I posted a message here several weeks ago about a contractor who simply stapled the Bx cable for recessed lights to the bottom of the joist rather than running it through the joist (1st floor of 2 story home).

The electrician has finally agreed to come back after much prodding and redo the work by running the cable through the joists.

However, the electrician is saying he will need to cut approx 12 x 18 inch holes in the ceiling to this. Seems a bit excessive to me and I would imagine there are special tools (right angle drill bits) that would facilitate this work and make it unnecessary to make that big of hole?

Any thoughts?

If there is space above joist, I would remove 4 1/4 nuts or phillips, pull recessed light center down, and work through light opening, NO damage to drywall.

Don't know why he is going to make holes that large, unless he is either trying to scare you and you will change your mind, and he won't have to do it. Or he is repairing ceiling.
If there was a light, a truss, a light, a truss, a light, a truss, etc,
Then he may Have to cut a hole that big, BUT through truss to truss to truss etc... he should not need hole that big.