Cost to remove recessed lighting

[Anonymous]

No don't do that

[Anonymous]

Why would you do that? Replace it with newer/nicer lights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot stand recessed lighting. It makes a home look like an office building. I am looking for a new home now....and I will not buy one with recessed lighting. It sounds like it is expensive to take out.
Hanging lamps can be so beautiful...and give such nice light. Honestly, if I'm scrolling through homes on lines, I cannot stay on the page with all that industrial looking recessed lighting. I wish people were not encouraged to "upgrade their homes. ARgh!!

Did u search for this thread just to rant? I love recessed myself. I rarely see recessed in offices. It’s almost always fluorescent panels.

[Anonymous]

I cannot stand recessed lighting. It makes a home look like an office building. I am looking for a new home now....and I will not buy one with recessed lighting. It sounds like it is expensive to take out.
Hanging lamps can be so beautiful...and give such nice light. Honestly, if I'm scrolling through homes on lines, I cannot stay on the page with all that industrial looking recessed lighting. I wish people were not encouraged to "upgrade their homes. ARgh!!

You revived a 4 year old thread just to rant about recessed lighting? You need to step away from the keyboard.

[Anonymous]

I actually had a true need to remove 1 recessed light. We're doing a kitchen reno project and didn't realize it when selecting our kitchen cabinets and crown molding trim, but on install date for cabinets and crown molding, learned one recessed light was too close to enable installation of the crown molding. Even if removing the decorative trim piece around the recessed light, the thin metal rim of the recessed light prevented installation of crown molding unless/until the recessed light is removed.

Received 1 estimate for removal of the recessed light, which came in at $265. ($85 trip cost, etc, etc). I was told it will cost same amount to remove the existing recessed light as it will to remove the light and install it in a new location a bit further out from the crown molding. I'm not tracking on how it is same cost for simply removing the recessed light as it is to install in a new location. But regardless, this cost does not include repair of the sheetrock hole. However, I have done that same sheetrock hole repair on one other occasion (same kitchen reno project when repairing hole in ceiling where duct from over the range hood vent previously went up into ceiling).

I was previously able to find a sufficient number and good quality how-to videos to render me confident and capable of repairing the residual hole in ceiling, in a way that secured the space so that should any animal ever get into the attic in the future they woiuld not be able to fall through the hole (installed a short 2x4 brace that traversed above the hold spanning between the nearest studs to right and left) then cut the residual hole into a square shape, purchased a small patch square of sheetrock sold for this sort of patching purpose, and easily secured the square patch of sheetrock into the space. Then used sheetrock tape and 'mud' to smooth the surface of the repair. You are not at all able to tell there was a repair performed in the area.

So it is possible to remove recessed lighting when truly necessary to remove just one or a few - without replacing the entire ceiling. But not inexpensive. And time consuming if repair done yourself. Comments above about finding white powder dust within drawers for years to come is entirely true! And frustrating.

[Anonymous]

I actually had a true need to remove 1 recessed light. We're doing a kitchen reno project and didn't realize it when selecting our kitchen cabinets and crown molding trim, but on install date for cabinets and crown molding, learned one recessed light was too close to enable installation of the crown molding. Even if removing the decorative trim piece around the recessed light, the thin metal rim of the recessed light prevented installation of crown molding unless/until the recessed light is removed.

Received 1 estimate for removal of the recessed light, which came in at $265. ($85 trip cost, etc, etc). I was told it will cost same amount to remove the existing recessed light as it will to remove the light and install it in a new location a bit further out from the crown molding. I'm not tracking on how it is same cost for simply removing the recessed light as it is to install in a new location. But regardless, this cost does not include repair of the sheetrock hole. However, I have done that same sheetrock hole repair on one other occasion (same kitchen reno project when repairing hole in ceiling where duct from over the range hood vent previously went up into ceiling).

I was previously able to find a sufficient number and good quality how-to videos to render me confident and capable of repairing the residual hole in ceiling, in a way that secured the space so that should any animal ever get into the attic in the future they woiuld not be able to fall through the hole (installed a short 2x4 brace that traversed above the hold spanning between the nearest studs to right and left) then cut the residual hole into a square shape, purchased a small patch square of sheetrock sold for this sort of patching purpose, and easily secured the square patch of sheetrock into the space. Then used sheetrock tape and 'mud' to smooth the surface of the repair. You are not at all able to tell there was a repair performed in the area.

So it is possible to remove recessed lighting when truly necessary to remove just one or a few - without replacing the entire ceiling. But not inexpensive. And time consuming if repair done yourself. Comments above about finding white powder dust within drawers for years to come is entirely true! And frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We're repurposing the room to be a dining area (was open space) and I'd like a single fixture over the table. It feels so weird to eat under a row of recessed lights. But maybe I will just add the fixture and leave the recessed ones where they are (and probably never use them).

Use led can converter kits. The led is contained in a shade so it’s much more attractive than looking at the bulb. Make sure you have a led compatible dimmer switch.

I would go ahead and get the chandelier too but keep the recessed lights, just have a dimmer.

[Anonymous]

This is a pretty simple, straightforward, fix if no blown in insulation is involved. Either way it’s messy because of the drywall involved.

Remove the ceiling, rewire for one light, replace ceiling, repaint. Clean up disaster zone.

You could just patch the recessed holes, but to be ‘code compliant’ you can’t have wires in a closed ceiling without accessible termination points like electric boxes or the recessed lights themselves. And that would look hideous to have six boxes with faceplates.

[Anonymous]

Leave the recessed in and just add one light over the table.

[Anonymous]

THIS IS AN OLD THREAD PEOPLE. OP no longer requires your thoughtful suggestions.

[Anonymous]

We have recessed lights EVERYWHERE downstairs (previous owners hated pendants/lamps I guess)? Literally in every room. I hate them. But we were told it would be very expensive to cover them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have recessed lights EVERYWHERE downstairs (previous owners hated pendants/lamps I guess)? Literally in every room. I hate them. But we were told it would be very expensive to cover them.

why do you hate them? maybe you need to change the lightbulbs?

recessed lighting can be very pleasant, especially with dimmers. central ceiling light is so much worse. it looks nicer, but he light is almost always terrible.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you could place a sticker over them + paint to make them less noticeable.

That also has the benefit of being reversible in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can keep them and install a single fixture, do that instead. The cost to take out the recessed lights will be a lot. There is drywall and paint involved.

+1. This is what we have in our living room. Add a dimmer as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually had a true need to remove 1 recessed light. We're doing a kitchen reno project and didn't realize it when selecting our kitchen cabinets and crown molding trim, but on install date for cabinets and crown molding, learned one recessed light was too close to enable installation of the crown molding. Even if removing the decorative trim piece around the recessed light, the thin metal rim of the recessed light prevented installation of crown molding unless/until the recessed light is removed.

Received 1 estimate for removal of the recessed light, which came in at $265. ($85 trip cost, etc, etc). I was told it will cost same amount to remove the existing recessed light as it will to remove the light and install it in a new location a bit further out from the crown molding. I'm not tracking on how it is same cost for simply removing the recessed light as it is to install in a new location. But regardless, this cost does not include repair of the sheetrock hole. However, I have done that same sheetrock hole repair on one other occasion (same kitchen reno project when repairing hole in ceiling where duct from over the range hood vent previously went up into ceiling).

I was previously able to find a sufficient number and good quality how-to videos to render me confident and capable of repairing the residual hole in ceiling, in a way that secured the space so that should any animal ever get into the attic in the future they woiuld not be able to fall through the hole (installed a short 2x4 brace that traversed above the hold spanning between the nearest studs to right and left) then cut the residual hole into a square shape, purchased a small patch square of sheetrock sold for this sort of patching purpose, and easily secured the square patch of sheetrock into the space. Then used sheetrock tape and 'mud' to smooth the surface of the repair. You are not at all able to tell there was a repair performed in the area.

So it is possible to remove recessed lighting when truly necessary to remove just one or a few - without replacing the entire ceiling. But not inexpensive. And time consuming if repair done yourself. Comments above about finding white powder dust within drawers for years to come is entirely true! And frustrating.

Is this post from AI?