Project book · an afternoon

Replace a ceiling fan

Swap an old fan, or a light, for a new fan on a ceiling box that is already rated to hold one.

This fits in a car

About 25 lb of materials. Comfortably inside what a car carries (200 lb), so any shopper can take it. ⚠️ 2 items on the list have no weight on file, so the real load is a little heavier than this.

Shut it off first

Turn off the breaker and check every wire with a non-contact voltage tester before you touch anything. A fan only goes on a ceiling box already marked fan-rated; if yours is not, stop. Call a licensed electrician if you find aluminum wiring, no ground wire, scorched wires, a box that is not fan-rated, or anything that is not like-for-like. Some Arkansas cities require a permit for electrical work, so check with your city if unsure.

What to buy — untick anything you have

Electrical

Tools — already ticked off, since most people have them

Tools

It lands in the shopping form, where you can edit anything and say what you think each thing costs. Nothing is ordered until you send it.

How it goes · about an afternoon · confident

  1. Turn off the breaker for the fan, flip the wall switch to be sure, and check the wires at the ceiling with the voltage tester.
  2. Take the old fan or light down with a helper holding the weight, and photograph how the wires were connected.
  3. Look inside the ceiling box. It must be marked fan-rated or acceptable for fan support. If it is not marked, or it moves when you push on it, stop and call an electrician.
  4. Fit the new bracket to the fan-rated box, hang the fan on its hook, and connect it the same way the old one was, following the instructions in the box.
  5. Fit the canopy, blades and light kit, turn the breaker back on, and use the balancing kit if it wobbles.

Something else

Build a raised garden bedMulch a flower bedPaint a roomPut up garage shelvingFix a patchy lawnBuild a fire pitMount a TV on the wallCookout for a crowd

Feeding people instead? The recipe book works the same way — pick a meal, say how many, every ingredient lands on the list.

Replace a ceiling fan — everything for it, in one tap · DriverRuns