A well-designed lighting system can be transformative for your home or business. It’s not just about illuminating your outdoor space; it’s about creating ambiance, enhancing safety, and making people feel welcome. While homeowners are typically looking to boost curb appeal, and business owners want to attract customers, both have to consider the budget. This guide will help you understand the costs and decisions involved in upgrading to a custom outdoor lighting installation.
Consider these factors as you plan a budget for an outdoor lighting system.
Factors: What’s involved in outdoor lighting cost?
Outdoor lighting materials
The quality of materials matters. When you choose cheaper materials, you might save a little money immediately but you’ll pay for it quickly when those materials deteriorate. Cheap things don’t last, especially when they’re withstanding all the elements of St. Louis weather throughout the year. Higher-end fixtures are made of better materials, such as brass, stainless steel, marine-grade aluminum, or copper. These materials are more durable and longer-lasting, plus they keep looking great, season after season.
The transformer, which powers the system, is usually the most costly individual part. But cutting corners here is a mistake. It needs to be strong enough to power the whole outdoor lighting system. If you choose a smaller transformer, you might face big issues later.
- Learn more in our guide to outdoor lighting fixtures.
Design complexity
The intricacy of your lighting design can impact costs in two ways. First, there’s the number of fixtures needed. More fixtures will, of course, lead to a higher system cost. The other significant cost impact comes from the specific landscape and challenges of the outdoor space. For example, a larger space with more distance between the transformer and fixtures will require more wiring. Or you might need free-standing support poles for some parts of the lighting design.
- Here’s the good news: We provide custom design services as part of every job. Simply contact us, and we’ll visit your property, listen to your vision, and craft an estimate for a lighting system tailored to your needs. We’ll craft a design based on your priorities and budget, so you get the look you want customized for your property. There’s no wasted cost on things that don’t matter to you or generic designs that don’t fit the space.
Installation labor
Labor costs depend on the complexity of the installation and any challenges unique to your site, such as hard-to-reach areas or extensive wiring. Any bid on a lighting system installation should include a clear breakdown of the total estimated cost, including labor, fixtures, and the transformer.
- On average, installation for a full residential system (a well-lit front and back configuration) can be completed in one business day. More challenging or complicated systems may require 2+ days for full installation. Each system is unique and we will provide an up-front timetable for each project we bid.
Maintenance needs
Outdoor lighting systems do require ongoing care, such as bulb replacements and cleaning. Sometimes fixtures need to be repaired or replaced if they’ve been damaged by ice or wind. We provide full system support of installations we do as a company. If something is damaged, call us to schedule a no-cost service call to your home. From there we’ll provide a written estimate for any needed repairs.
- To make upkeep easier, we offer an annual maintenance plan that’s both cost-effective and hassle-free, so you never have to worry about upkeep.
Cost range: What to expect
The cost of your project will vary depending on whether it’s for a residential or commercial property:
- Residential Projects:
- Small-scale (Front of Home or Landscape Area): $1,000–$2,500
- Mid-size (Home & Landscaping): $2,500–$5,000.
- Full-property (Front of Home, Backyard & Landscape Areas): $5,000–$12,000.
- Commercial Projects:
- Small storefronts: $3,000–$6,000
- Medium venues or restaurants: $6,000–$12,000
- Large-scale properties (Parks, Retreat Facilities, Activity Centers): $9,000–$15,000
Projects: Use your budget wisely
We like to take a project-based approach to outdoor lighting systems. That means we design an outdoor lighting system to easily expand in the future. You can start with one project or section, and then come back to add more when you’re ready.
To make sure expanding won’t be a problem, we ensure that the transformer chosen for your system can handle additional load. This makes it simple to add new lights, such as bistro lights or pathway lights, whenever you want. You can prioritize projects, like entryway lights, uplighting, or motion-sensor spotlights, according to your budget. We’ll design and install the projects you want now, and it will be easy for us to set up the additional wiring, fixtures, and supports as needed and connect them to your system.
Outdoor lighting is an investment in your property’s look, safety, and value. Whether you want to boost your home’s curb appeal or create a welcoming atmosphere for your business, we’re here to help. Contact us today to share your vision. We’ll design a custom lighting solution just for you.
