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Installing down lighters downstairs

  • 31-01-2021 6:46pm
    #1
    The boarder
    Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭


    Hey guys. Hope I'm in the right place. Moved into a standard 3 bed new build about 3 years ago. Looking into replacing the standard lighting downstairs with down lighters. A few questions comes to mind.

    1. Would it be a big job to do?
    2.would an electrician be bothered with the work as it could be a small job?
    3. Would the ceiling be Swiss cheese at the end of the process?
    4. Would it be a waste of time?


Comments

  • #2
    Davauer
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 27 ✭Davauer


    Buy a spot light track
    Or expect to pay 1000 euro for 4 down lights installed


  • #3
    Bonzo Delaney
    Registered Users Posts: 1,577 ✭✭✭Bonzo Delaney


    The boarder wrote: »
    Hey guys. Hope I'm in the right place. Moved into a standard 3 bed new build about 3 years ago. Looking into replacing the standard lighting downstairs with down lighters. A few questions comes to mind.

    1. Would it be a big job to do?
    2.would an electrician be bothered with the work as it could be a small job?
    3. Would the ceiling be Swiss cheese at the end of the process?
    4. Would it be a waste of time?

    Size of the works depend on the direction of the celing joists.
    It'd be great to get a plasterer and a sparks to work together so the patching would be neat enough both would prob each charge a 150e call out plus 40e/hr ball park
    Simple enough job once the patching is left neat usally by drilling 100mm access holes and refitting the piece back in after all is wired up


  • #4
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,862 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    Ask on the electrical forum and you should get answers from electricians.


  • #5
    Troy McClure
    Registered Users Posts: 309 ✭✭Troy McClure


    You'll have to put a housing above these so the insulation doesn't come into contact. If doing a retro fit they will not care about your insulation and if you have a cold attic expect to have colder bedrooms as a result. A can of worms that will end up more trouble than it's worth. Unless for some reason you have a ceiling void I wouldn't do it.


  • #6
    The boarder
    Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭The boarder


    Troy McClure wrote: »
    You'll have to put a housing above these so the insulation doesn't come into contact. If doing a retro fit they will not care about your insulation and if you have a cold attic expect to have colder bedrooms as a result. A can of worms that will end up more trouble than it's worth. Unless for some reason you have a ceiling void I wouldn't do it.

    Yeah I think so to.


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  • #7
    Doop
    Registered Users Posts: 1,464 ✭✭✭Doop


    Troy McClure wrote: »
    You'll have to put a housing above these so the insulation doesn't come into contact. If doing a retro fit they will not care about your insulation and if you have a cold attic expect to have colder bedrooms as a result. A can of worms that will end up more trouble than it's worth. Unless for some reason you have a ceiling void I wouldn't do it.

    Presuming the OP is referring to 'downstairs' in a two storey house there will be no insulation in the ceiling, as such no need for hoods/housing.

    OP We recently did this (by we I mean I got an electrician in to do it) in the kitchen we took down a single fitting and put in a line of spotlights (4). Luckily the run of joists was as we needed. The electrician cut an additional three holes and reused the original hole of the light fitting for one of the spots. So no requirement for plastering.

    Long storey short as stated previously it all comes down to the run of the joists.


  • #8
    Troy McClure
    Registered Users Posts: 309 ✭✭Troy McClure


    Doop wrote: »
    Presuming the OP is referring to 'downstairs' in a two storey house there will be no insulation in the ceiling, as such no need for hoods/housing.

    OP We recently did this (by we I mean I got an electrician in to do it) in the kitchen we took down a single fitting and put in a line of spotlights (4). Luckily the run of joists was as we needed. The electrician cut an additional three holes and reused the original hole of the light fitting for one of the spots. So no requirement for plastering.

    Long storey short as stated previously it all comes down to the run of the joists.


    Your right, downstairs poses far less problems. For whatever reason I thought they were referring to an up stairs room.


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