routing lighting cable (old house - no ceiling void)

[oddjones]

Hi there - so I have an old house with a converted kitchen - the ceiling joists are set into a centrally running steel RSJ which spans the kitchen ceiling and is boxed in and plastered over. All the kitchen lighting is surface mounted with cables running along the joists. There is no void above this ceiling. The ceiling plasterboard is mounted directly to the (chipboard) flooring above. All the lighting currently sits on just one side of the central beam which leaves the other side of the room really dark and gloomy. I want to run a spur to another light on the other side of the joist as pictured. As a temporary measure (to prove the value of the light) I have simply surface mounted the cable over the top of the beam.

I've established that the plaster and boxing over the RSJ is about ¾ of an inch deep. My question is - Is it against building regulations to simply (carefully) drill the plaster under the beam to run the cable through? - I've marked the approximatye location of the entry hole with a red dot. (I can then obviously chase the plaster out on the sides of the beam to leave just the cable running along the top of the joist, which is acceptable to me (it's very hard to see due to the orientation of the room)

If this isn't allowable are there any other ideas people have for solving the problem?

 

[EFLImpudence]

I don't see anything wrong with what you want to do.

It will be quite obvious where the cable goes from the remaining visible cable.

 

[oddjones]

ha ha - well, you say that - but to my eyes that was part of the issue - the cable might appear to go through the beam, rather than round it. I'm more worried about whether I'd be breaking any codes though to be honest

 

[EFLImpudence]

ha ha - well, you say that - but to my eyes that was part of the issue - the cable might appear to go through the beam, rather than round it.

I thought, looking at the picture there might be a curve going downward where it would enter the plaster but I am really not sure if it matters.

It will be obvious that the cable goes somewhere to get past the beam.

I'm more worried about whether I'd be breaking any codes though to be honest

There aren't (m)any rules for ceilings - unlike walls - so I think it will be alright.


Perhaps someone else might comment.

 

[oddjones]

Thanks for the input mate - it's nice to know it's not a completely mad idea