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Featured Replies

Looking to replace a dated chandelier hung from an 18-foot ceiling. Don't own a ladder tall enough to get to the electrical box, and not dying to rent scaffolding. I may bite the bullet and just pay a professional, but it's just a damn light fixture, so I'd really prefer to DIY.

 

Assuming I'm comfortable using the existing chain with a new fixture, and the wattage/voltage of the new fixture are same as the old... Then couldn't I just cut the cord at the base of the existing fixture, splice the wire from the new fixture, and skip ladder/scaffolding/professional altogether?

 

What am I missing?

Before you climb up there, get every other person and pet out of the house. 

27 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

rent a scissor lift

Fixed it 

32 minutes ago, davidg said:

Fixed it 

depends on the floors in the house.

In same boat but with 24’ ceiling.   Going to rent a scissor lift. Did the ladder deal when hanging curtains and fuck. That. 

Edited by fattyflattie

Man, 19' ceiling here and thinking about replacing ceiling fan with something nicer than the builder put in 9 yrs ago.  And I'm wanting to buy and have them install.

Figure out how you’re going to get a scissor lift in your house before you buy one. They are neither small nor lightweight.

50 minutes ago, luke duke said:

Figure out how you’re going to get a scissor lift in your house before you buy one. They are neither small nor lightweight.

I've seen them fuck up some floors.

As someone who has accidentally fallen from a pretty high place, if an activity involves me possibly falling and breaking my neck, I hire someone to assume that risk on my behalf.

So there was that one time a Shagger was coming up on a roof after I had already gone up...

...After I heard the ladder sliding against the gutter, all I saw was sneakers going down.

I won't say who, but maybe he will self identify on this one.

& NO, it wasn't ArmyBrat.

8 hours ago, luke duke said:

Figure out how you’re going to get a scissor lift in your house before you buy one. They are neither small nor lightweight.

Home Depot has 21’ lifts that are less than 36” wide.  Need to protect your floors for sure but you should be able to get one through the front door.

  • Author
What's the cost to hire someone to replace one assuming you have purchased the new one already?
Haven't priced it. The rental for scissor lift is around ~$200, scaffolding is about half that. Assume paying someone would cost more than either of those, but then I don't break a sweat or my neck in a fall.

However, cheapest option I can think of would be to cut the existing light fixture off at the bottom and splice in the new one. Just trying to figure out if that's feasible before hiring someone.

I'm not opposed to hiring someone btw. Just wondering if anyone from surly has done something similar and has dos/donts
7 minutes ago, ZanTheFan said:

Haven't priced it. The rental for scissor lift is around ~$200, scaffolding is about half that. Assume paying someone would cost more than either of those, but then I don't break a sweat or my neck in a fall.

However, cheapest option I can think of would be to cut the existing light fixture off at the bottom and splice in the new one. Just trying to figure out if that's feasible before hiring someone.

I'm not opposed to hiring someone btw. Just wondering if anyone from surly has done something similar and has dos/donts

How expensive is the light fixture?  That would factor into whether or not I hired someone or went the splicing rout.  

This is the best humblebrag thread I've read in a while. Well played, Sir.

17 hours ago, RPM said:

This is the best humblebrag thread I've read in a while. Well played, Sir.

A winch in the attic is dead ass cheap for anyone willing to plan it out. It's just an electric winch (cable can be routed to secure base) with a lock and switch down below.

I have a healthy respect for exposure when climbing. Fucking around with those high ceilings/foyers is dangerous for most. Those winches should have been put in when they built the house. 

  • 4 months later...
  • Author

Y'all ever read "if you give a mouse a cookie"?

Well.... It me.

Contractor came over to price it out and managed to convince us to go big. Went from simply swapping a chandelier to installing 5 LED "faux can" lights and painting the entire ceiling white, instead. Gives us a lot more options with the room - - no longer locked in to it being a dining room based on a light fixture, which is nice since we spend so damn much more time at home nowadays

On 5/11/2021 at 10:18 PM, MonkeyDoughnut said:

What's the cost to hire someone to replace one assuming you have purchased the new one already?

Late to the discussion, but I received flat rate quotes low of $90/hour to high of $120/hour, plus materials.

Ask if there’s a separate “unquoted” rate/charge for an apprentice who might be tagging along.  The electrician I hired tried that, then withdrew an additional $35 charge for his gofer when I objected.  It wasn’t part of the original quote.

Edited by VirginiaLonghorn

On 5/14/2021 at 12:43 PM, washparkhorn said:

Safest - Chandelier motor in the attic.  < this is what I ended up doing

 

Cheapest - Canadian Scaffold < I considered this

https://youtu.be/zncIahGvkcU

Good luck

Our last house had one. Awesome to lower it to change bulbs and dust it.

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