Took me 4 hours to change a simple light fixture yesterday

I thought swapping out an old ceiling light would be a 20 minute job tops. But the previous owner had painted over the mounting screws, so I spent an hour just chipping paint off. Then the wires were all twisted in some weird way that made no sense. By the time I finally got the new fixture up and working, it was dark outside and I'd missed my whole afternoon. Has anyone else had a "quick" project turn into a half day ordeal like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

eva_adams6826d ago

Wait, 4 hours for a light fixture? I used to think I could handle anything but this changed my mind

eva_adams6810d ago

My buddy Mike tried swapping a ceiling fan last summer and it took him nearly 5 hours because the mounting bracket had been screwed into a stud that wasn't flush. He ended up having to borrow a reciprocating saw from @williamb29 just to cut part of it out. Plus he forgot to turn the breaker off first, got zapped, dropped the fan, and dented his hardwood floor. Took him another hour just to patch up the ceiling paint afterwards. I've never looked at a light fixture the same way since lol.

williamb2926d ago

Did you see that article on DIY forums about the wiring mess behind that light? Someone posted pics of a setup that took them six hours because the old box was buried in drywall. Four hours for a clean install sounds about right if you hit that kind of trouble. Better to take your time than fry something.