Garage ceiling can

[PT Doc]

I met with an electrician yesterday and he explained that recessed cans that I wanted in the garage ceiling would need to be a special type and he ball parked $250 each, WTF?

This is new construction. Can anyone link to a can that is appropriate in a garage ceiling? There is insulation in the ceiling but so is in the ceilings of the house and there were no issues when we spoke of those.

I thought of just wiring switched outlets for a few Big *** light banks. But I think 4 cans in the single car garage that will be my little shop should work out well. I can have 4 light prewires installed then convert to a retrofit recessed can that is appropriate for the garage.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Without knowing what he meant by 'special type' it's hard to say what he meant. I don't know what difference there would be from any regular old can light that you would use in your house.

 

[DC73]

Seems high. You do need IC (insulation contact) rated cans. Here's a link to what Home Depot has available.

http://www.homedepot.com/s/ic%20rated%20recessed%20housing?NCNI-5

Access to install some of these cans in an existing ceiling could be an issue if there is no attic space above. But I'm not seeing $250/light unless it's going to take a lot of labor.

DC

 

[PT Doc]

Labor wasn't the issue since this is new construction and my second plan was to run switched outlets and use Big *** lights. Those were normal pricing.

IC is a given. I have to clarify what the issue is with the garage cans. Are all recessed can air tight? Maybe that was the issue with a fire traveling to to the attic.

 

[Norcal]

Is there living space above the garage? If so, you can get into fire rating issues.

 

[PT Doc]

Partly above this garage. Still need to figure out what you of can is needed and why the hell it's so expensive.

 

[PT Doc]

IC rated housing that can be converted to airtight with some type of trim:

http://t.homedepot.com/p/Halo-6-in-...model-IC-Housing-6-Pack-H7RICT-6PK/202531409/

Airtight housing that is IC rated

http://t.homedepot.com/p/Halo-Air-T..._pip1_rr-3-_-NA-_-202059464-_-N&showPLP=false

 

[teamextreme]

Was $250 installed price, including labor? If so, I don't see that as being terribly out of line. If he's saying that's just the cost of the can light, that's way out of line. The only thing I can think of that really complicates can light installs are fire ratings. I installed some in g/f's mountain condo remodel, which is multi-family and required "backer boxes" around each light. Basically had to build an osb box surrounding the light and line the interior with 5/8 drywall. That could get expensive building these custom boxes, but I believe they also make some pre-fabbed metal ones as well.

 

[PT Doc]

Was $250 installed price, including labor? If so, I don't see that as being terribly out of line. If he's saying that's just the cost of the can light, that's way out of line. The only thing I can think of that really complicates can light installs are fire ratings. I installed some in g/f's mountain condo remodel, which is multi-family and required "backer boxes" around each light. Basically had to build an osb box surrounding the light and line the interior with 5/8 drywall. That could get expensive building these custom boxes, but I believe they also make some pre-fabbed metal ones as well.

Normal interior house recessed can pricing was about $110. My wife remembers the price For the garage can being $350. Even worse than I thought. If it requires building a dry walled and framed box, then I could see why the cost would go up.

 

[Mustang51js]

Should have to be fire rated if attached to the house

 

[PT Doc]

Should have to be fire rated if attached to the house

Is that the spec to search on? So it is different than airtight and IC rated?

 

[Mustang51js]

I don't think it's a spec on a normal can, usually they have to be boxed with double Sheetrock or something like that,and it's usually the building inspector that has the say, not the electrical guy.

 

[JACDes]

if attached garage with habitable space above it, then the garage ceiling must be 1hr fire rated assembly just like the wall between garage and habitable space.

A typical big box store can light is not rated for a 1hr assembly.

If you want can lights in a fire rated ceiling, you will pay the price.
if you have the headroom it may be easier to simply build a dropped ceiling bellow the fire
rated assembly... you can do a grid ceiling and put all the cans light you want because you would not penetrate the fire rated assembly.

if you want to avoid the additional work/expense just install some surface mounted emt conduit and use surface mounted lights.

after all it IS a garage, not a bedroom...

 

[PT Doc]

if attached garage with habitable space above it, then the garage ceiling must be 1hr fire rated assembly just like the wall between garage and habitable space.

A typical big box store can light is not rated for a 1hr assembly.

If you want can lights in a fire rated ceiling, you will pay the price.
if you have the headroom it may be easier to simply build a dropped ceiling bellow the fire
rated assembly... you can do a grid ceiling and put all the cans light you want because you would not penetrate the fire rated assembly.

if you want to avoid the additional work/expense just install some surface mounted emt conduit and use surface mounted lights.

after all it IS a garage, not a bedroom...

Thanks for the info on the fire rating. Surface mounted light for one downward facing bulb changed out to led should work well. I read up on fire rated canc and there are some metal boxes that be installed between the trusses and the can then lives in the box. Also found some fire rated csns for about $125.

 

[JACDes]

glad I could help.