New Home....

[TomJ78]

Hello,

Just a quick question really.....

We're just about to move into a new build house, however the price for some "upgrades" is eye watering !!

We would like to install 3 recessed ceiling spotlights in the hall, 6/8 in the kitchen (split over 2 existing circuits) and 6/8 in the lounge. Currently the house is going to have normal pendant style fittings.

Could anyone give me some sort of idea as to how much I should expect to pay an electrician to do this work, and also if it should be fairly straight forward ?

Many thanks in advance

Tom

 

[Taylortwocities]

IMO cant say without seeing the job.
Lots of things to know.
Basically its not a tricky job but there's lots of things that could make it expensive....
Is the house finished?, are the floors above where the the lights would be already down and finished off? What is the floor covered with? Is it boards or chipboard sheets?
What is above - bathroom, tiled floor etc etc

 

[TomJ78]

The house will be finished and plastered etc, however the flooring won't be laid upstairs. The upstairs floors are chipboard and there's a mixture of bedrooms, bathroom and ensuite above where we want them.....

 

[breezer]

new house and the floor not finished?

sorry

View media item 2443

 

[festa]

The tricky part in this project is gaining access to the joists above to be able to drill holes where cables will pass through.
Cable running parallel with the joists are the easy ones but trying to drill holes through the joists where access is a problem pushes the price up as it`s so time consuming.
The floor above ,as you say,is chipboard and these boards are usually tongue and gooved 8ft sheets and the joints ,glued .
Installing the cables first (first fix) is the way forward so a word with the building contractor is first port of call.

 

[TomJ78]

I appreciate your thoughts.... issue is that surely the Builder won't allow any contractors to work on the house until it's signed over to us ... otherwise this would defeat the object of them trying to sell us upgrades ?

 

[comms]

If you dont want to pay the builders prices then sign for the house but dont have any carpets put down upstairs.

I have a new estate near me & I'm doing lots of this type of work at the moment. The builder are charging £80 for an outside light & £60 per downlight.
What type of central heating do you have? I only ask because some of the properties on the new estate here have radiant panel heating in the ceilings so downlights are a no go.

Anyway the last one I did was on friday evening (not down lights granted) 8x pendants removed 8x chrome fittings (supplied by home owner) put up done for £15.00 each, tested & certed on MWC

As for putting in down lights I use the following on chip floor;

cut hole either side of joist using
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/60543/Drill-Bits/Holesaws/Hole-Cutters/Armeg-Solid-Board-Cutter-127mm

Fill hole with a cover when job is completed
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/72836...-Cutters/Armeg-Solid-Board-Cutter-Cover-127mm

drill joist through the access hole you've drilled. I use these for ease flat wood bit with extension bar, or over length flat wood bit.
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/DrillBits/WoodDrillBits/d110/sd1120

It is a pain in the backside sometimes locating the joists, but hey you want down lights & as they say nothing is impossible.
I use fire rated elv downlights so charge £40 per down light