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Install can lights - is this a good price?


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OK, so I have a first floor ceiling that had some water damage from the shower above (fixed) so it has had the sheetrock removed.  Existing setup was a track light, which I hate.  I wanted to install a grid of 9 can lights in 3 rows of 3.  The contractor quoted me $400 just to replace the existing sheetrock, $1600 to do that and install the lights.  Includes sheetrock but not lights or romex. The ceiling is built kind of like a roof - with supports across that have two studs above and below with angled cross beams between them, so there's no need to drill through studs or anything - it's just straight runs of wire and mounting the lights.  Given that the price doesn't include the materials, that extra $1200 seemed kinda high.  Am I wrong?  Is there more to this than I think?

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In regards to the “can lighting” this is a simple install. I’m in the Electrical Distribution field and manufacturers are ow offering “can-less” trims. LED and the driver is remote. Junction box easily accepts Romex. Cost depends on the lumen output and the diameter of the module.
 

Yep. I’d never bother with a can light again. The canless LEDs are too easy. If you want to add several on the same switch they have built in connectors and you just add the wire in between them. I added them to my bathroom remodel last year.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-Color-Changing-Integrated-LED-6-in-85-Watt-Equivalent-White-Round-Dimmable-Canless-Recessed-Downlight/1003142570?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-lit-_-ggl-_-LIA_LIT_143_Light-Bulbs-and-Commercial-Lighting-_-1003142570-_-local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=Cj0KCQiAweaNBhDEARIsAJ5hwbf6RI9wuXcp-A5Y4VAJinzec5JLGX85gvWHSHwKAFf6y-FKNEGSBZ8aAqtTEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
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In regards to the “can lighting” this is a simple install. I’m in the Electrical Distribution field and manufacturers are ow offering “can-less” trims. LED and the driver is remote. Junction box easily accepts Romex. Cost depends on the lumen output and the diameter of the module.
 

Yep. I’d never bother with a can light again. The canless LEDs are too easy. If you want to add several on the same switch they have built in connectors and you just add the wire in between them. I added them to my bathroom remodel last year.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-Color-Changing-Integrated-LED-6-in-85-Watt-Equivalent-White-Round-Dimmable-Canless-Recessed-Downlight/1003142570?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-lit-_-ggl-_-LIA_LIT_143_Light-Bulbs-and-Commercial-Lighting-_-1003142570-_-local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=Cj0KCQiAweaNBhDEARIsAJ5hwbf6RI9wuXcp-A5Y4VAJinzec5JLGX85gvWHSHwKAFf6y-FKNEGSBZ8aAqtTEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
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14 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

These are very easy to put in.  We had some painting done at our place last month and prior  to the painting, I remove and old wood trim fixture and a couple of 48" tube lights.  Had the painters, texture the ceiling and paint.   We marked off locations and installed the above lights.  Took an hour or so.  Biggest time was marking off the locations and making sure you won't hit any joists, wiring or pipes in the ceiling.

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34 minutes ago, davidg said:

These are very easy to put in.  We had some painting done at our place last month and prior  to the painting, I remove and old wood trim fixture and a couple of 48" tube lights.  Had the painters, texture the ceiling and paint.   We marked off locations and installed the above lights.  Took an hour or so.  Biggest time was marking off the locations and making sure you won't hit any joists, wiring or pipes in the ceiling.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.  Since the ceiling is gone we know that's not an issue.  It's just empty space and joists.

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you in austin? $1600 for sheetrock and actual can lights isn't bad.  we got quoted to do a series of cans for our dining room and it averaged around $200 per. 

 

when we did our master bath remodel we opted for the puck lights everyone's talking about.  much cheaper.  i didn't install them so i'm not sure how to replace them when the motherboard on the LED goes bad but other than that i'm happy.

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4 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

you in austin? $1600 for sheetrock and actual can lights isn't bad.  we got quoted to do a series of cans for our dining room and it averaged around $200 per. 

 

when we did our master bath remodel we opted for the puck lights everyone's talking about.  much cheaper.  i didn't install them so i'm not sure how to replace them when the motherboard on the LED goes bad but other than that i'm happy.

I was quoted $400 for just doing the sheetrock back to the way it was.  The $1200 extra is effectively just the labor on the lights.  Doesn't include the lights or romex.  And the labor seems minimal given that the ceiling joists look like this pic

IMG_3620.HEIC

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21 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Puck light was a poor choice of words. I meant new LED fixtures that are much easier to install than a bulky can  . You’re Still cutting into the ceiling, but they are much easier to install and cheaper than the traditional can.

Got a few of these in kitchen, and despite the premium price and 20 year “life span” one has already gone out. 
 

anyone have experience changing these?  Do the bulbs simply screw out?

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On 12/15/2021 at 12:22 PM, Liquor and Poker said:

Given that the price doesn't include the materials, that extra $1200 seemed kinda high.  Am I wrong?  Is there more to this than I think?

Sounds like you need to call "House Husband".

 

leon.png

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Got a few of these in kitchen, and despite the premium price and 20 year “life span” one has already gone out. 
 
anyone have experience changing these?  Do the bulbs simply screw out?

Watch a YouTube video on how it’s installed. They’re are just some spring clips on the top of the sheet rock. Basically you can just pull slowly until the clips release. Worst case is you’d need a thin screwdriver to nudge a clip if it doesn’t release.
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/16/2021 at 4:24 PM, CooterBrown said:


They’re are just some spring clips on the top of the sheet rock. Basically you can just pull slowly until the clips release. Worst case is you’d need a thin screwdriver to nudge a clip if it doesn’t release.

Watch your fingers. Those SOBs hurt like hell if they catch a fingertip in the wrong place. 

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