Why Choose a Lighting Designer Instead of Your Landscaper for Your Outdoor Lighting Project?

Many landscapers and irrigation installers do install outdoor lighting frequently, and there are times when what you want fits easily within the scope of his lighting skill set. These folks are sold lighting products at their irrigation supply house, and are usually given a very basic half or full day seminar on how to install and sell these products. This is a quick add-on sale item for them, to add revenue to their existing company, but not their main business or specialty. Unfortunately, since lighting is not their bread-and-butter, few lawn care or irrigation operations take it seriously enough to really study the art and science of outdoor lighting and lighting design. Now there are some landscapers that have considered the importance of lighting design for their clients, and have invested their time in education to hone the craft; but these are few and far between.

With these design limitations in mind, there may be times when the average landscaper can, in fact, take care of an outdoor lighting project. This would be when the client knows exactly what they want and where they want it. An experienced homeowner that has had lighting before might really be able to design their own lighting plan. This is usually a small accent system, not too complicated in design or fixture selection. Or the client just wants “a few lights” to “light up” a few special items in the landscape.
However, when you are looking for ambience, and need a more sophisticated lighting system, or the skills associated with light behavior and color temperature escape you, then you need a professional outdoor lighting designer. You need someone who knows how light fills a space. You need someone who knows how best to use different lighting fixtures which project different light patterns and intensities in the landscape. You need someone who knows the difference between a flood light and a wash light. You’ll want the educated, certified expert that can explain the effect difference between a 35 watt MR16 halogen lamp in a directional fixture and a 35 watt halogen bi-pin lamp in a wide flood fixture with a mirrored or flat reflector. And so much more.
The designer can listen to the client and understand what they want and how best to provide those effects. The designer will know how to choose a focal point and build a design around that. They will know how to use different light levels and even light colors to create a scene in the landscape, not just light up a few trees.
These are just a few of the things that separate a professional outdoor lighting designer from the landscaper or irrigation installer. Most landscapers are really good at landscaping. Most irrigation installers are very good at supplying proper water to the plants that need it. Outdoor lighting designers are really good at creating an outdoor space you will want to be in after the sun goes down.