DIY vs. Professional Landscape Lighting: What's Best for Your Yard?
The allure of DIY projects lies in the sense of accomplishment and potential cost savings, but when it comes to landscape lighting, there are many other crucial factors to consider. Professional landscape lighting services offer expertise, efficiency, and a polished finish that can elevate your outdoor space to the next level.
But is the investment worth it? To determine the best approach for your yard, you have to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each option carefully.
So, before you embark on illuminating your yard, let's delve into the considerations that will help you determine what's best for transforming your outdoor oasis.
Why Outdoor Landscape Lighting Can Be So Valuable
Lighting isn't just about blowing away your neighbors at night with spectacular views of your property (although that's always a fun reason.) Investing in proper lighting for your front or backyard, your home, or your entire property comes with benefits that some homeowners might not be aware of right away.
So let's go through them quickly:
- Add safety and security: Your entire property at night is safe to walk, drive, tread, or enjoy without worrying about critters, misplaced items, bushes, or worse—intruders. A well-lit outdoor space will always be a barrier to danger to the outside.
- Lighting increases curb appeal: Needless to say, it highlights your home and yard's best features and sometimes makes it even look better at night, increasing curb appeal and even worth. This is especially true when using a professional lighting company, as they have the expertise to design and install lights in a precise way to accentuate your garden, trees, and architectural details.
- Creates an inviting atmosphere: When you carefully position outdoor lights, you create a welcoming atmosphere that makes your home feel inviting and warm. You're not just lighting up your yard; you're crafting a space where friends and family feel safe and appreciated.
Good exterior lighting will always give your home a "cared for" look that will make you proud and others respect you.
Start With Knowing The Basic Types of Outdoor Lights
To make an informed decision about landscape lighting, you should start by understanding the basic types available.
- Pathway Lighting
Path lights are perfect for illuminating walkways, making your yard safer and more inviting. They use small landscape lights that cast a gentle glow along paths. - Up and Down Lighting
Up and downlighting adds drama. It's used most for tree lighting or to highlight architectural features. Up lighting shines upwards, while downlighting casts a downward glow. There is more than one type of light that can achieve this effect, but it's typically done with bullet lights, spotlights, inground lights, and others. More on this, and how you choose between the two, here. - Garden Lights
Garden lights bring attention to your favorite plants and flower beds, adding depth and color to your outdoor lighting project. - Spotlights
Spotlights, on the other hand, focus a strong beam on specific features like statues or water fountains. - Accent Lighting
Accent lights are versatile and can be used to highlight various yard areas, creating a cohesive look. - Flood Lights
Flood lights provide broad, intense illumination, which is ideal for security purposes or bright lighting in large areas. - String Lights or Cafe Lights
String lights and café lights are popular for their charm and ambiance, perfect for patios, pergolas, outdoor kitchens, and gatherings.
A good landscape lighting specialist will no doubt present you with several other options, from ground lights to wash lights or post lights and hanging lanterns, along with creative techniques and outdoor lighting ideas.
Also, remember that choosing the right light bulbs for each type ensures you get the desired effect and energy efficiency. Understanding these basic types of landscape lights will guide you in creating a yard that's both functional and beautiful, fostering a sense of belonging and pride in your outdoor space.
DIY Landscape Lighting Project: Worth It?
Taking on a DIY landscape lighting project can be both rewarding and challenging, offering you the chance to personalize your outdoor space while saving money. You get to design your yard's ambiance, making it a unique reflection of your style. However, it's essential to weigh the pros and cons before diving in, as lighting can have a profound effect on how your home looks and even functions.
- Cost Savings: By handling the installation yourself, you can save on labor costs associated with professional landscape lighting services. The average cost of a professional installation will always be higher than whatever inexpensive kits or outdoor lighting systems you can get online or at big-box stores. However, a lack of expertise can lead to errors, which might cost more to fix than hiring a professional.
- Creativity: You have the freedom to choose the exact light fixtures and placements, ensuring your outdoor space reflects your vision, although without professional tools and materials, achieving a polished look can be challenging.
- Skill Development: Completing a DIY project enhances your skills and provides a sense of accomplishment. Nonetheless, improper installation of electrical components can pose safety risks.
- Flexibility: You can work on your project at your own pace without being confined to a professional's schedule. DIY projects often take longer to complete, though, especially if you're unfamiliar with the process
So, is it worth it? Among both homeowners and installers, a general consensus says that a DIY installation is not worth it for medium or larger-size properties. Still, some small homes or duplexes, like in compact suburban or urban areas, might require just a half-dozen lights that the homeowner can easily install. However, even in these circumstances, a professional hand might be required for the wiring and small space challenges.
The Advantages of Using a Landscape Lighting Company
When you hire a landscape lighting company, you avoid costly mistakes and ensure your installation is both safe and professional. Experts can save you valuable time while enhancing your home's curb appeal.
They know what type of light to use for the perfect balance of security and aesthetics and the exact placement of lights to achieve any desired effect.
Here are just some of the major advantages going pro can give you:
Avoid Costly Landscape Lighting Mistakes
Hiring a professional landscape lighting company ensures you avoid common pitfalls that can lead to costly mistakes. While DIY installation might seem appealing due to its hands-on nature and potential cost savings, it often results in errors that can outweigh the initial benefits. You have to think about landscape lighting costs in the long term, and DIY attempts frequently lead to LED lights, sensors, or wiring that don't last a season and will cost you more over the course of several years.
Professional services offer expertise that helps you sidestep these issues, ensuring your yard looks stunning and functions efficiently.
Save You Valuable Time While Enhancing Curb Appeal
Opting for professional landscape lighting services not only prevents costly mistakes but also saves you valuable time while significantly enhancing your home's curb appeal. When you work with a landscape lighting professional, you gain access to their expertise and experience, which means your outdoor space will be beautifully illuminated without you lifting a finger.
Imagine coming home at night to a yard that's perfectly lit, highlighting your home's best features and creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.
A professional can design a lighting plan tailored to your specific needs, ensuring that every corner of your yard is bathed in the right amount of light. This not only boosts your home's aesthetic appeal but also fosters a sense of pride and belonging in your community.
Safer than DIY Installations
Using a landscape lighting company ensures a safer installation process, reducing the risk of electrical hazards and faulty wiring. When you hire professionals, you're tapping into their expertise with power systems and transformers, which means you can rest easy knowing your yard is in good hands.
- Proper Wiring: Professional installers know how to handle wiring to prevent shorts and ensure everything is up to code and connected to the right power source.
- Correct Transformer Usage: They select the right transformer for your outdoor illumination needs, avoiding overloads and power failures.
- Safe Power Distribution: They ensure power is evenly and safely distributed across all your lights, preventing dangerous surges.
- Thorough Testing: Pros test the entire system to catch and fix any issues before they become problems.
Choosing a professional service helps you avoid common pitfalls that come with DIY installations.
They Balance Security with Aesthetics in Outdoor Lighting Design
Besides ensuring safety, professional landscape lighting services excel at balancing security with aesthetics in outdoor lighting design.
When you hire outdoor lighting designers, you're not just getting lights; you're getting a cohesive plan that enhances your yard's beauty while keeping it secure. They're full of outdoor lighting ideas that can be hard for a lot of homeowners to come up with on their own.
Imagine soft path lighting, your favorite garden features highlighted, and your home's entrance welcoming and well-lit. It's about creating a space where you feel proud to belong.
Professionals know how to use light to deter intruders while making your yard look stunning. They can strategically position lights to eliminate dark spots, reducing potential hiding places and making your property safer.
Experts Know Which Lights to Use for Each Case
These experts have extensive knowledge of various outdoor lighting solutions and understand how to enhance the beauty and functionality of your outdoor space. By leveraging their skills, you can create a cohesive and inviting atmosphere.
Professional lighting experts have access to a broad selection of lights, allowing them to choose the best options that suit their style and budget, all the while knowing where to place lights to highlight key features, improve safety, choose the right light output, the right type of lighting fixtures, and avoid glare or dark spots.
Plus, they can recommend energy-efficient options that reduce your electricity costs while maintaining a vibrant outdoor ambiance.
High-Quality Lights Are Used
You can count on professional landscape lighting companies to use top-notch, professional grade, durable lights that outshine typical DIY options. They know the value of high-quality, reliable lighting that not only enhances the beauty of your yard but also stands the test of time. Professionals have access to a range of premium lights and higher-quality fixtures that are designed to withstand various weather conditions and provide consistent illumination all year round.
Moreover, professional companies often have the latest technology and innovations at their fingertips. This ensures that your outdoor space is equipped with the best the market offers, giving you peace of mind and a sense of pride in your home.
Professionals Will Make Lighting System As Efficient and Energy-Saving as Possible
The savings that come from a more efficient and energy-saving system can sometimes be forgotten to factor into the professional landscape lighting cost. Not only do professionals use high-quality lights, but they also design the light system to be as efficient and energy-saving as possible.
When you choose to work with professionals, you're also likely investing in LED bulbs that are more efficient and longer-lasting than standard incandescent bulbs or halogen bulbs.
These experts understand that the quality of your lighting fixtures directly impacts both your yard's appearance and your wallet. While LED bulbs might seem pricier initially, they save you money in the long run by using less energy and requiring fewer replacements.
This means you'll not only get a beautifully lit yard but also save energy costs and contribute to a greener environment. By hiring professionals, you're ensuring that your lighting system is optimized for peak performance.
Professional Landscape Lighting Designers Deliver Desired Effect
By leveraging their expertise and experience, professional lighting designers can achieve a level of aesthetic sophistication that DIY projects often miss. They understand how to best position each bulb to enhance your yard's natural beauty, creating a cohesive and inviting space that welcomes friends and family. Professionals know how to hide wires seamlessly, ensuring that your landscape looks pristine and uncluttered after any lighting installation.
They can recommend the perfect light fixtures and settings to highlight your yard's unique features. Whether it's a subtle glow around a garden path or a dramatic spotlight on a majestic tree, professionals can tailor the lights to fit your desired ambiance.
Moreover, professional designers take into account how light interacts with your space, ensuring that there are no harsh shadows or glaring bulbs.
Professionals can Take Care of Maintenance for You
Opting for professional landscape lighting services often means you won't have to worry about ongoing maintenance and upkeep. Imagine coming home after a long day and seeing your yard beautifully lit without having spent hours adjusting lights or troubleshooting issues.
Professionals can also adapt your lighting to seasonal changes, making sure it complements your yard's evolving landscape and water features, whether it's winter or summer.
Additionally, suppose a light goes out or an individual fixture gets damaged. In that case, experts can quickly identify and fix the issue or do a bulb replacement, saving you hours of frustration and effort. As technology advances, a professional service can also update your system with the latest features to keep your yard looking modern and fresh.
Outshine Your Neighbors
Imagine your yard becoming the crowning jewel of your neighborhood, all thanks to the expert touch and creative vision of a professional landscape lighting company. Picture warm, inviting pathways, strategically highlighted plants and a stunningly illuminated outdoor living space like a patio where friends and family can gather.
Professionals know exactly how to enhance your yard's features, creating a cohesive and breathtaking look that makes your home the envy of the block.
Professional Installation is Crucial for Large Outdoor Spaces
For large outdoor spaces, professional installation ensures optimal lighting coverage and highlights focal points effectively. The larger the outdoor space, the more room for costly mistakes, even if you get a dozen spotlights and pathway lights at low prices. There are simply too many wires and variables that non-experts will be difficult to control for anyone without any experience in landscape lighting installation or design.
Solar Lights - A Solid DIY Option.
Using solar-powered lights, while convenient and easy for DIY, isn't necessarly the best solution for a "professional" looking landscape lighting system. Solar lighting is good for a couple of feet of path towards your front door or a small garden by the window. However, they're not of much use for large landscapes or a well-designed system that can truly accomplish your goal of security, increased visual appeal, and functionality.
The solar energy in most lights will run out in a couple of hours and be truly useless for most of the wintertime. Solar and battery-powered lights are best for small steps, indoors during dark hours, and for motion detection lights on porches or as energy lighting.
Service Warranties to Fix Issues with System Post-Installation
Hiring a landscape lighting company often comes with service warranties that ensure any post-installation issues are promptly addressed. This means you won't be left in the dark if something goes wrong. Professional companies stand by their work and offer guarantees that DIY projects simply can't match. If a light flickers or an electrical fault arises, they'll send a technician to fix it, saving you time and hassle.
Service warranties provide peace of mind, knowing your investment is protected. These warranties often cover repairs and sometimes even routine maintenance, ensuring your yard stays beautifully lit year-round. Plus, professional installers have the expertise to troubleshoot and resolve issues that might stump even the most dedicated DIY enthusiast.
Do The Right Thing For Your Yard and Go Pro
In choosing between DIY and professional landscape lighting, consider what's most important to you.
DIY projects save money on initial costs and let you be creative, but they come with risks and potential mistakes. Hiring professionals guarantees expert design, proper installation, and long-lasting results.
Ultimately, it's about enhancing your outdoor space's beauty and functionality.
If you value precision and durability, go with a professional.