Fixing spotlights to ceiling Help! General problems, solutions, information and advice on fixing to walls of all kinds

[winterbehaviour]

I posted this in the electrics forum but it may be more of a fixing to walls problem too.

I have never fitted a light before but I have taken the advice of a qualifed electrician and read the instructions that came with the fitting and I understand what to do. I took down the ceiling rose as the spotlights require a bracket fitting. I noticed that there was as a fitting in the hole with two brackets (like a box fitting but round) that the ceiling rose had been screwed into, I would have used this to screw the new bracket into but the holes are too close together and at the wrong angle for the spotlight bar I have. So all I had to do was drill two new holes into the ceiling to fit plugs into but when I started drilling into the masonary I couldnt get in more than about a centimetre, it seemed I had hit some metal, when I tried the other hole it was the same. I'm not sure if this metal is part of the existing box fitting or something else but I didnt think it would be a good idea to drill into it with a hss bit in case there are wires in there. The drill holes are about a centimetre from the hole where the rose was. Please help!

[thedoctor]

You have provided the answer yourself here. It could be a fitting containing cables and for this reason stopping drilling is a great idea. If there is another place where you can drill holes safely OK, if not call an electrician. To drill holes blindly round a fitting is a little dangerous to say the least.

[winterbehaviour]

There isnt really any other way to fit this bracket turning it 90 degrees would mean the spotlight bar would be at 90 degrees the other way and would look stupid. Im going to call the electrician tomorrow, though I think it is the box thing I've hit.

[maverick11]

why don't you stick your head in the roof and take a look?

I'll be drilling some 9cm holes this weekend for downlights and before I start I will be lifting a couple roof tiles off to have a look before drilling (to see where the joists and cables are).

[winterbehaviour]

Thanks maverick but I did manage to sort out the problem by borrowing a sds drill. It was just really hard concrete! I wouldnt have been able to look because I live in a flat.