Buying guide

How to choose an LED lighting supplier

Choosing an LED lighting supplier in the UK is about more than a catalogue price. Ask who designs the layout, who installs the fittings, what warranty sits on the product, and whether you can check real projects. This guide sets out what to demand before you buy.

What a good LED lighting supplier should provide

A serious supplier should survey your site, produce a lighting design you can review, publish a clear specification for every product, and take responsibility for supply and installation. Polaris Light does that for warehouses, sports pitches, cold stores and hazardous areas across the UK.

A 5-year warranty on every fitting

Every Polaris product carries a 5-year warranty. Ask any supplier you shortlist to put the warranty term in writing for the exact model they quote, and to say what it covers (driver, LEDs and labour for replacement).

Lux plots and light spill drawings before you buy

Do not buy on a lumen claim alone. Ask for a lux plot for your building or pitch before you place an order, so you can see average lux, uniformity and dark spots. For outdoor sports floodlighting, also ask for a light spill drawing for planning. Polaris Light produces lux plots and light spill drawings as part of the design.

For recommended workplace light levels, see our free UK lux levels guide. For warehouse upgrades, use the warehouse LED lighting upgrade guide.

Own installation team

Ask who will be on site. Polaris Light surveys, designs, supplies and installs with our own team, so design intent and commissioning stay with one contractor. See how an LED high bay installation runs from survey to handover.

Spec sheets for every product

Every fitting on our products pages has a downloadable specification sheet (efficacy, IP and IK, operating temperature, driver and LED brands where published). Refuse a quote that will not share a current sheet for the model offered.

Hazardous areas: UKEX-certified ATEX products

If any part of the site is a hazardous area under DSEAR, the luminaires must be suitable for the zone and carry the correct ATEX / IECEx certification, with UKEX marking for Great Britain. Polaris supplies ATEX high bays and floodlights for the stated zones. Start with the ATEX lighting guide and the ATEX lighting overview. Do not accept a generic industrial high bay in a zoned area.

References you can check

Ask for named UK sites, not anonymous case studies. On our projects page you can see logistics and warehouse work (including XPO Logistics, Bibby Distribution and Farm Foods DC), manufacturing sites, Goals Soccer (300 pitches) and Powerleague. Across Powerleague centres we installed 1,117 LED floodlights in 2019, including Powerleague Birmingham, plus site surveys, call-outs and remedial works.

Questions to ask before you appoint a supplier

Will you survey the site and produce a lux plot (and light spill drawing if outdoor) before I order?
What is the written warranty on the exact model quoted, and what does it cover?
Who installs the lights: your own team or a third party?
Can I download a current specification sheet for every fitting?
For hazardous areas, which zone is the product certified for, and is UKEX marking included for GB?
Which UK sites can I contact or visit that are already on your public project list?
How will sensors, emergency lighting and maintenance access be handled?

Red flags

No lux plot until after you have paid a deposit.
Warranty shorter than five years, or unclear about labour.
No published spec sheet for the model on the quote.
Installation left entirely to “your electrician” with no commissioning plan.
Vague hazardous-area claims without ATEX / IECEx / UKEX documentation for the zone.
Only overseas references, or no named UK sites you can verify.

Checklist

Site survey booked and lux plot reviewed.
5-year warranty confirmed in writing for each model.
Installer named (own team preferred).
Spec sheets saved for every fitting on the quote.
Hazardous zones mapped and certified products selected where needed.
At least one relevant UK reference checked.
Sensors, emergency lighting and maintenance access agreed.

Comparing high bay options first? Read the LED high bay lights buyer’s guide. For cold rooms and freezers, see the cold store lighting guide. For football floodlighting, see the football floodlighting guide.

Frequently asked questions

What should I ask an LED lighting supplier before I buy?

Ask for a site survey and lux plot before you order, a written 5-year warranty on every fitting, published spec sheets, who will install the lights, and named UK references you can check.

Do Polaris products carry a 5-year warranty?

Yes. Every Polaris product carries a 5-year warranty.

Will you produce a lux plot before I buy?

Yes. We survey the site and produce lux plots (and light spill drawings for outdoor sports floodlighting) before you commit to an order.

Do you install the lights yourselves?

Yes. Polaris Light surveys, designs, supplies and installs with our own team. See how an LED high bay installation runs.

Do you supply ATEX lighting for hazardous areas?

Yes. Our ATEX high bays and floodlights are ATEX and IECEx certified for the stated zones, with UKEX marking for the GB market. See the ATEX lighting guide and ATEX lighting page.