need to install so I can see how they perform.
beachfront71
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AG
Just go buy them and give them to builder and tell him to install them. Should be a pretty simple solution,
UnderoosAg
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AG
They may not warrant them. If you happen to get a bad batch then they're eating the labor to replace.
beachfront71
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AG
It's a light switch..

Besides..him going around replacing them all 2 weeks later won't be covered by builder either so take advantage getting them installed
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