Electrical Home Work / Recessed Lighting Specific - Page 2

**scheides** · 12-03-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by carltalon

There are cans made for re modling that can be put in from the bottom side running the wire would be the only hard part placing the cans is easy.

Yea, they're called remodel cans!

They're made to be installed from below the ceiling, they look like this:

versus a new construction can:

Jana · 12-03-2006

I'm pretty sure we are going to look at hiring someone to do the work. After our plumbing fiasco, I've decided we are not home improvement people... at least not right now.

Here's an example of the light I would love to have over our breakfast bar:
http://www.lampsplus.com/Products/s_...4/37451-84367/
(this particular one is nearly $300/light, so kind of out of my price range right now)

Here's an example of the recessed lighting we like:
http://www.lampsplus.com/Products/s_.../page_1/75640/

Carl, we would be interested in Jesse stopping out sometime and taking a look at what we'd like and maybe giving us a quote. Or PM AJ his phone number and he can call.

Thanks for the input everyone! I'm just tired of our townhome looking like all the others. I've done some painting on our main level, but need to finish by painting the upstairs & hallway.

rst95eclipse · 12-03-2006

I would strongly suggest hiring a licensed electrician to do the work. I'm not trying to say that your work or someone's work on here isn't going to be up to par, but electricians are insured for any screwups. And lets face it, electricity isn't something that should be taken lightly.

On a side note, you'll have to rip up the drywall to run the wires properly and to mount the recessed cans. Let me guess, the drop down lighting is going to be the blue shaded lights. Those are really cool looking lights and using them can make the room seem to have a modernized look.

Enes · 12-03-2006

Yes, basicly if you already have a light in the ceiling its going to be easy, if you don't its going to be a bit tougher. But fear not. You can use one of your outlets for source of the electricity.

Key is going to be figuring out how many lights you want, and how many appliances/lights you already have on the circuit so that you don't trip the breaker when you turn the lights on.

In the case of the outlet. You will need a line fish pulling thing not sure how you call it in English, a sharp razer blade a small chisel and a hammer. From the store get the choice of the remodel version cups, and remodel version outlet box along with a huge choice on controllers, if you want dimmer you will have to use standard lights, you can't dim fluorescents.
Open up your outlet, pull out the notch, cut the sheetrock where you want the switch to be, pull a 14-2 depending on what wire is in the outlet use the same wire again, don't go thiner or thicker.
So now you have power source, notch corner above the switch box into the ceiling, use the chisel and cut away wood about 1/3 of an inch, get a metal plate to protect the cable, make sure the hole is just big enough for the cable to be fed through and that the plate can be pounded into the 2x4's.

I would suggest getting a drill with a adjustable sheetrock cutting blades, basically you adjust the cutting blade how far you want the diameter of the circle to be and let the drill spin, its a lot cleaner than a sawzawl or handsaw.

Another key thing is going to be figuring out where your 2x4's are on the wall and on the ceiling, it would suck that you ruin your ceiling popcorn is hard to fix or you will have to scrape the whole ceiling and re-popcorn it again.

I did this in about 4 homes now, one home had 18 cans on one ceiling and another 12 on the second, we ran the wires to both locations so that you can turn on and off each lights individually at both locations, except then you will have to run 14-3 wires... made myself almost $1800 off of that project alone.

few other tools that will help a lot, stud finder, hot wire checker, drill, hole cutter, wire stripper, proper ceiling cans, a thing many people forget to get is the wire tighteners to protect against cable rubbing on the sharp edge when you run the electrical wire into the can box. get some cable ties and clips...
also check how long of a run between the boxes are so that you know how long of a drill bit to get..

You should be able to do it yourself, but if you can't there is plenty of contractors out there.

**scheides** · 12-03-2006

Go to menards. They have very similar fixtrures for a lot less. I did my whole kitchen for about $150 in lights. I paid like $80 for a case of 8 remodel cans, $15 worth of the rings that go around them, $20 worth of light bulbs, and then I bought a few smaller lights at ikea for like $30. Another $30-50 worth of wire and misc shit and I was at like $200 for the whole project

It does take time though. The electrician will be expensive mostly because of the time it takes. Wiring is really the easy part.

Jana · 12-03-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by scheides

Go to menards. They have very similar fixtrures for a lot less. I did my whole kitchen for about $150 in lights. I paid like $80 for a case of 8 remodel cans, $15 worth of the rings that go around them, $20 worth of light bulbs, and then I bought a few smaller lights at ikea for like $30. Another $30-50 worth of wire and misc shit and I was at like $200 for the whole project

It does take time though. The electrician will be expensive mostly because of the time it takes. Wiring is really the easy part.

I'm glad I'm not the only one with a math problem.

Enes · 12-03-2006

yeah plan, planning some more, laying it out, planing again, and redesign and then cut..

**scheides** · 12-03-2006

Hey! Please note the use of the terms 'about' and 'like' and the absense of 'exactly' !!!

80+15+20+30= $145 aka 'about $150'

+30-50 in misc shit = $175-195 aka 'like $200'

at least it was a 'safe' $200 and not a $278 '$200' if you know what I'm saying!

Jana · 12-03-2006

LOL, I just had to give you some crap.

More than likely, I'll be buying the light fixtures from Menards/Home Depot/Lowe's as they do have about the best prices.

92EvilTalon · 12-03-2006

I am going for my journyman ... its going to be fun. I found out I love doing electrical when I bought my house. I had to replace almost all the outlets and put in a few GFCI outlets. Put up a outside light on the side of the house and run a outlet into my office closet. Right now I am going to price out two attic fans and a light fixture for up there. I hate caring a flashlight and during the summer that attic is freaking hot.

Enes what you are trying to talk about is right its called ' Fish Tape '. You can also get glow rodes too at Homedepot or Lowes with a hook on the end.

So far what I gather from looking at my book (Complete Home Wiring By Sunset) If you use a metal box you need to tie down 12" and for plastic box's 8" away to tie down. And for that metal plate less then 1 1/4" from edge of stud. If you don't want to do it. Just get some one to come in. Its not hard but if you don't think you can do it. Contract some one to do it. Good luck.

**JET** · 12-03-2006

Just make sure the someone is licensed, you must be either the home owner or licensed to do electrical work.

Enes · 12-04-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by JET

Just make sure the someone is licensed, you must be either the home owner or licensed to do electrical work.

licensed guy will charge you $75/hr and he's going to take his sweet time.. beleive me i know. I made that mistake once. Key is going to be inspections, get a permit to do the work, electrical inspector comes out and approves it, say you did it and done...

**Goat Blower** · 12-04-2006

I've got a friend that I hired to wire a celiing fan, my lift and some 220 outlets at my shop. He's fast and relatively inexpensive. He told me he charges $65-$70/can light to builders and we paid $100/can when we built our house.

We have almost 50 can lights in and outside our house. Our entire outside front and rear lighting is cans in the soffits. You can't go wrong from an investment perspective with can lighting. Track lighting is easy to do and isn't bad, but can actually hurt house values depending on the price of the house.

**scheides** · 01-06-2007

I installed recessed lighting in my living room today. The whole ceiling has plaster/lathing, so cutting the holes took a while, but I have all of the cans in place now. Two rows of three remodel cans run down between joyces so wiring will be easy, maybe another hour or so tomorrow to finish it up. The biggest time-waster was hanging out with Steve Hill, the guy wouldn't let me leave!

Costs:
6x remodel cans @ 9.99 each
3x 2-pack of light bulbs @ $4 each
6x light baffles @ 7 each (got the nice brushed nickel ones)
50' of wire $20
1x hole cutting saw (b/c of the plaster/lathing) $40 (ouch!!)
1x dimming switch $10
Total cost about $185

more pics: http://www.scheides.com/gallery/house-work?page=6

92EvilTalon · 01-06-2007

I looked that them photos...how is that hole saw blade? Does it work great or is it crap just wondering... Looks very nice.

Like I said in the other thread. I was thinking of taking some crown molding and dress up the living room with that. But recess it about a inch or two down for some led or rope lighting to lay in it. Or should I do the can lighting or even track lighting for the room. I want to keep the ceiling fan where its at. So I have to put a whole new system in. Thanks for the ideas scheides on the can lighting.

**Goat Blower** · 01-07-2007

Slim Scheidy, you need a bigger TV for that stand. I've got just what you need.

**scheides** · 01-07-2007

Yea, that's my 'little' TV. The big one is in the bedroom. I live in Minneapolis, and don't need to give anyone an excuse to find their way into my house.