Ceiling fans, chandeliers, pendants, recessed lights, porch lights and smoke detectors for St. Pete bungalows, mid-century ranches, condos and new builds. High ceilings, plaster, old boxes and old wiring are everyday work for us. Licensed (EC#13014717) since 2010, and no job too small.
Call (727) 476-7079 or book a fan or fixture install online. Office 7 AM–5 PM, weekend service, 24/7 emergency calls.
St. Pete ceilings come with history
St. Petersburg has about 262,700 residents, and its median home was built in 1969 (Census ACS 2020–2024), the oldest of any large city in Pinellas. In Historic Kenwood, Old Northeast, Crescent Lake, Old Southeast and Roser Park, many homes date to the 1920s. That changes how a “simple” fan or fixture swap goes:
- Old boxes that aren’t fan-rated. Many original ceiling boxes were made for a light fixture, not a spinning fan. We replace them with a fan-rated box or brace.
- Knob-and-tube and cloth-insulated wiring. Old insulation gets brittle and can crumble when it’s moved. When we open a ceiling and find it, we tell you before going further. Sometimes one circuit can be replaced; sometimes it’s time to plan rewiring.
- No ground at the box. Common in older homes, and something to address when adding metal fixtures and fans.
- Plaster and lath ceilings. We work carefully to keep patching to a minimum, and we’ll tell you up front if a ceiling needs to be opened.
- Tall ceilings in bungalows and Mediterranean Revival homes that need longer downrods and taller ladders.
- Aluminum branch wiring in some homes built in the mid-1960s to early ’70s. We use approved connectors and repair methods.
Ceiling fans
- Fan replacements for old, wobbly or noisy fans
- Light-to-fan conversions with a fan-rated box or brace
- New fan locations with a new switch where there’s no wiring yet
- Porch and lanai fans: damp-rated for covered porches, wet-rated anywhere rain can reach them, with corrosion-resistant finishes near Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bay
- Controls: separate fan and light switches, wall controls, remotes and smart controls
Light fixtures
- Chandeliers and pendants in dining rooms, entries and over kitchen islands, supported for their weight
- Recessed and LED wafer lights to brighten older rooms. See lighting installation.
- Period-style fixtures you’ve picked out for a historic home. Interior fixture work doesn’t need historic review.
- Porch and exterior lights, garage and alley lights, motion sensors and photocells
- Dimmers and smart switches matched to LED fixtures
You can buy your own fixtures and fans, including vintage or salvaged pieces; we install anything that’s UL-listed (or listed by another recognized lab). Vintage fixtures that aren’t listed may need rewiring before they can go up. Ask us first.
Condos, rentals and new builds
- Downtown and waterfront condos: fixtures inside your unit are usually yours. For balconies, exteriors and common areas, we coordinate with the association.
- Landlords: we swap fans, fixtures and smoke alarms between tenants and send photos of the finished work. A Member Care Plan can cover several properties with 7% off labor.
- Rebuilt and elevated homes in Shore Acres, Snell Isle and other areas hit by Helene: lighting and fan layouts for new construction and remodels. See home remodel & addition electrical.
Smoke and CO alarms
Older St. Pete homes often have battery-only smoke detectors, or a mix of old and new. We install and replace hardwired, interconnected smoke alarms, so when one sounds, they all sound, and combination smoke/CO alarms for homes with gas appliances or an attached garage. Smoke alarms should generally be replaced about every 10 years; check the date on the back.
Permits in St. Petersburg
Swapping a fan or fixture for a new one in the same spot usually doesn’t need a permit. New circuits and new locations that extend wiring usually do. Inside city limits, permits come from the City of St. Petersburg Building & Permitting office at the Municipal Services Center, One 4th Street N. Unincorporated addresses with a St. Pete mailing address, including parts of Lealman and Tierra Verde, go through Pinellas County. We pull the permit when it’s required.
How a fan or fixture visit works
- Call or book online and tell us what you’re installing. Photos of the ceiling and the fixture help.
- Bundle it. Several fans, a fixture and a two-prong outlet to upgrade? Put them all on one visit.
- We give you the price before we start.
- We install, balance and test every speed, light and switch, and clean up after ourselves.
Hurricane season notes for this area
October is still hurricane season on the Gulf coast. For planned electrical work we keep the advice practical:
- Standby generators need a listed transfer switch ahead of the panel. Portable-generator interlocks are a different product and are not installed in a SPAN Panel. See generator installation and hookups.
- Whole-house surge protection is required by Florida’s adopted electrical code whenever a home’s service equipment is replaced, and it’s a smart add-on before storm season even when you’re not upgrading. See whole-house surge protection.
- After a storm: do a visual check before restoring power if the house took on water, if you smell burning, or if the meter can or panel was submerged or damaged. Call us for a post-storm inspection rather than flipping the main back on and hoping. Emergency calls are answered 24/7; we do not promise a response time.
- Permits: generator hookups, panel and service work still need the correct city or county permit. We pull those when we do the work.
Warranty and plans
- 3-year workmanship warranty, extended to 5 years for Member Care Plan members.
- For larger projects like a whole-house lighting update or rewiring: financing available through Acorn Finance, subject to credit approval. Check your options without affecting your credit score. Ask us and we’ll include the financing link with your itemized quote.
Why St. Pete calls Keywest Lights & Electric
- Licensed electrical contractor, EC#13014717, since 2010
- Based at 6248 Seminole Blvd, Seminole, FL 33772, about 11 miles from downtown St. Pete
- Old-house experience: plaster ceilings, old boxes, knob-and-tube and cloth wiring
- Woman-owned, family-run business and Home Depot preferred contractor
- Small jobs done as carefully as big ones
St. Petersburg ceiling fan & light fixture FAQ
Can you put a ceiling fan in my 1920s bungalow? Usually, yes. We check the box and the wiring first. Most older boxes need to be replaced with a fan-rated box or brace, and we’ll tell you if the wiring needs attention.
I found cloth-covered wiring when I took down a light. Is that a problem? It can be. Old cloth insulation gets brittle and can crumble when disturbed. Leave it in place and call us; we’ll assess that circuit before anything goes back up.
Can you install a vintage chandelier I bought? Often. If it isn’t UL-listed or the wiring is old, it may need rewiring first. We’ll look at it and tell you.
Is one ceiling fan too small a job? No. No job too small. Bundling a few fans or fixtures into one visit makes the most of the trip.
Do I need a permit for a new light in St. Pete? A same-spot swap usually doesn’t. New locations and new circuits usually do, from the City of St. Petersburg or Pinellas County. We handle it.
How much does ceiling fan installation cost? It depends on whether it’s a straight swap, a light-to-fan conversion or a new location, ceiling height, and what we find in the box. We give you the price before we start.
St. Pete homeowners, landlords and condo owners: call (727) 476-7079 or book online.
Holiday and outdoor lighting: for dedicated outdoor GFCI circuits, in-use covers, timers, and permanent eave or landscape lighting options, see our notes on the ceiling fan and light fixture hub and outlet repair.
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