I have cathedral ceilings and slightly offset at the peak (14 ft) is a high hat fixture. I would like to remove the high hat and install a regular box so that I can hang a chandelier. I have no access to the attic at this point. What do I need and what do I have to do to accomplish this?
Here is one approach:
You won't know till you get in there what it will take to dismount the existing high hat.
Jim
1) Rent the appropriate scaffolding. 2) Determine which breaker in your service panel controls the fixture and turn it off. Use ducttape or something like that on the breaker to keep someone from turning it back on before you're ready. 3) Put on a 20 lb. tool belt with one of everything that Klein Tools makes (and any competent electrician will own). 4) Shinny up the scaffolding and take things apart, putting the pieces in a trash bag you brought along. 5) Replace the fixture box with a dedicated fan/chandelier hanging box like Fasco 925. 6) Hang fixture. Turn on breaker. Admire lovely new addition. 7) Celebrate with beverage of choice accepting compliments from your companion/wife/houseguest (aren't we really PC here?). Shouldn't be all that hard using the right tools and common sense. Good luck and post positive results to NG.
Joe
What about the hole left in the ceiling? If the high hat is standard it will be 6-8 maybe 10 inches in diameter. The new box will be 4 inches. The high hat will come apart in pieces, the dome is removable. Pain..... The frame of the fixture will probably not be worth the effort to remove. Once the dome is hanging down you should be able to get to the junction box to redo the wiring. There may be more than one set of wires depending on how it is connected. At the home centers there are for sale metal spanning devices that will dig into the joists on either side of the hole. Then you can mount the new box on that. The problem I see is your going to have to buy/build a sconce to cover up the hole.
Good luck a scaffold is a wise idea. Your going to spend some time up there.
I gave the link for the "metal spanning device" earlier. To cover the big hole, consider a ceiling medallion:
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