It really depends. If you have a stick built ranch house with open basement and attic space, then just about any change you want to make will be fairly easy. If the walls were all open, you could do this in 10 minutes. They could just hard wire the wall outlet and run a switch loop for the ceiling fixture. If you have finished spaces all around the area that limit access, then it becomes more complicated. If you have to start cutting into walls or ceilings just to get access, that would involve drywall work, mudding, sanding, priming, painting etc. Certainly still doable, but it would take longer and be more expensive.

BTW - most remote brands sell wall mounts for these situations.

Bill, thank you for replying. The house is a split-level, so the bedroom has the family room underneath it. There is some kind of crawl-space type attic; I've never been up there and I think access is through a closet ceiling--I'm not even sure(!)

Cutting into things is what I want to avoid--just don't want a big project.

I know about the wallmounts for the remote, but I hate the way they look, and since I wanted to get rid of the fan anyway, I was hoping I could do without the remote altogether.

I guess what I'll do is ask the electrician when he's out here installing the other fixtures I'm wanting replaced. I wish I was brave enough to do them myself, but I'm not.

Do you think he'll be able to tell pretty well from looking at the house/attic access whether it'll be easy or will involve cutting?

Thanks!

One look through the attic access and your electrician can tell you how big of a job it is. Unless he finds really tight headroom to work with, it shouldn't be a big deal.