Overboarding and rewiring lights in ceiling

[shabbaranks]

Hi
Currently renovating and looking to add down lights. Rather than take down the old ceiling is it ok to take away the cable routing (going through joists as necessary) and then just over boarding with plasterboard rather than taking the whole lot down?

Cheers

 

[sparkwright]

Yes, fine.

Cut out large sections where you want to drill the joists to give you room to get the drill in, and to see where pipes and other cables may be running.

Also cut out large sections where the down lights will go, as when the new board goes on that will allow the ceiling to be just one layer thick where the downlights go.

(Sometimes it's not easy fitting a downlight to a double or even triple thick ceiling0>

Don't be tempted to simply notch the old ceiling surface to get the cables in place - as this will leave the cables prone to get screwed through when the new plasterboard goes up.

 

[shabbaranks]

Thanks thats great advice. No odds giving plenty of space and running the cable in between the joists then boarding with the new plasterboard. Makes it easier for boarding marking out the joist location