# Proper height of pendant lights over a bar



## Mike Finley

What is the rule of thumb for pendant lights over a bar? The ones we have to install come to eye level. They don't have any adjustment to make them shorter, only extra chain to make them longer. They are the type that use a fancy metal rod from the light up to the ceiling fixture, they have some chain if you want to make them longer but you can't make them any shorter than the rod, no way to cut it because it has fancy little swirlys on the ends.

They will come right to eye level which seems like it will be annoying.


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## mdshunk

Anywhere from 60 to 80 normally, depending on what they want. I think I know the exact fixture you're referencing. Was it a "Profile" brand? In any event, some of them can be a pain.


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## Speedy Petey

This is one of those "site decisions". From the sound if it though they definitely seem low. I like a few inches _above_ average eye level to the bottom of a fixture in this type of application.


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## Sparky Joe

Mike Finley said:


> What is the rule of thumb for pendant lights over a bar?


Did you or the Home owner buy the light?

Install it.... charge them... then let them decide if they like it.

They're the idiots that bought the dang thing, tell them before hand your concerns, then charge them again when they want to change it.

Perhaps next time they'll realize money is a factor for not thinking ahead.


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## Capt2

Mike Finley said:


> They don't have any adjustment to make them shorter, only extra chain to make them longer. They are the type that use a fancy metal rod from the light up to the ceiling fixture, they have some chain if you want to make them longer but you can't make them any shorter than the rod, no way to cut it because it has fancy little swirlys on the ends.


Can you remove the metal rod and just use the chain for height? I have done this on occassion.


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## Mike Finley

60 to 80? Inches off the floor?

Could remove the rod but the rod is what makes the light, it is sort of like a gentle "S" with doo dads on the ends of the rod, hanging from the chain would look pretty awful in this case.

I was thinking like speedy, a couple of inches above eye level. Course I am 4'-6".


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## Sparky Joe

Mike Finley said:


> . Course I am 4'-6".


So instead of carrying in a 4' ladder you carry in an 8 footer? :laughing:


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## Speedy Petey

Mike Finley said:


> I was thinking like speedy, a couple of inches above eye level. Course I am 4'-6".


That is why I said "average". 
I'm only 5'8" so I can stand things a bit lower.




Oh, and I bring my 4' 1AA lader in the house with me at night.


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## Teetorbilt

ID's like them somewhere around 32" above the countertop. Same distance applies over a dining table.


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## mdshunk

Mike Finley said:


> 60 to 80? Inches off the floor?


Yeah, sorry. AFF, right.

Teetor's spec of 32 off the counter jives, as that would put the bottom most part of the fixture at 68" AFF. If I'm putting such fixtures above an island or penninsula in a spec home, I pick 72 as my generic no-fail number. It's not worth asking a spec builder where he wants fixtures because he'll both think you're weird for asking, and he'll just tell you to "do whatever is normal" anyhow. I don't know what normal is, but I pick 72 if nobody cares. 

I choose 60" over a kitchen or dining table, but use a scrap link of chain to hang it high until the construction is done. The new owner or the property staging company can remove that link easily (I don't close that link) to allow the fixture to hang at the 60" that I have it set at.


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## osborn

I know that light! HO got one and had us put it over her sink. She could not stand it in her face.


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## Sparky Joe

osborn said:


> I know that light! HO got one and had us put it over her sink. She could not stand it in her face.


And did you charge once to hang it, then charge her again(plus a service call) to change it when she came to her senses.

Or perhaps her senses will come to her when she sees both bills to install essentially one light. :no: 
Or better yet; she has more money than sense(as most of them do) and just insists up front you charge her double for everything :clap:

It's tough to be nice when so many people are so dumb :whistling


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## Mike Finley

Bottom of pendat comes in right at 68" off the floor. Seems a little low to me still.


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## jaime103

Sparky Joe said:


> Did you or the Home owner buy the light?
> 
> Install it.... charge them... then let them decide if they like it.
> 
> They're the idiots that bought the dang thing, tell them before hand your concerns, then charge them again when they want to change it.
> 
> Perhaps next time they'll realize money is a factor for not thinking ahead.




Dude, it sounds like you are just getting everything wrong and making us look like asses. Stop thinking short term and just figuring out how to charge more and blame everything on the client. s if you guide your client, advise and help them, they are likely to recommend you.

IF not, you might make more money for that job, but that is it. your client is upset and will not consider you again. so stop acting stupid and do a good job. if people did not need help and if we do not provide value, we are dead meat.


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## jaime103

Sparky Joe said:


> And did you charge once to hang it, then charge her again(plus a service call) to change it when she came to her senses.
> 
> Or perhaps her senses will come to her when she sees both bills to install essentially one light. :no:
> Or better yet; she has more money than sense(as most of them do) and just insists up front you charge her double for everything :clap:
> 
> It's tough to be nice when so many people are so dumb :whistling



your last quote should read: "it's tough to be nice when i'm such an idiot!"

I feel bad for the people who hire you. You are giving contractors a bad rep!


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## J F




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## Mike-

Post resurrection. Wow


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## J F

I do have to say it was odd/weird/time warping, seeing a post by Mike Finley at the top of my "subscribed" threads. 

Ahhh, the good ole days. :laughing:


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## 480sparky




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## Sparky Joe

jaime103 said:


> Dude, it sounds like you are just getting everything wrong and making us look like asses. Stop thinking short term and just figuring out how to charge more and blame everything on the client. s if you guide your client, advise and help them, they are likely to recommend you.
> 
> IF not, you might make more money for that job, but that is it. your client is upset and will not consider you again. so stop acting stupid and do a good job. if people did not need help and if we do not provide value, we are dead meat.


This is the year 2012 now right? I guess the kid has research abilility for finding a post 5 years old even if he can't read it well or read enough posts to detect tone. 
You quoted me above saying "tell them before hand your concerns"("your" meaning you as the electrician), and your point is I am making asses out of electricians for not informing the customer of their poor choice?
Sorry kiddo, I've been the ass before but not on this one. And never with any "client".


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## ohiohomedoctor

Mike Finley said:


> Bottom of pendat comes in right at 68" off the floor. Seems a little low to me still.


That felt good. :clap:


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## Sparky Joe

jaime103 said:


> your last quote should read: "it's tough to be nice when i'm such an idiot!"
> 
> I feel bad for the people who hire you. You are giving contractors a bad rep!


Perhaps all the bright yellow, animated smiley faces are overused nowadays and no longer serve any meaning, but when I made this post they were something novel.
And I used quite a few of them in this post to ensure that sarcasm was meant.
I suppose if I had a tool to see the future way back then I would have wrote in the text "hey moron this is sarcasm".
But I suppose that would have only delayed this post for another 5 years:whistling:no::laughing:


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