Holes when installing ceiling lighting: Is this normal?


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Old 03-03-21, 01:11 PM
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Holes when installing ceiling lighting: Is this normal?


​​​​​​Hello,
I have somebody installing recessed lighting in my basement, Is it normal to have this many holes cut in my ceiling?
Thanks for any help.
 

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03-03-21, 04:08 PM
joecaption
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It would have been far easier to repair to have snapped 2 straight lines and made 2 long cuts and removed that whole section.
Now your stuck trying to patch a bunch of odd ball sized holes.
 
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Old 03-03-21, 01:31 PM
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If the ceiling joists run that perpendicular to the line of those holes and you don't have an attic above the joists, then yes.

If the far away can is also new, then he could run the wiring the same cavity and didn't need to make any new holes.
 
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Old 03-03-21, 01:48 PM
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The joists between the lights are shown in blue in the very rough drawing below. To get the wire from light A to light B, holes have to be drilled in the joists, and when there is a finished floor above, you have to cut some holes in the ceiling.. Some people cut a hole between every joist and some cut a hole between every other joist. A hole between every joist is quicker and a hold between every other joist means less drywall repair. If often boils down to cost; who costs less, the electrician or the drywaller.
And HVAC ducts can create problems.


 
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Old 03-03-21, 03:46 PM
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Some will try to to drill blindly with a long flexible bit, but it can have a mind of its own and drill through the floor above or anything in between holes like ductwork and plumbing.
 
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Old 03-03-21, 03:50 PM
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Welcome to the forums.

Ah.... yes. The tales we could tell with flexibits.
 
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Old 03-03-21, 04:08 PM
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It would have been far easier to repair to have snapped 2 straight lines and made 2 long cuts and removed that whole section.
Now your stuck trying to patch a bunch of odd ball sized holes.
 
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Old 03-03-21, 04:57 PM
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It won't be too bad if the pieces were saved in one piece.
 
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Old 03-03-21, 06:00 PM
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I agree with Joecaption, It is easier to fix one long hole than a bunch of little holes.

That said, any taper should be able to fix it.
 
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Old 03-04-21, 03:10 AM
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Ive done that many times for lights and elec boxes but I use a 4' round hole saw! Either way, easy to patch!
 
 

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