Landscape Lighting Guide
Why Hire a Landscape Contractor
With nearly every home project, there’s a moment when you first start when you think, ‘yeah, I can do this myself.’ But, sometimes, the project turns out to be a bit more complicated than you originally thought. That’s often the case when it comes to installing landscape lighting. Let us walk you through some reasons why it might be helpful to hire a pro.
Design
Planning and designing your landscape lights without professional help can lead to two types of problems: aesthetic and technical. First, you want your lights to look right. You want them to cast the right glow in the right places. But you also want to make sure they work. And that’s where the technical issues usually come in. Knowing how to plan wiring so they’re not overloaded, and making sure you’re up to code are all things professionals bring to the landscape table.
Components
There are many types of landscape lighting fixtures. There are accent lights, wall lights, well lights, in-ground lights and more. And each comes in a different level of brightness, beam spread and color temperature. Similar to design, professionals know which component to use where, and how they work together to create the effect you’re looking for.
Tools
There are special tools designed for installing landscape lighting that you might not have thought about. One example is the trencher, which helps you dig the 6” trench you’ll need for your wires. But there are others like tools to get under sidewalks and patios. All of these come with the professional, so it’s one less thing you have to think about (and one less tool you have to buy).
Labor
Installing landscape lighting is no easy feat. It takes even a seasoned professional a full day or two. But it could take a beginner up to a week. The efficiency of a professional, as well as knowing they will do it right, can save you time, stress and mess.
Troubleshooting
Alright, you’ve gotten your lights in, now time for the big reveal. But wait, some of them are blinking. And one isn’t even turning on. To avoid this Clark Griswold moment, professionals test along the way, and also have troubleshooting tools that help them identify what the issue is, so they can avoid reinstalling the entire set of lights.
No matter what kind of light you shine on it, hiring a professional is almost always the way to go when it comes to landscape lighting. The peace of mind you’ll get knowing it’s been done right, and you have someone to call if it isn’t, will help you relax and enjoy the setting of your new lights.