The picture above shows the housing for the trim kit discussed in my last post.  A recessed light fixture consists of two parts, the housing, and the trim kit.  The housing is the unsung hero of the light fixture.  It does much of the work, but gets very little glory, and never gets the "oohs & ahhs" that the trim kit gets!  It's always hidden above the drywall, holds the trim kit in the exact location that you went to painstaking effort to locate, and most importantly, brings power to the fixture.  The housing kit is ingeniously designed to fit between floor joists, and some are designed for insulated ceilings.  The trim kit is small, the housing is much larger and needs to fit up there with all the plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and structure.  That makes your electrician an unsung hero too!  Like the trim kit, this housing is made by Contrast Lighting.  http://www.contrastlighting.com/en/pdf/NW3000LT.pdf

The next time your electrician says that there's either a floor joist, plumbing, or mechanical in the exact location that you want to install a light fixture, here's why.  The picture above is new construction, but it shows the inner workings of all our modern conveniences that lurk above your pristine white ceiling.  If you're doing a renovation,  it's always a good idea to have a back-up plan if you're planning to add light fixtures.  And, the good news is that you can pretty much always come up with another solution.  For instance, if you wanted a recessed fixture centered on artwork over a fireplace, but find a floor joist in the exact spot that you want the light fixture, you can always use two fixtures, equally spaced off the centerline, angled toward the center.  R & M Electric RnMElectc@aol.com likes this low voltage adjustable fixture from Contrast http://www.contrastlighting.com/en/prodlowT3450D.htm  for either application.  So do we.  It has many finish options, uses a 50W/MR-16 bulb, and is easy on your budget.