I have managed lighting-related spending for a 180-person manufacturing company for six years. That usually means I'm the person comparing quotes, checking model numbers, and keeping a spreadsheet of problems. I've approved warehouse relights, ballast bypass projects, lobby chandeliers, and enough photocontrol replacements to know that the lowest unit price is rarely the lowest final cost. Since a lot of our fixtures come from Acuity-Brands, I'll use that as the running example. The process still works for any manufacturer.

This checklist is for facility and procurement people facing a commercial lighting decision. Use it when you're replacing old troffers with LED tubes, buying new fixtures, selecting decorative pieces, or trying to get better delivery dates from suppliers.

Who this checklist is for

Use this list when one of these is true:

  • You have fluorescent fixtures and need to choose between a ballast bypass and a complete LED fixture replacement.
  • You're ordering commercial fixtures under a Lithonia Lighting Acuity Brands distribution agreement and need model-level details.
  • You're trying to evaluate a chandelier bar or abstract chandelier for a lobby, restaurant, or meeting space.
  • You keep getting quoted long lead times and want to understand why Acuity Brands lighting locations matter.

I'm not an electrician. I'm the budget owner. The safety advice here is not exhaustive; the electrician who signs the work has the final call.

Step 1: Inventory the fixture before you look at a price sheet

Take down every fixture model number, lamp type, ballast type, and socket configuration. Open at least one fixture of each model. If a ceiling grid appears identical, confirm it before you order. I've been burned by a building where the same-looking 2x4 troffer had two different ballast models. The quote is only as good as the inventory behind it.

Also note mounting height. A six-foot ladder changes an installation cost estimate much less than a scissor lift. In high-bay spaces, adding a lift rental line item to the project can be the difference between a realistic budget and an emergency change order.

Step 2: Answer the ballast bypass question on paper first

The question is not just how to bypass a ballast for LED tube; it's whether you should. Bypass allows you to keep the old fixture housing and turn it into a direct-wire LED fixture. That approach can be cost-effective, but it is not automatic.

There are two common LED tube types:

  • Type A lamps plug into the existing fluorescent ballast. Simpler retrofit, but the ballast remains a future failure point.
  • Type B lamps are direct-wire. The ballast is removed or bypassed and line voltage is connected to the lamp holders.

If the fixture is in a hard-to-reach ceiling and you do not plan to replace it soon, Type B removes the risk of ballast failure later. That trade-off is worth more in some spaces than others.

In simple terms, the bypass procedure is:

  1. Turn off power at the breaker and lockout/tagout the circuit.
  2. Remove the old fluorescent tubes and the ballast cover.
  3. Disconnect all wires from the ballast. Many instructions require removing the ballast completely.
  4. Wire the line, neutral, and ground according to the tube manufacturer's diagram.
  5. Verify whether the sockets are shunted or non-shunted. Single-ended Type B tubes often need non-shunted sockets.
  6. Install the Type B LED tubes, label the fixture as LED direct-wire, and test before closing the fixture.

That is the practical version. An electrician should verify the wiring because a wrong connection can damage the tube or create a shock hazard.

When we compared Type A and Type B side by side in the same fixture, Type B was slightly more expensive upfront due to labor. But Type B won in total cost for the spaces we intended to keep for years. Seeing the two options side by side made me realize we were buying a future maintenance schedule, not just a lamp.

After we approved the Type B order, I kept second-guessing one detail: whether the existing sockets were shunted. I didn't relax until the electrician opened a fixture and confirmed we needed to replace some sockets before the first row lit up.

Step 3: Look up Acuity Brands lighting locations before you promise a delivery date

Delivery dates are budget items too. Acuity Brands lighting locations matter because the source of the fixture affects freight cost and lead time. Based on public company materials as of early 2025, Acuity Brands has major manufacturing locations in Crawfordsville, Indiana; Conyers, Georgia; and Ontario, Canada. If the order is coming from one of those plants, the route to your site is not the same as a regional distributor's stock.

When a spec line says Lithonia Lighting Acuity Brands, read the whole model number. Lithonia Lighting is a large commercial brand within the Acuity family, but the fixture model number controls everything else: dimensions, driver, mounting, and available controls. Do not assume that one location quote is the same as another.

Last year I almost ordered from a reseller because the item price was slightly lower. Then I checked the nearest Acuity Brands lighting location and realized the fixture could be shipped more quickly through our regular Lithonia distributor. I canceled the first order before it processed. That was close. The reseller was fine, but the shorter lead time removed the need for an expensive second visit from our electrical contractor.

Step 4: Compare total cost of ownership, not the unit price

My personal rule is that a cheap line item is not a win unless the installed cost and future cost are lower. The numbers that matter include the fixture price, lamp price, driver or ballast cost, labor, shipping, disposal, and the cost of any future service call.

In a 2023 warehouse project, we compared a ballast bypass retrofit against full fixture replacement for 46 troffers. The retrofit was lower upfront by roughly 30 percent. But once we added the likelihood of one service visit for a defective tube, the gap narrowed. We still chose the retrofit because the building lease ends in 2027. If we were committing to the building for 20 years, I would have chosen new Lithonia LED fixtures because the longer system warranty and better driver justify the extra cost. That is the value-over-price decision in practice.

Step 5: Consider controls before the fixture list is final

Controls are easy to defer until the next budget cycle. That deferral can be expensive. If you are already moving light fixtures, adding occupancy sensors, daylight dimming, or photocontrols at the same time reduces labor and avoids opening the ceiling again later.

When comparing two exterior lighting zones, one with photocontrols and one on a basic timer, the controlled zone used less energy in our monitored months. I do not want to quote an exact percentage because savings depend on the baseline and location. The point is that controls changed the operating cost of the project. Acuity's controls portfolio includes dark-to-light photocontrols that fit that analysis.

Step 6: Decorative lighting needs the same scrutiny

Some buyers skip the spreadsheet when the fixture looks artistic. That is how budget surprises appear. If a restaurant or lobby plan calls for a chandelier bar over a long table, treat it as an engineering product, not just a decoration. A chandelier bar can be a linear fixture whose price changes with length, finish, lamp type, dimming driver, and hanging hardware. Get the cut sheet. If the manufacturer cannot provide dimensions and weight, do not approve it.

An abstract chandelier is even more project-specific. It may look light and airy in a rendering, but the actual weight can require structural support. Weight affects labor, ceiling reinforcement, and future maintenance. Ask about replacement lamps and spare parts. An abstract chandelier that needs a custom part from overseas can create a very long dark period if a component fails.

I have learned to compare the decorative quote on total installed cost too. A lower-priced abstract chandelier from an unfamiliar supplier might not include the mounting kit or the right dimmer. By the time the electrical contractor fabricates adapters, the savings disappear.

Mistakes I keep seeing when the invoice lands

  • Ordering tubes by name instead of catalog number. LED tubes have different lengths, color temperatures, wattages, and socket requirements. The catalog number is the only reliable identifier.
  • Ignoring disposal requirements for old fluorescent tubes and ballasts. Some older ballasts contain materials that need proper handling. Check with your waste hauler before the project starts.
  • Assuming utility rebates are automatic. Rebates often require pre-approval, fixture model qualification, and sometimes an energy audit. Confirm before purchasing.
  • Choosing the fastest ship option without checking the total cost. When the cheapest product has a two-week lead time and the project starts in three days, expedited freight becomes a hidden project cost.

What I have learned after years of purchase orders is that the discipline matters more than the brand. Acuity-Brands gives us detailed fixture data, manufacturing locations, and a broad product catalog when we need replacement parts. The procurement team still has to ask the right questions. When we do, the unexpected invoices stop showing up, and the budget can go to things that actually improve the building.