DIY Outdoor Lighting VS Hiring a Trained Lighting Contractor

Sure, you may be able to install your own outdoor lighting, but if you want truly dramatic and beautiful lighting, hiring a lighting contractor is the way to go. Your local professional outdoor lighting contractor, NiteLites, has a few crucial reasons why hiring a lighting contractor may actually save you money in the long run. The eyes and techniques of a lighting designer are what make all the difference.

• Safety – Using fixtures consisting of 12 volts, which is much safer than 120 volts
• Reliability – latest in outdoor lighting products – energy efficient LEDs are up to 75% more efficient than halogen lamps. They also have an extremely long life span of up to 30,000-40,000 hours. The acid etched industrial grade light fixtures are cast out of brass and copper, which is not available at most big box stores.

Some techniques professional lighting contractors use to achieve dramatic and breathtaking lighting designs are:

• Downlighting – Lighting that comes from above and falls down onto an area or object. This form of lighting imitates natural lighting and is good to use for safety.
• Uplighting – Similar to downlighting only opposite. Lighting that comes from below an area or object. This creates dramatic shadowing and silhouetting to minimize ground lighting.
• Security lighting – This type of lighting could be a combination of various techniques with the goal of making a home less attractive as a target for burglars.
• Deck lighting – This lighting is used to help minimize accidents and create beautiful effects on your deck.
• Tree lighting – Though it is true most trees look more stunning at night, applying professional lighting will intensify the beauty.
• Grazing – This is a lighting style that emphasizes surface texture.
• Area and path lighting – These types of lighting will help guide through areas of the property and help with safety.
• Moonlighting – This lighting style is used to create downcast shadows from trees, simulating moonlight.

To find a professional lighting contractor that specializes in outdoor lighting is really the best way to go. Remember, outdoor lighting installation will involve electricity; so hiring someone trained to handle electricity is a must. Other factors to consider are things like experience, craft and time. Experience in installing outdoor lighting can go a long way. What lights will work and where to put them is all about experience in the field. Craft is all about the professionalism of the final product. An experienced lighting contractor will know how to put the finishing touches on the homeowner’s vision for that project. One of the last things to consider is time. The time it would take you or a professional to install the lights will depend which approach you take.

Your DIY outdoor lighting install may take up to a few weeks of time and troubleshooting, whereas utilizing a team of professionals with top quality outdoor lighting fixtures will help to avoid common mistakes.

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Too many lights
• Too few lights
• Not adjusting existing lighting
• Improperly aimed fixtures
• Path lights too close together
• Yellowing or uneven brightness due to inadequate power source

NiteLites provides lighting design, system installation, and system maintenance of all outdoor lighting systems. Save time and money in the end by having professionals take care of all the ins and outs of landscape lighting design and implementation. NiteLites Outdoor Lights are professionally trained and properly licensed technicians with their only business being outdoor lighting. The quality of the installation with wires buried properly so they keep out moisture to ensure the flow of electricity is not interrupted. With proper wiring also comes consistent power and brightness between all fixtures. NiteLites rewards clients with the knowledge of an industry leader. Each lighting design is prepared to meet the needs of each project. The unique characteristics of each individual property are enhanced with specifically designed lighting applications.