GeoffM

Oh ok. Concrete pad here though so I guess the plumbing is up there too.

At least one positive (doh, sorry) thing about 110v is that there's less of a jolt when you accidentally touch an exposed terminal...

Pulaski

No, unfortunately your plumbing is, so far as possible, in the slab, especially in a single story house. Heaven help you if you have a leak in either the supply or the drains. ..... The result is a pneumatic drill inside your house! It is not unusual to have it happen either.

lizzyq

Thinking of the lights in our new house, why is the only ceiling hung light fitting the light/fan in the kitchen? There are no other ceiling lights in the whole of the main living floor.

Pulaski

It's either what the original owner specified, what the architect specified, or what the electrician happen to have in his van the day he installed the wiring.

GeoffM

Buggeritt. Yes it did happen in our rented house earlier this year.

In our first two rented houses this was exactly the case. Just switched sockets for a floorstanding/table lamp. At least in this house we do have overhead lights in every room bar one. The wife's cousin's 4-year old house has wired and switched light fittings but with nothing fitted, ie terminals in the ceiling but covered over with a plastic plate, so theoretically he could just buy a light and connect it to the terminals up there.

Michael

In 1960s, Eichler made homes in California for the average consumer with glass everywhere. For heating, he ran hot water pipe in the slab. When those broke, that was a major headache.

Today they are difficult to sell since they are so energy inefficient.

Steerpike

For whatever reason, 'ceiling lights' are just not popular in the US - at least, not the conventional 'center of ceiling' classic lights I grew up with in UK. Recessed lighting seems quite popular. Every room I've ever had in the US has had a light-switch controlling a wall socket, intended to control a table lamp.

Michael

I have 4 ceiling fixtures in my condo with wall switches for each. One in the living room, one in the kitchen nook, and one in each bedroom. However I don't think any light fixtures were provided when the place was built but the original owner installed hanging lights in the living room and kitchen nook, a ceiling light in the guest bedroom, and nothing in the master bedroom (suspect he didn't since the quest bedroom ceiling light is useless). In my opinion, about the only thing that may possibly be useful for the bedrooms would be ceiling fans.

Pulaski

Maybe recessed lighting is a West Coast thing, because most houses I know of/ have been in (on the East Coast) have a pendant light or light/fan in every bedroom and the majority of living rooms. Dining rooms have a light but no fan.

hungryhorace

We have just wall switches linked to floor standers. I'm going to get quotes for proper ceiling light sockets to be installed.

RICH

In the condo I used to live in there were no light fitting in the ceiling in the living area. I managed to install a wire spur from the middle of the room, above the drywall ceiling and down the wall to a power outlet that was already controlled by a switch by the front door. A bit of a game with no access from above or outside, and no doubt not code compliant!