Questions to Ask Before Creating a Landscape Lighting Plan

Southern Landscape Lighting Systems of Acworth designs and installs custom outdoor LED lighting for homes, landscaping, subdivision entrance, and businesses. The premier outdoor architectural lighting company in the metro Atlanta area offers the highest quality products, professional design, installation, and continuing service support for customers.

Creating a Landscape Lighting System That Brings Lasting Enjoyment

Custom tailoring a landscape lighting system to the homeowner’s specific needs requires understanding the way that the homeowner enjoys his or her outdoor space. The key to success is to ask the right questions when planning the landscape lighting project. This forethought will ensure the lighting system provides enjoyment for years to come. If the system is an LED low-voltage lighting system, years could stretch into a lifetime considering the longevity of premium fixtures and LED light bulbs.

Consider a scenario in which a homeowner works with a landscape contractor to install an outdoor living space that includes an outdoor kitchen, a patio, and a pergola. After the project is completed, the decision is made to add landscape lighting to facilitate the enjoyment of the outdoor kitchen in the evening after sundown. Over the years, the outdoor living area and mature landscaping continue to look stunning, but the landscape lighting gradually slips into disrepair. The limited functionality of the lighting system makes it difficult and at times unsafe to fully enjoy the benefits of the outdoor kitchen and dining area under the pergola. Three factors explain the contrast between the condition of the outdoor living space and the landscape lighting.

  1. The lighting design was not custom-tailored to accommodate the ways in which the outdoor kitchen, patio, and pergola would be utilized and enjoyed. The design simply did not make any sense.
  2. The outdoor lighting system failed to receive regular preventative maintenance, so it was falling apart.
  3. At installation, lower quality fixtures and components were selected. Within several years, the fixtures were full of water and corroded.

Three Core Questions: Design, Service, Quality

Question #1: Ask about the design and installation process from start to finish.

A great design should create a beautiful, dramatic, and functional visual experience. If the “wow factor” is minimal or non-existent, why spend the time and money on the lighting project?

Questions involving design issues include:

  • What does the design process look like?
  • How long before the design is completed?
  • Does the process include an onsite consultation or a nighttime demonstration?
  • What is the designer’s philosophy about outdoor lighting?

The individual design process can vary according to the individual designer who is involved with the project. Find a designer who is interested in contouring the lighting system to enhance the client’s desired experience of the outdoor living space. Search out a landscape lighting design and installation company that focuses solely on architectural outdoor lighting systems. If the lighting package is a “one-size-fits-all” approach with tweaks here and there or if there is a minimum number of fixtures that must be purchased before the company will accept the job, then pause and look elsewhere. The main focus should be on the types and quantity of fixtures needed to create the ideal ambiance and enable ease of use and safety.

A professional lighting designer will exhibit an artistic approach to the design. Fixture selection, placement, and aiming are the purview of the trained, qualified, and experienced lighting design professional. However, client input is not excluded but invited. The conscientious designer will seek to understand what the client wants to capture and will offer recommendations on how to achieve the desired goals.

Question #2: Inquire about the quality of the fixtures and components.

According to the US Department of Energy, good quality LED light will illuminate between 30,000 and 50,000 hours. Some LED bulbs last even longer. Better quality fixtures made of non-ferrous materials such as copper or brass will protect the LED bulbs indefinitely.

Visually and physically inspect the fixtures that will be installed. Are they sturdy, robust, and hefty? Does the fixture have a tight seal? Southern Landscape Lighting Systems of Acworth uses the highest quality non-corroding fixtures designed to protect the LED bulbs and dissipate heat. Heat and moisture are enemies of LED bulbs.

Question #3: Ask about a service policy.

Preventative maintenance is essential if the longevity of an LED low-voltage lighting system is to be fully realized. Energy-efficiency, durability, safety, longevity, and low maintenance are what set LED low-voltage lighting systems above other options. The new LED technology is superior to its predecessors, but annual inspections and maintenance are required to keep the system operating at peak performance. If a landscape lighting company does not service the systems they sell or if they insist that an LED system is maintenance-free, then continue the search for a reputable company.

An LED landscape lighting system that endures the test of time and delivers on aesthetics, functionality, and enjoyment depends on:

  • a beautiful lighting design
  • highest quality lighting fixture that will last a lifetime
  • a long-term service plan to keep the system working at its best

For more information about outdoor landscape lighting design, installation, and service, contact the office by phone at (678) 324-6842 or email [email protected].

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