Whether a contractor and lighting professional or a DIYer looking to add lighting to your property, you want to achieve your exact vision of landscape lighting. When starting a project, though, there are many factors that must be considered when planning, not only when thinking about how you want the final result to look, but also throughout the installation process. Let’s review five of the most important things to consider when beginning a new landscape lighting project.
How Will Lighting be Controlled
Almost more important than thinking about the lights themselves is planning ahead for how the lighting will be controlled. Will there be a typical on/off switch? Will there be sensors to cue lighting on and off? Perhaps there will be a timer system that controls lighting on a schedule? All of these factors should be considered early in the process. For example, if you plan to use sensors, the logistics of the area must be taken into consideration. A tree that’s constantly moving in the breeze in front of a sensor could mean that lighting stays on all night, and while sensors might have seemed good, it may be best to plan on timers instead.
Know the Layout Around the Property
Every home and every property is laid out in different ways, and they are all surrounded by unique obstacles that could create a tougher work situation. Is there a pool in the backyard, decorative boulders in the driveway, or large trees around the property? It is important to identify any potential blocking points when starting the lightscaping plan so that you can prepare adequately to work around these features. These considerations are important not only for knowing what to expect, but also for understanding how difficult the job may be.
Know the Surroundings
Obstacles aren’t always material objects, however. Sometimes homes built on slopes or with natural water features around the property can mean some creative planning needs to take place to address those concerns. Will you need to haul heavy equipment through narrow passageways? Is it difficult to get a truck near where you need lighting equipment or landscaping materials delivered? Do a walkthrough of the property and take these factors into consideration so that these potential blockage points can be added to your overall cost analysis.
Electricity Concerns
Before starting the job, it is important to take a long look around the property while taking note of all of the existing outlets, panels and sub panels that may be currently installed. Will the lighting you are installing be able to utilize the existing connections at all, or will you need to hire an electrician to make additional installations? Take into consideration the electricity demands of your new installation. Is the service to the property sufficient? If not, you may even need to contact the utility company to improve your electrical connection.
Your Schedule
Some jobs are quicker than others, and while you could work all day to get a job done quickly, you might not have that kind of time in your schedule. If you only have time to work on your lighting project for a few hours each day, the duration of the project might have to be extended. This can also mean that you may need to spend time doing the installation in phases, leading to potential problems if elements stay exposed between periods when you can work on your install. By using an expert lighting installation service like the team at Illuminations USA, you can eliminate these concerns by planning out the full schedule for installation in advance and knowing exactly how long to expect your yard to be under construction to make it into the beautiful, lightscaped property you’ve always imagined.
At Illuminations USA, we pride ourselves in performing every lighting project to the highest standards while keeping your property, schedule and lighting preferences as our top priority. Give us a call at 407-880-0700 today, and let’s discuss how we can elevate the curb appeal and beauty of your home with a gorgeous lighting installation.