What is the best way to wire ceiling lights?

Some years ago I went to see a job where the lounge ceiling had been overboarded and skimmed by some plasterers who simply pushed the existing ceiling rose into the void between the floor joists above it.


To fit a new light I quoted for half a days labour, to allow for getting the furniture out of the bedroom, lifting the carpet, underlay and floor to make a hole in the new ceiling to push the cables back down through it, then reinstate everything.


The lady also wanted new down lights in her kitchen, again the plasters had just pushed the existing ceiling rose up above the ceiling then over boarded and skimmed, the bathroom above had a ceramic tile floor, I think I allowed a day and a half to install half a dozen lights.


So two days, plus materials to install seven lights and I was wondering if I had underestimated the time, whilst the lady thought I was over quoting.


To do the kitchen lights another bedroom had got to be partially emptied to get the carpet, underlay and floor up then lots of fishing would be needed to get the cables in.


Had there been a junction box under either floor with a bad termination the same issues would have existed.


To access a junction boxes in electrical circuits under bedroom floors could easily entail several hours work adding a lot of money to the customers final bill for remedial work to an existing circuit.


Installing lighting circuits using junction boxes is not good installation practice.


Andy Betteridge

Some years ago I went to see a job where the lounge ceiling had been overboarded and skimmed by some plasterers who simply pushed the existing ceiling rose into the void between the floor joists above it.


To fit a new light I quoted for half a days labour, to allow for getting the furniture out of the bedroom, lifting the carpet, underlay and floor to make a hole in the new ceiling to push the cables back down through it, then reinstate everything.


The lady also wanted new down lights in her kitchen, again the plasters had just pushed the existing ceiling rose up above the ceiling then over boarded and skimmed, the bathroom above had a ceramic tile floor, I think I allowed a day and a half to install half a dozen lights.


So two days, plus materials to install seven lights and I was wondering if I had underestimated the time, whilst the lady thought I was over quoting.


To do the kitchen lights another bedroom had got to be partially emptied to get the carpet, underlay and floor up then lots of fishing would be needed to get the cables in.


Had there been a junction box under either floor with a bad termination the same issues would have existed.


To access a junction boxes in electrical circuits under bedroom floors could easily entail several hours work adding a lot of money to the customers final bill for remedial work to an existing circuit.


Installing lighting circuits using junction boxes is not good installation practice.


Andy Betteridge