downlighters on ground floor!

[HappyHippyDad]

I have been asked to fit downlighters to a hallway and also a kitchen all on the ground floor.

The customer would prefer me not to take up the carpet and floor boards above, but I cant see anyway around this? I might be lucky with the hallway and have them all in a straight line running the same way as the joists and manage it with cable rods but the kitchen will have the lights all over the place.

Is there anyway of doing this without taking up the floorboards?

Cheers all...

 

[ian.settle1]

I have been asked to fit downlighters to a hallway and also a kitchen all on the ground floor.

The customer would prefer me not to take up the carpet and floor boards above, but I cant see anyway around this? I might be lucky with the hallway and have them all in a straight line running the same way as the joists and manage it with cable rods but the kitchen will have the lights all over the place.

Is there anyway of doing this without taking up the floorboards?

Cheers all...

Rip the ceiling down then put up a new one

 

[KAS1]

I agree tear down the wall, tear down the wall, tear down the wall, I mean ceiling, reminds me of a great concert lol

 

[westy2412]

Had a customer ask me to put some downlights up in his kitchen in a new build. Told him I would need to take up the bedroom floor above or make holes in his ceiling to fish the cables.
He could understand why I needed cables at each light and couldn't just install them. I spent ages trying to tell him the lights would never work but he continued to argue with me that it would.
In the end I just walked away

 

[amlu]

its kind of possible to do without access from above, you got to find where the joists are, drill some holes/notches in them from below, run the cable in there then fill up the holes. messy but works.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I think I'll go for carpets and floorboards rather than holes in the ceiling!! Didn't realise I'd have to learn a whole new set of skills on top of the electrics! Plasterer, carpet fitter, social worker, etc etc etc.

I have just fitted 6 downlights in a bungalow, so easy access up in the loft. I charged £200 for labour and parts (6 hours and good downlights).

What am I going to charge for this for labour?? Absolutely no idea? 12-20 downlights in 2 hallways and a kitchen, involving taking up floorboards and relaying carpet?? :frown2:

Always like the honest approach, I'm not a carpet fitter and will explain that to the customer.

 

[Richard Burns]

Electrics is the smallest part of it!

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Customer has definitely decided he doesn't want carpets up so its working from below!

I'm actually feeling ok about it as 4 of the lights are in a straight line running the same way as the joists and I know where the joists are. The one problem is getting the feed to them, this is from the present hallway light which will need to go through one joist to get to them. Haven't looked to see what is above that light yet (would be great if just one cable, but highly unlikely, probably 4), but ok to put a wagobox up there.

Its just the 'getting to the joist' to drill through the centre that sounds tricky. I guess just bite the bullet make a hole big enough in the plasterboard to get there (its not lathe and plaster). Bit controversial but could I just notch the bottom of the joist and then put some metal capping to protect cables from future work? That doesn't sound great, would be good to get some views.

Cheers..

 

[Dave 85]

Customer has definitely decided he doesn't want carpets up so its working from below!

I'm actually feeling ok about it as 4 of the lights are in a straight line running the same way as the joists and I know where the joists are. The one problem is getting the feed to them, this is from the present hallway light which will need to go through one joist to get to them. Haven't looked to see what is above that light yet (would be great if just one cable, but highly unlikely, probably 4), but ok to put a wagobox up there.

Its just the 'getting to the joist' to drill through the centre that sounds tricky. I guess just bite the bullet make a hole big enough in the plasterboard to get there (its not lathe and plaster). Bit controversial but could I just notch the bottom of the joist and then put some metal capping to protect cables from future work? That doesn't sound great, would be good to get some views.

Cheers..

Heres what I, and all the sparkies I know personally would do....
Mark all yer holes, draw round the holesaw and check each one is clear with a spike and cut the holes. Where you have to jump joists, find the edge of a joist with a cable rod in the downlighter hole then chisel a rectangular slice out of the cieling about 3" by 1" under the joist, clip the cables to the bottom of the joist (metal capping is not gonna proitect a cable from anything) and chuck a bit of filler in on top of it. Peice of cake.
Im amazed knowone has suggested this yet....

 

[telectrix]

Heres what I, and all the sparkies I know personally would do....
Mark all yer holes, draw round the holesaw and check each one is clear with a spike and cut the holes. Where you have to jump joists, find the edge of a joist with a cable rod in the downlighter hole then chisel a rectangular slice out of the cieling about 3" by 1" under the joist, clip the cables to the bottom of the joist (metal capping is not gonna proitect a cable from anything) and chuck a bit of filler in on top of it. Peice of cake.
Im amazed knowone has suggested this yet....

i've done a few like that, but you need to protect the cables. capping is useless, use the 3mm thick ones with spikes that are designed for this very purpose.

 

[mickys86]

Heres what I, and all the sparkies I know personally would do....
Mark all yer holes, draw round the holesaw and check each one is clear with a spike and cut the holes. Where you have to jump joists, find the edge of a joist with a cable rod in the downlighter hole then chisel a rectangular slice out of the cieling about 3" by 1" under the joist, clip the cables to the bottom of the joist (metal capping is not gonna proitect a cable from anything) and chuck a bit of filler in on top of it. Peice of cake.
Im amazed knowone has suggested this yet....

I was just thinking this also

 

[mickys86]

I think I'll go for carpets and floorboards rather than holes in the ceiling!! Didn't realise I'd have to learn a whole new set of skills on top of the electrics! Plasterer, carpet fitter, social worker, etc etc etc.

I have just fitted 6 downlights in a bungalow, so easy access up in the loft. I charged £200 for labour and parts (6 hours and good downlights).

What am I going to charge for this for labour?? Absolutely no idea? 12-20 downlights in 2 hallways and a kitchen, involving taking up floorboards and relaying carpet?? :frown2:

Always like the honest approach, I'm not a carpet fitter and will explain that to the customer.

Just a quick one.... You earnings where what? £60
Good quality downlight £15/£20? Plus cable, clips etc etc

 

[driverman]

lathe and plaster ceiling....pull down where required to gain access to cables and new light fittings. Plasterer to re-board completely over existing ceiling and skim (nice smooth finish). Much better finish and good firm plaster for the light fittings fixings.

 

[telectrix]

might be cheap for reading and down south, but up here a quote of £300 ( about right for 6 downlights), i'd be laughed out the door.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I was just thinking this also

Thats great Mickey but it was Dave that said it!

Just a quick one.... You earnings where what? £60
Good quality downlight £15/£20? Plus cable, clips etc etc

I charge £20 p/hr if I like the customer/job, £25 if I dont!! I earnt £120 for the labour. lights were JCC (approx £10 each - see my other thread - I like them), 10m's of 1mm is not much is it. overheads £10-20. Customer was happy. £60????????????????????

 

[Tidy Max]

im about to install downlights in a property, bathroom, 3 bedrooms and a hallway, 26 downlights in total.

Should be a nice easy job, each room already has a dimmer fitted and its on the 1st floor so access from the loft is easy peasy!

I have no idea how much to charge though! Especially not after reading you would charge 300 for 6 downlights!!