ᐅ Removing Prefabricated House Wall and Ceiling Panels for Electrical Installation
Created on: 20 Jan 2025 22:05
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AACherokee
Hello,
I am building a house with a prefab manufacturer and the house will be delivered in the summer. I had the painting work removed from the construction contract in order to have the opportunity to run some cables in the ceiling myself. Apparently, this is possible with some effort and planning without removing the ceiling panels, as there are many cavities and with the right cable installation tools you can apparently get over the rafters.
I also have the following question:
Can I also run some cables myself in the side walls and add additional outlets, or how are these walls constructed? The panels seem to be stapled in place – since the screed on the floor has already been poured and the tiles laid, I assume I cannot remove the entire panel. Is there any reason not to partially cut through the panel (essentially a narrow channel from the ceiling to the planned outlet), remove that section, run cables to the outlet behind it, and then reattach the panel section? Offhand, I would say I just need to make sure to plan the substructure properly so the cut-out panel section can be securely screwed back in place – and of course, to fill and finish everything neatly afterwards.
Thanks and best regards
I am building a house with a prefab manufacturer and the house will be delivered in the summer. I had the painting work removed from the construction contract in order to have the opportunity to run some cables in the ceiling myself. Apparently, this is possible with some effort and planning without removing the ceiling panels, as there are many cavities and with the right cable installation tools you can apparently get over the rafters.
I also have the following question:
Can I also run some cables myself in the side walls and add additional outlets, or how are these walls constructed? The panels seem to be stapled in place – since the screed on the floor has already been poured and the tiles laid, I assume I cannot remove the entire panel. Is there any reason not to partially cut through the panel (essentially a narrow channel from the ceiling to the planned outlet), remove that section, run cables to the outlet behind it, and then reattach the panel section? Offhand, I would say I just need to make sure to plan the substructure properly so the cut-out panel section can be securely screwed back in place – and of course, to fill and finish everything neatly afterwards.
Thanks and best regards
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AACherokee21 Jan 2025 12:09Harakiri schrieb:
As nordanney says, with exterior walls (and possibly upper floor ceilings, if it’s a cold roof) you most likely have a vapor retarder right behind. It can all be sealed up (house manufacturers have to do this if any repairs are necessary), but if it’s not done properly, you can actually cause damage and give the house manufacturer good reason to refuse warranty coverage. One more question – what do you mean by "cold roof"? For someone I know who built with the same manufacturer, the ceiling of the ground floor offers significant air space for recessed lights when you push the cable above the joists with suitable tools. In the upper floor ceiling, it was apparently more difficult because the gap to the vapor retarder was much smaller – but still possible (though maybe only surface-mounted fixtures).
Is that what you mean?
A common version of a cold roof in timber frame construction is when the insulation is placed on the ceiling of the upper floor, so the actual roof space (if present; of course, not relevant for flat roofs) is not heated or insulated. In this case, the vapor barrier is also laid directly on the upper floor ceiling.
Most likely, in your acquaintance’s house, it’s the same as in ours: the ceiling on the ground floor is only covered with gypsum board, which is then fastened to the wooden battens. This gives you plenty of flexibility to install fixtures. Recessed spotlights are not a problem as long as there is no beam in the way.
On the upper floor, it is usually the case that the gypsum boards are attached to OSB boards, and the vapor barrier lies on top of them. If you want to install recessed spotlights, you have to cut through both the gypsum board and the OSB boards, which will usually also affect the vapor barrier. You then need to install an airtight recessed housing in the opening and integrate it into the vapor barrier. Alternatively, you can have the recessed housing for the spotlights pre-installed by the builder, who will then be responsible for ensuring airtightness (and for making sure there is no beam in that area). You can then install the spotlights yourself.
It can also be different in some cases—some manufacturers include an additional installation layer in the upper floor ceiling, etc.—you can see this in your construction drawings.
Most likely, in your acquaintance’s house, it’s the same as in ours: the ceiling on the ground floor is only covered with gypsum board, which is then fastened to the wooden battens. This gives you plenty of flexibility to install fixtures. Recessed spotlights are not a problem as long as there is no beam in the way.
On the upper floor, it is usually the case that the gypsum boards are attached to OSB boards, and the vapor barrier lies on top of them. If you want to install recessed spotlights, you have to cut through both the gypsum board and the OSB boards, which will usually also affect the vapor barrier. You then need to install an airtight recessed housing in the opening and integrate it into the vapor barrier. Alternatively, you can have the recessed housing for the spotlights pre-installed by the builder, who will then be responsible for ensuring airtightness (and for making sure there is no beam in that area). You can then install the spotlights yourself.
It can also be different in some cases—some manufacturers include an additional installation layer in the upper floor ceiling, etc.—you can see this in your construction drawings.
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AACherokee21 Jan 2025 12:35Ok, thanks – but do you see any way I could run cables in the ceiling of the upper floor? Without damaging the vapor barrier? Assuming there is no installation space? I guess you probably can’t fit it between the drywall and OSB.
The cables on the upper floor are usually routed in the cold attic space, meaning they pass once upwards through the panels and vapor barrier (properly sealed with tape or grommets, if there is no cable duct or riser with its own sealed penetrations). If necessary, they are laid loosely (under the insulation or above the joists) up to the connection point, and then once downwards through the panels and vapor barrier (also sealed here with tape or grommets). It’s really not complicated — as long as you have enough headroom to move comfortably in the attic, it is actually easier than on the ground floor.
Alternatively, as mentioned, instead of a cable penetration at the connection point, you can install an airtight box. The cable is fed through the rubber gasket, allowing you to install your recessed spotlight accordingly.
Alternatively, as mentioned, instead of a cable penetration at the connection point, you can install an airtight box. The cable is fed through the rubber gasket, allowing you to install your recessed spotlight accordingly.
AACherokee schrieb:
I am building with a prefabricated house manufacturer and the house will be delivered in the summer. I have excluded the painting work from the construction contract in order to have the opportunity to pull some cables in the ceiling myself. Apparently, this is possible with some effort and planning without removing the ceiling panels, as there are many cavities and using appropriate cable installation tools, you can probably get over the joists.To me, this sounds like the naive idea of translating the process of chasing slots into the logic of timber construction. The sheathing of a structural ceiling is hardly comparable to the panels of a decorative suspended ceiling. Moreover, the question arises for me (and probably for some other readers) as to why, in such cases, one does not simply order a shell stage or partially finished house. "Incomplete plus" is always easier to realize than "complete minus and backtracking."https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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wiltshire21 Jan 2025 16:26Your project is at least unusual. That raises some questions:
Do you already have a plan for where each cable will go and what it will be used for?
Do you want or need to protect this wiring separately with its own circuit breaker?
How much space will you have in the electrical panel?
How will you access it?
What impact will your modification to the electrical system have on the warranty of the entire electrical installation?
Do you already have a plan for where each cable will go and what it will be used for?
Do you want or need to protect this wiring separately with its own circuit breaker?
How much space will you have in the electrical panel?
How will you access it?
What impact will your modification to the electrical system have on the warranty of the entire electrical installation?
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