DW Elite Decks designs and installs deck lighting and electrical in Kansas City, on new builds and on decks that are already in place. That covers low-voltage lighting for posts, railings, and stairs, along with the outlets, ceiling fans, heaters, and hot tub circuits that make an outdoor space usable after dark and later into the year.
We have been building decks, porches, and outdoor living spaces since 1997. Lighting and power get planned during the design stage and wired while the framing is still open, which keeps the runs out of sight and the cost down.
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Most homeowners think about lighting near the end of a project, once the deck looks finished and the first evening on it turns out to be darker than expected. By then the surface is down, and the options narrow considerably.
Running low-voltage wire through open framing is straightforward. Retrofitting it afterward means surface-mounted channel, visible runs under the joists, or pulling boards. The work is doable, and we do it, but it costs more and looks less clean than it needs to.
There are three local reasons this matters more here than in a lot of markets:
Low voltage deck lighting runs on 12 volts through a transformer rather than household current. It is the workhorse of deck lighting installation, and it is the category our crews wire and install themselves as part of the build.
We install DekPro EFFEX low voltage lighting, and we size the transformer and plan the wire runs around your actual layout rather than dropping in a kit.
Deck post cap lights sit on top of the rail posts and throw a soft downward wash along the perimeter. They are the most common starting point because they define the edge of the deck after dark without glaring into anyone’s eyes. They pair cleanly with Westbury aluminum railing.
Under-rail strips tuck beneath the top rail and light the deck surface itself instead of the sightline. On a deck where you want the railing to disappear at night and the floor to glow, this is the option. It also works well when you want light without a visible fixture.
Stair lights recess into the riser under each tread. On the elevated decks that walkout lots produce, this is the single most useful thing you can add. It is also the one homeowners most often wish they had included from the start.
Small fixtures set flush into the deck surface or into fascia boards, used to mark transitions, edges, and level changes on multi-level decks.
A note on planning: a low voltage system has a real limit. Push too many fixtures onto one transformer, or run the wire too far, and voltage drop leaves the far end of the deck noticeably dimmer than the near end. Getting the zones and the wire gauge right during design is why the system still looks even five years in.
Anything running on household current is a different category of work. Low voltage lighting is part of what our crews build. Line voltage work is handled by licensed electricians, and we coordinate that work alongside our own build schedule.
Trade permits are filed separately from the building permit, and depending on the jurisdiction they may need to be pulled by the licensed electrician rather than by the general contractor. We confirm how your city or county handles it before the project starts.
What this covers:
The metro straddles two states and a dozen jurisdictions, and the rules genuinely differ depending on which side of State Line Road you are on.
Johnson County, Kansas. All decks require a permit. A permit is also required to repair, remove, convert or replace electrical work. Johnson County Building Codes can be reached at 913-715-2200.
Kansas City, Missouri. Permits are handled through the CompassKC portal, with the Permit Center on the fifth floor of City Hall at 414 E 12th Street, (816) 513-1500. Inspections are required at multiple stages, and electrical is its own inspection.
DW holds a Class A building license in Johnson County, the top license classification available to a contractor there. We obtain the building permits for our projects and see them through final inspection, and we handle the trade permit coordination with the electrician on projects that involve line voltage work.
A sketch, a photo, or a rough idea is enough to start. Tell us how you actually use the space and when. Whether you eat out there on weeknights or only entertain on weekends changes the lighting plan more than the square footage does.
We produce a detailed design and bid covering the structure, the lighting layout, the transformer and zone plan, and any line voltage work that needs an electrician. You will know what is included before anything is ordered.
We pull the building permit for your jurisdiction and coordinate the electrician’s permit and site days around our framing schedule.
Low voltage runs go in while the framing is open. Electrical rough-in happens before the surface is closed up. You get updates as it moves.
The project passes inspection, and we walk you through the transformer, the timer, and the dimmer so you can actually run the system.
Low voltage lighting installed as part of a permitted deck build is generally covered under that project’s permit. Line voltage work requires a separate trade permit, and some jurisdictions require the licensed electrician to pull it rather than the general contractor. We confirm the requirements for your specific city or county before the project starts.
Under the National Electrical Code, a deck or porch within four inches of the house needs at least one receptacle accessible from the deck, mounted no more than six and a half feet above the walking surface. Older decks in the metro often predate this. If you are replacing or expanding a deck, it will be brought current.
Yes. Retrofits are common, and we do them regularly. It takes more labor than wiring during a build, because the runs have to be routed under joists or along fascia rather than through open framing, so expect the cost per fixture to be higher.
Yes, when the fixtures and connections are rated for exterior use and installed to drain rather than hold water. Repeated freeze and thaw cycling is what kills poorly sealed connections here, not the cold itself. The fixtures we install are built for outdoor exposure and covered under our warranty.
It depends on fixture count, fixture type, and whether the deck is being built new or retrofitted. Post cap lights on a new build are at the affordable end; a full plan with stair, rail, and recessed lighting plus line voltage work sits higher. See our pricing page for general ranges, then request a bid for a real number.
We build and engineer the deck structure to carry a filled hot tub, and we coordinate the licensed electrician who runs the dedicated 240 volt circuit and disconnect. Both get scheduled together so the framing, the electrical and the tub delivery line up.
Fewer than most people expect. Over-lighting a deck makes it feel like a parking lot rather than a place to sit, and it is the most common mistake we correct. We plan for layered, low-level light at the edges, stairs and transitions, then add a dimmer so you can set it by occasion.
We serve Kansas City, Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Olathe, Shawnee, Prairie Village, Mission Hills, Loch Lloyd and the surrounding communities across Johnson County and southern Kansas City, Missouri.
Come see fixtures in person at our Olathe showroom by appointment, or send us your project and we will put together a plan.
Whether you are building new or lighting a deck you already love, DW Elite Decks has handled deck lighting and electrical in Kansas City since 1997.
Granted a Class A building license for operation in Johnson County, Kansas. This is the top license type for any contractor.
Deckorators chose DW Elite Decks as its First Certified Pro Spotlight Feature.
Awarded the coveted Angie's List Super Service Award (many times), which is only given to the top 5% of all Kansas City deck builders.
Nationally recognized by Rich Noonan, the Eight Time Emmy Award-Winning Reporter for Fox News!
Westbury Certified Master Pro. Beacon of distinction as the bar is set high to earn this coveted status.
At DW Elite Decks, we pride ourselves on delivering craftsmanship that meets and exceeds industry standards. As Kansas City’s premier custom deck builder since 1997, we ensure every project is executed with proper permits and passes final inspections, guaranteeing code compliance and long-term safety.
