Let There Be Light

Well, maybe not. I’m so fed up with electricians I’m actually considering putting flashlights in our brand-new barn. We’ve gotten three estimates from electricians and all three have gave us different advice?even on the amps we need?and the estimates are from $5,500 (with us buying the material) to over $12,000, including the lights, wires, etc. Yes, I said $12,000. No, I don’t know why. We want to have six to nine lights in the 60 x 80 arena (although I’m seriously considering just ditching ever riding at night), two lights in the barn aisle, and six lights in the loft that will light both the loft and the stalls area. The tack room has one ceiling light, and there are two outside lights. Plus some electric outlet boxes in the barn and tack room. So, how on earth, could it cost this much money’ So, we’re at a momentary standstill. The one electrician said we’re dealing with ?sticker shock.? Right. Sticker ?horror? is more like it. I talked with two online entities that sell lights made specifically for horse barns. they’re functional in all kinds of weather (such as below zero, since we’re in Upstate New York), dust (it’s a barn, after all), wet (wild spraying from the wash stall) and, especially for the riding arena, they don’t cast shadows. I really liked that, as Sally doesn’t need anything else to jump at. And our builder told us his brother was so upset at the cost of removing asbestos from a building he bought years ago that his brother took a course and became licensed to remove it himself. I wonder how well I would do in? electrician school . . .