Lighting: Can you change out a high hat and install a box for a Chandelier?

The reason why I ask is that we have be debating on where the dining room should be--since way before the contractor, but the contractor is done now for quite of few months now.

We have a high ranch and I wanted it where I guess most people have it, but my husband wanted it were the living room would be. So we have it the way I want it, but I'm tired of hearing my husband--how it should have been his way--the furniture would fit better, etc., but he doesn't want to spend another penny

And so the living room space has 3 high hats and was wondering if we could replace the middle high hat with the box for the Chandelier. Would that work?

The only thing is then those 3 high hats are on one switch and it wouldn't be a seperate one for the Chandelier. Could an electrician run the wire from the existing Chandelier/single switch without opening up the celing (its only like a couple of feet)?

Also how much do you think that would run?

Thanks,

Re: Lighting: Can you change out a high hat and install a box for a Chandelier?

You can't do a simple swap, since the high-hat is supporting less than 5 lbs, and a chandelier support needs to support 20+ lbs. There are brackets you can get to install a chandelier in a finished ceiling, so you don't need to take the whole thing apart.

I don't see how an electrician would be able to run wires for just the chandelier without opening holes in the ceiling and walls. The wire for the high-hat is connected to the next high-hat. They aren't all run directly to the switch. The wires are also stapled to the studs, at least near the switch, and possibly along the run, making pulling the wires very difficult.

If you run the wires to the wall going with the ceiling joists, you wouldn't need to open up the ceiling to drill through each joist, which would save a lot on labor and patching.