Most permanent lighting installers focus almost entirely on residential homes.
But there’s a large, untapped opportunity that very few installers are taking advantage of:
Commercial buildings.
From restaurants and retail stores to office buildings and apartment complexes, businesses are starting to see the value of permanent and color-changing lighting — and in many markets, this demand is still wide open.
Why Commercial Permanent Lighting Is a Huge Opportunity
Most business owners fall into one of two categories:
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They don’t realize how much lighting impacts their business
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They assume they can’t install permanent lighting because they lease the building
Both of these create opportunity.
When a business owner sees how color-changing lighting can transform their building — highlighting holidays, events, or even displaying brand colors every night — it becomes an easy value add.
Lighting isn’t just decoration for businesses.
It’s visibility.
It’s branding.
It’s attention.
The Market Is Still Wide Open in Most Areas
In some areas like Utah, you’ll see entire business complexes with color-changing lighting installed.
But in most states, this hasn’t been widely adopted yet.
That means:
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Less competition
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Higher demand potential
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More opportunity to become the go-to installer in your area
The installers who move into this market early are the ones who usually dominate it long term.
The Biggest Objection: “I Don’t Own the Building”
One of the most common concerns from business owners is:
“I don’t own the building, so I can’t install permanent lighting.”
This is where RGBW smart lighting becomes a major advantage.
With non-permanent mounting options, you can install lighting systems that:
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Don’t require drilling into the structure
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Don’t require landlord approval in many cases
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Can be removed cleanly if needed
This removes one of the biggest barriers to entry for commercial jobs.
Flexible Options for Business Owners
Another advantage of commercial lighting is flexibility in how you structure the deal.
Option 1: Customer-Owned System
The business purchases the system outright.
If they move locations, you can offer to:
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Remove the system
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Reinstall it at their new location
Option 2: Lease the System (Recurring Revenue)
This is where things get even more interesting.
Instead of a one-time install, you can offer a lighting lease program, where:
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The business pays monthly
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You retain ownership of the system
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You create recurring revenue
This turns a standard install into a long-term income stream with minimal ongoing labor.
Why Commercial Jobs Are So Valuable
Compared to residential installs, commercial jobs often offer:
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Larger project sizes
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Higher budgets
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More visibility (more people see the work)
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More referral opportunities from nearby businesses
One install can lead to multiple additional jobs in the same area.
How to Start Getting Commercial Lighting Jobs
You don’t need a completely different business model to get started.
If you’re already installing residential lighting, the transition is simple:
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Start bringing it up to local business owners
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Target small commercial properties first
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Use your existing installs as examples
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Focus on visibility and branding benefits
Most importantly, take action before your competitors do.
Final Thoughts
The commercial permanent lighting market is one of the most overlooked opportunities in the industry right now.
While most installers focus on homes, businesses are actively looking for ways to stand out, attract attention, and improve their visibility.
If you can provide that solution, you position yourself ahead of the majority of your competition.
Want to Learn How to Offer Permanent Lighting?
If you’re interested in adding permanent or RGBW smart lighting to your business, we cover everything from quoting to installation in our training.
