Recessed lighting is used as an effective measure to light up several places of your house. Installing recessed lighting in different set ups can raise different questions which need answering.
Today, we are going to discuss and find out whether one can add recessed lighting to the existing ceiling.
Can you add recessed lighting to the existing ceiling?
One can add recessed lighting to an existing one if there is a need for it. The trick of installing recessed lights in an existing ceiling is to avoid the ceiling joists. The wire connections between the light’s junction box and the switch box is also crucial in the installation process.
Sometimes you can be dissatisfied with the light set up of your room that might prompt you to add recessed lighting to your existing ceiling. Many people will suggest that installing recessed lights into an existing ceiling is a difficult job.
But it is very much doable if you manage to follow the correct steps and method.
It is true that adding recessed lighting to an existing ceiling might cost you much more than an under construction ceiling. But the installation cost will be minimal if you can do it yourself.
The holes needed to install recessed lights can be made from both inside and outside which increases the probability of the installation process. Wiring the recessed lights might be easier if you take the help of an electrician.
But you can also do it yourself if you have prior experience of wiring and are good at following instructions properly.
Is it difficult to add recessed lighting in an existing ceiling? Do you need an electrician to install recessed lighting?
The most common practice is to add recessed lighting to an under construction ceiling. But you can still attempt to add recessed lighting in an existing ceiling. The existing circuits of your ceiling will come in handy if you want to attach recessed lights in an existing ceiling.
Otherwise, you will have to go through the trouble of adding new circuits in order to accommodate the recessed lights. Adding new circuits will mean that you will need to hire an electrician even if you can do it yourself because of building codes.
So in comparison with an under construction ceiling it is a bit difficult to add recessed lights in an existing ceiling.
You will have to deal with the wiring system of your house in order to accommodate the recessed lights. An electrician will be helpful in the installation of recessed lights for the complicated wiring requirement.
It is comparatively easy to install recessed lights in an under construction ceiling. But adding recessed lighting in an existing ceiling can be done easily if you take the help of an electrician.
4 reasons why you can add recessed lighting to existing ceiling
Adding recessed lighting to the existing ceiling might seem difficult at first. But there are several reasons which make it possible to install recessed lights in an existing ceiling. Let’s discuss in detail about some of them.
Accessibility to attic:
The first obstacle of installing recessed lighting to the existing ceiling is to cut hole into the existing ceiling. This obstacle can be easily avoided if there is an attic over the ceiling. You can cut large enough holes to accommodate the recessed lights into the existing ceiling.
Alternative of attic:
Even if you do not have an attic over the existing ceiling or can not access the existing ceiling from above, you can still cut holes into the ceiling from inside the room. This alternative approach can help you to get rid of the obstacle of cutting holes.
Usability of circuits:
The existing circuits of the room can help you to add recessed lighting to an existing ceiling. You can easily alter the existing circuits of your house to make wire connections with the recessed lights. You can also add new circuits if you can not work with the existing circuits.
Adding new circuits to accommodate the recessed lights is not so difficult.
Affordability:
It is cheaper to add recessed lights to an under construction ceiling. But adding them to the existing ceiling is still affordable if you can do it yourself. If you weigh the benefit of recessed lights, the cost of installing them into an existing ceiling will seem like a fair deal.
How to install recessed lighting to the existing ceiling?
Installing recessed lighting to the existing ceiling might seem like a daunting task. But it can be effectively done if you manage to follow the steps given below.
Select the distance:
First of all, you will need to select the distance between each recessed light. It is not difficult to do if you follow some general rules. You can start by dividing the height of your ceiling by two to find the exact distance.
It means that if you have a ten feet ceiling, the distance between each recessed light needs to be five feet.
You will need to place the recessed lights eighteen to twenty four inches from the wall. While selecting the distance, you will have to make sure that the positioning of your recessed light does not come in contact with any ceiling joist.
Mark the holes:
After you have found out where you want to install your recessed lights, you can start marking those areas on the ceiling. After you have successfully marked the areas, you can start to cut out the holes with the help of a drywall saw.
Set up the wire:
Next, you will need to switch off the power of the room by going into the circuit breaker box and then start working on setting up the wire of your recessed lights. You will have to look for suitable wiring connections for the recessed lights.
A switch box that is close to the recessed light location will be better in this case.
The wires of the selected switch will have to be pulled through the holes you have made for the recessed lights. You will have to make connections between the light’s junction box and the switch box by wiring them properly.
The insulation on the wires will have to be removed to perform this action.
Install the can:
After the connection has been made between the junction box and the switch box, you will need to push the recessed light cans into hole. The metal clips will help you to install the cans by pressing buttons.
Attach the lights:
You will have to attach the lights into the light cans to finish the entire process. You can turn the power on to check the success of the process.
How much does it cost to add recessed lighting?
The cost of adding recessed lighting depends on a lot of things. If you want to add recessed lighting to an under construction ceiling, it will cost you about one hundred to two hundred USD per recessed light.
But adding recessed lights in an existing ceiling can cost one hundred fifty to three hundred USD per recessed light.
The labor cost also adds to the total installation cost if you install the recessed lights by a professional. The labor cost per hour for installing recessed lights is about one hundred USD. So installing a set of six recessed lights by a professional can cost up to two thousand USD.
But you can cut down the cost to fifteen hundred USD if you manage to do it yourself.
How to change high ceiling recessed lighting?
Changing high ceiling recessed lighting is a risky thing to do. If you want to do it yourself, you can take the help of a ladder to climb up and reach the fitting spot of the recessed lights.
If you do not have a tall enough ladder that enables you to reach the recessed lights, you can use a bulb changer rod to change them.
Safety measures are needed to be taken if you are going to change high ceiling recessed lighting. You will need to have someone standing close to you to monitor your actions and also help you in the case of an emergency.
You can climb up the ladder and unscrew the old recessed light from the can using your hands or the light bulb changer rod and attach the new recessed lights. After you have successfully changed the recessed lights, climb down slowly and carefully.
Using a light bulb changer rod is a safer choice than using your hands.
Final Thoughts
Recessed lighting can be added to an existing ceiling by following certain steps and methods. The holes on the ceiling needed for the installation process can be cut from both inside and outside of the room. The wiring of the recessed lights might require the attention of a professional.