lights installed in ceiling before or after drywall?

[mound]

For my kitchen reno I've removed all the old layers (3!) of drywall from the ceiling, and am going to install 1x3 strapping perpendicular to the joists at 16" on center (removing it all made most sense in order to re-route some hvac and plumbing, plus 3 old layers of drywall in various states of dis-repair, just made sense to take it back to the joists.)

Anyway I intend to install recessed LED lighting in this new ceiling and am wondering about best order of operations. 

Would it be better to install actual cans that mount to the joists, wire it all up, and then have the drywaller have to worry about locating and precisely cutting the circular holes? 

Or, since there are plenty of options for recessed LED that don't need actual cans and can just clip into the drywall with a little box that will fits behind the ceiling, should I have the drywaller do the ceiling without worrying about any light placement, and then do the layout and hole cutting after it's all up? Fishing wires should be no problem given the 3/4" gap created by the strapping. 

thoughts?

[K. L. McReynolds]

Seems like locating the placing for the lights before sheetrock and doing the wiring would be better. That way, any actual light fixture installation would be much easier.

[mound]

Seems like locating the placing for the lights before sheetrock and doing the wiring would be better. That way, any actual light fixture installation would be much easier.

For new work cans, definitely. But if they are those low profile LED - you know, the "can-less" type that don't have a fixture at all, I was thinking it might make the drywaller's job much easier if he can just lay in the sheets on the ceiling without having to worry about precisely locating holes.  Basically he's going to lay down (8) 12' sheets side by side to fill a ~370 square foot ceiling, and I wonder how much more tedious his job becomes if he's got to deal with locating and cutting holes in most of the sheets before putting them up.  I'll get his opinion too when he's back.

[Roly]

For new work cans, definitely. But if they are those low profile LED - you know, the "can-less" type that don't have a fixture at all, I was thinking it might make the drywaller's job much easier if he can just lay in the sheets on the ceiling without having to worry about precisely locating holes.  Basically he's going to lay down (8) 12' sheets side by side to fill a ~370 square foot ceiling, and I wonder how much more tedious his job becomes if he's got to deal with locating and cutting holes in most of the sheets before putting them up.  I'll get his opinion too when he's back.

Make sure you can get the type and brightness you want in the can-less types before you commit.    They normally cut the holes with a rotozip type tool after they hang the drywall.  Make sure any wires are pushed way back up the can as the bit can get them.   Roly

[mound]

Make sure you can get the type and brightness you want in the can-less types before you commit.    They normally cut the holes with a rotozip type tool after they hang the drywall.  Make sure any wires are pushed way back up the can as the bit can get them.   Roly

Thanks. The kind I'm thinking about, I used in my previous house and we quite liked the color. There are even tunable versions now. I take your point though. 
Maybe a stupid question, but if all the fixtures were pre-installed and they lay the drywall over them, how do they keep track of exactly where all the fixtures are?

[Roly]

Thanks. The kind I'm thinking about, I used in my previous house and we quite liked the color. There are even tunable versions now. I take your point though. 
Maybe a stupid question, but if all the fixtures were pre-installed and they lay the drywall over them, how do they keep track of exactly where all the fixtures are?

They mark approximate center,  as installing drywall and run rotozip  into the drywall,run to edge of can and go around the can.  It has a pilot tip on the bit.   Roly

[mound]

They mark approximate center,  as installing drywall and run rotozip  into the drywall,run to edge of can and go around the can.  It has a pilot tip on the bit.   Roly

ahh makes sense.. so it's probably not much more tedious as long as they keep track of roughly where the holes need to be.

[Terry W]

When I finished my basement about 7 to 8 years ago, I went to all the trouble and extra expense to install recessed cans throughout. LED light were just coming into the market and most were designed to be installed into a standard screw base.

Now there is no way I would bother with the cans.  The spring loaded clip in LED lights are more low profile and so much more convenient.

[BrentDH]

If you preinstall the cans, make sure you take a picture before they drywall.  Once in a while they cover one up and forget it was there.  In my house I had two boxes that the drywallers covered and missed cutting the opening.  In my case it was pretty obvious.  One was the 220V dryer outlet, and the other was a switch box at the entrance to the room.  In my brother's case it was a couple years later and his wife was wishing there was an outlet in the corner of a room.  Looking at it I said that to meet code there should be an outlet there.  We took a straight edge and held it over the wall and sure enough it was bowed out right where there should be an outlet.  We cut it open and had to fix the drywall screws above and below the box that had to be driven in tighter, but his wife had an outlet exactly where she wanted it.

[WoodCzech]

There are LED fixtures that mount to a regular electrical box. I have a bunch in a finished basement and they put out plenty of light for me. So you could just put in boxes with round mud ring and worry about the fixtures after the drywall is up.