I have some cost updating to do (hopefully not to much more...). The recessed lighting from Home Depot were $10 for the cans and $8 for the trim. I could not find anything on line for this price. There are 8 lights in the ceiling and 2 in the soffits, giving a total of $180.
The hardest part of installing these was cutting the holes from above and nailing the cans in between the trusses. The reason it was hard is that the roof pitch is 4:12, and access is pretty limited. I chose not to use the remodel cans, but the new-construction ones, since they are more forgiving if the hole cut in the sheetrack is not exactly right.
The units are HALO brand, made by Cooper Lighting. These are 5 inch IC - IC means they can come directly in contact with insulation. Since we have blown-in celulose, IC is by far the best option. Here is a cut-away view of the light cans.
Any negatives: yup - installing the trim is hard. It took me an hour to figure out how to get the first one in, then about 5 minutes per light afterwards. Getting the last spring wire to hook is pretty difficult without some sort of tool. I fould a set if curved needle-nose pliers makes it a lot easier. 
Unless I am really missing something on the install of these, prepare to have your fingers snapped a few times and a bit of frustration.
6 comments:
My electrician wants to use Halo. Which trim did you use? We're considering the stainless steel. Thanks!
We used the white plastic trim. The SS trim looks really nice.
I want to use fluorescent ligths and dimmers as you did in your kitchen. What brand of dimmers do you have? Where did you get them?
We used Lutron dimmers(http://www.lutron.com/products/dimmers/) that we bought at Home Depot. They have worked really well for us. The link shows various style options.
I see you used fluorescent lights with dimmers. What brand of lights did you use? I didn't know fluorescent lights were dimmable.
Jerry,
I used GE brand. They worked OK, not great. I needed to replace all of them after only a few months - they died.
I am very committed to CFL's - 80% of our lighting at present. For dimming, I went back to the old incandecent. I ma hoping LED leads the way here in the near future.
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