Franchise or Independent Lighting Designer?

Last time we talked about choosing the right professional - a landscaper, irrigation installer or lighting designer - for your outdoor lighting project. In the same vein, should you choose a franchise lighting company or go with a standalone or independent lighting design company?

Let’s first understand the nature of most franchise businesses. A franchise is simply a license to sell or operate under a specific name in a specific area, usually with a specific operation policy in place. A franchise embraces uniformity and desires to provide the same product to every customer. Look at fast food chains or automobile oil/lube joints as examples. A franchise lighting company operates much the same way, trying to appeal to a mass audience by offering a basic lighting package created to fit the average home with few alterations within a target price point. Most chain operators have a limited number of fixtures to choose from since they buy from their franchisor. The quality of the fixtures offered may vary – and we encourage anyone considering this expense to be diligent in their research. These franchise companies do take a very short design class along with a sales seminar on how to go about selling their lighting products. This is very elementary training, so if you only want some simple lighting, then this may be enough. Just like any franchise situation (like McDonald’s) where no matter what you order in any location, you are going to get the same thing according to the “franchise” way of doing things. Once again, if you only need a very basic, uncomplicated lighting system, this may be a reasonable choice. The down side is primarily in the design skills, lack of fixture selection and ability to follow-up with high quality trouble-shooting service when necessary.
On the other hand, an independent or privately owned outdoor lighting design firm like NightScenes will seek out a lot of design education to increase art skills and learn about the huge assortment of different lighting products and options on the market. Some of these custom designers are also certified in some way, and may belong to an industry organization, such as the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals, where they obtain even more education and network regularly with other designers.
Since these standalone outdoor lighting designers are not locked into any one fixture supplier, they have a vast choice of lighting fixtures to create any lighting effect that they can imagine. Personally, I use anywhere from 6 to 10 lighting manufacturer products, and have access to many more if I need them. This sort of freedom allows a much more custom approach to each individual lighting project so that ultimately the design and ambience are the products being sold, not just lights in the ground. Self-employed designers also tend to take great pride in their work and extend service warranties on higher quality products and service so the designs continue to operate successfully over a long period of time.
In summary, my most important recommendation is to assess your needs and take some time to research the options for outdoor lighting in your area. If you’re looking for a simple lighting project on a budget, you may find a good fit with a landscaper, irrigation installer or a franchise lighting company. But if you want to really make the most of your own outdoor space at night, and the nighttime personality and atmosphere surrounding your home is important to you, then perhaps an independent professional outdoor lighting design firm or contractor with a full toolbox of fixtures, knowledge and skills will be the better choice to custom design your outdoor spaces to be even more beautiful at night.

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.

We’re on a Mission

"NightScenes Corporation provides the highest value lighting system to our clients, designed and installed with integrity, to improve the quality of their nighttime living experience."
Some people feel that a mission statement is kind of corny or “so 80s” - but I think a mission statement can really tell you a lot about the company. What does the above mission statement say to you?
To us it says that we will give our client real value for their hard earned money. Does that mean cheap? No. It means that we will design the very best lighting system which will reflect the desires of our client, and then install that design using great products which provide the best effect at the best price.
It means that we know we are working for a CLIENT, not a CUSTOMER. Customers buy products and services. But our company develops a relationship with our clients. We are invested in their appreciation of their home and property; we want to know them well enough to give them what is best for their lifestyle. Often, our clients become our friends. And we will be there when they need us.
It also means that all of this work, and more importantly, the relationship, will be built on integrity. This means that the client can trust that NightScenes is always looking out for the best interest of our client. We treat them according to the Golden Rule which is “Treat others as you would want to be treated.” There have been many times that we have been asked us to do something for a client that we felt would not be in their best interest for one reason or another. In those cases we have advised them that although we could do it, it would not be of benefit to them and would cost them more money. Other companies may be more inclined to just make the sale.
Our mission is to improve the quality of our client’s outdoor living experience, and thus their lives. We don't want them worried that they paid more than they should, or might not be able to get service when it’s needed.
A single sentence or a small paragraph can say a whole lot about the company that writes it. This sentence - our mission - is on our office bulletin board for our team to read daily, and then carry it out throughout their work week, with every client, every day.

We live out our mission statement every day in the greater Austin, TX, Highland Lakes area.

Step Lighting

Step lighting is what I like to call safety lighting. Its purpose is to guide you safely from one level to the next, highlighting the path your feet must follow. Obviously, if you can’t see where you are going at night, a trip or fall could cause serious injury. In some cases, particularly for the elderly, this could be life threatening. The older we get, the harder it is to see at night. This means that effective outdoor lighting is even more important for our older generations.
To appreciate good quality step lighting, it’s important to discuss glare. Glare is defined as “a very harsh, bright, dazzling light.” When trying to see where to step, glare is not your friend. Glare actually diminishes visibility of the step by drawing your eye to the harsh light, not directing your vision to the uneven surfaces. Good step lighting fixtures must minimize glare from all angles to create safe pathways to walk.

There are many options when it comes to step lighting. With the tremendous advancements in LED lighting, the options have exploded. What I like LEAST is the usual in-step brick light with either the flat glass front or the louvered face. The glass face fixture creates a lot of glare which can actually distract you from looking at the step itself as you approach. The louvered option only lights a very small area of the step instead of the whole step. A better option: LED linear lights which fit under the lip of the step. The linear design not only gets rid of the glare issue, it also does a great job of lighting the whole step.
Also a good option in many applications is the deck style light which can be mounted on a wall or post. These smaller fixtures may be installed on one or both sides of the steps. A deck light points the light down to the step (away from your eyes), and spreads the light more evenly on the steps. This is a great choice as it can light more than one step at a time requiring fewer fixtures to accomplish the task.

Another method would be to place path/spread fixtures at the top, or along the steps, in planters or flower beds. Path lights are frequently considered decorative elements in the landscape, and come in a wide variety of designs to accommodate almost any style preference. When using this type of fixture, it’s important to make sure that you cannot see the source of the light (where the glare comes from) when going up the steps. This style lighting can further reduce the number of fixtures needed as the spread angle is wide lighting the steps very well.
Each step feature must be considered individually to choose the proper fixture required to do the job well. The needs and tastes of the homeowner, and the unique situation each step creates for residents and guests, calls for individual attention by your lighting designer. Let’s stay safe around our homes at night.

Why AOLP? (Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals

What is the AOLP?
The Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals is the only national, not for profit, trade association dedicated to the outdoor lighting industry. It is a gathering of men and women whose life work centers primarily on outdoor lighting, or supports this industry. This organization brings together contractors, designers, manufacturers and distributors to discuss and learn about that which they share. Membership creates the opportunity for each to contribute to the common goal of elevating their industry, making it better for their individual businesses and for the consumer. The AOLP provides strict standards for installation and maintenance of outdoor lighting systems which its members must agree to abide by when they join the association. The training arm of the AOLP provides the Certified Low Voltage Lighting Technician (CLVLT) program with ongoing requirements for renewal; and the three-year program for designers, the Certified Outdoor Lighting Designer (COLD). These are the only certifications nation-wide specific to the outdoor lighting profession.

How does the AOLP benefit the homeowner?
The AOLP works to educate the public on the importance of well-made products, safety standards and possible hazards of poorly installed outdoor lighting systems. The biggest benefit for the home or property owner is in the quality of work, materials and expertise they can expect by hiring an AOLP member to address their outdoor lighting needs and desires; from the first meeting to discuss design and then through the long-term maintenance of their projects. All too often we run into clients who have already paid good money for a poorly designed sub-standard lighting system, made up of very cheap products and installed in a manner which guaranteed it would fail in a short time. Sadly, it then becomes the responsibility of the AOLP professional to break the news that the existing system needs to be replaced because we can’t fix the many problems they are experiencing. So, the client ends up finally paying for a quality system, but only AFTER they have paid for a cheap system. Calling that AOLP member first would have saved money, and the aggravation and time lost in completing the lighting project properly the first time.
What does the AOLP do for the contractor?
The primary purpose of the AOLP is to educate its members, and set standards in the outdoor lighting industry. This education puts the member contractor way ahead of the pack in knowing the safest, most efficient methods of installation. The association has at its fingertips the most current news and reviews of products and technology, codes and regulations, as well as experts and reports on every facet of light and its uses. If the contractor is willing to truly invest in his career as an outdoor lighting specialist, taking the time to study, making the effort to become certified, then this contractor will be invested in the future of his/her chosen profession. The continuing education required to maintain this important certification insures that the contractor will always be well -informed and knowledgeable. Additionally, the AOLP realizes that contractors are also business people needing advice and information designed to help them conduct and manage their companies well.
Over the years I have even encouraged my competitors to join the AOLP and become certified. Not that I want the additional competition, but I do want to raise the bar in my area, and to compete on even ground with contractors that will also be installing a quality system. Personally, I can’t compete on price with a contractor who doesn’t really care about the products he uses, safety codes, or future maintenance of the outdoor lighting they install. Unfortunately, there may always be a market for that cheap and potentially disreputable contractor - which I really want no part of. If I’m competing against another AOLP certified contractor, installing a quality product the right way, it will be our design skills, knowledge, and business practices (including service to the consumer) that become the elements setting us apart from competitors in our area. I am very happy to do that. This is an all-around win for the homeowner and our industry.

How NOT to attach wire to a tree

Here is another of those maintenance nightmares that we at NightScenes come across on a daily basis. The fastest way to attach a wire from a lighting fixture to a tree is with a fence or romex staple. Unfortunately, it’s also the worst possible way to attach a wire to a tree.

Let’s first remember that trees are living things. A big issue with using a staple driven directly into the tree is that the staple will allow the tree to actually grow around it and wire, consuming both as the tree grows. Most people don’t realize that trees grow a lot like people: out, getting bigger around the trunk and branches; and up, getting taller through the top. As the tree grows out, expanding, it will cover the staple and pinch the wire in the tree which will cause the wire to break and short circuit. Another serious problem is the metal composition of the staples. This metal can poison and kill the tree.

The proper way to attach the wire to a tree is by using stainless steel screws and nylon zip ties. First, the stainless steel will not poison the tree. You know that stainless steel is used by doctors and surgeons when attaching inside the human body, and that’s exactly why we only use stainless steel in a tree. As the tree grows out, it will break the nylon zip tie and allow the wire to float free on the tree, not consuming it or causing an electrical problem. Our maintenance team is trained to look for signs of expansion so the screws can be manually backed out of the tree allowing for growth. In the case of rapid growth, or little maintenance in this part of the lighting system the tree may indeed swallow up the screw, but the stainless steel won’t damage the tree.

Our teams go the extra mile to insure that we not only ensure that the down lighting can be maintained properly, but we also do all we can to be sure the tree is going to stay healthy as well.

Choosing a fixture

Here you see a picture of a PAR fixture located in a mulched area of the landscape and you also see what can happen. Thanks go to fellow AOLP member, Michael Deo (http://naturescapelighting.com), for posting this picture on a lighting forum.
I’m going to climb on my soap box here and say that, sadly, I see this all the time -- and the reason is quite simple. These PAR (parabolic aluminized reflector) fixtures are installed by people who are selling lights, not designing and installing quality outdoor lighting systems. These outfits, whether they call themselves ‘outdoor lighting’ companies, landscape or irrigation companies, are just not really interested in how the system is going to look in a year. They just want to sell some lights and be gone. These particular lights in this picture are the cheapest for the contractor to buy, but require the highest level of maintenance to take care of them in the landscape. By installing this type of light fixture, a contractor can sell a lighting system which is very cheap going in, but costs a lot of money to care for. Then the unscrupulous installation company will not service the system they put in, and the home owner feels like they got ripped off -- because they did. You can see a sample of a burned fixture on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nightscenes .
If you have any of these fixtures around your home, you should be on a regular and frequent (at least quarterly) maintenance plan so someone can keep the debris off of the lamps. If left unattended and these lamps continue to burn while covered in mulch, the heat they generate could easily start a serious fire. Unfortunately, we have seen this more than once. In dryer climates and drought ridden areas of the country especially, this is big trouble.
So, what is the best thing to do here? If you’re not likely to walk your own property often to inspect the fixtures yourself, I highly recommend replacing those PAR fixtures with above ground directional fixtures which will not get covered with all kinds of mulch and other debris. And look for LED lamps and fixtures which dissipate heat differently making them a much safer choice in this application. This is what should have been used in the first place. But since the more appropriate higher quality fixture costs more going in, the cut-rate installer may be afraid the homeowner will balk at the price, and therefore goes the cheap route. What this homeowner didn’t know is how much that lesser priced lighting fixture will cost in maintenance – and possibly hazards – down the road.
We always try to take time to educate our clients as to why we choose the fixtures that we use. We find that our homeowners appreciate this information, and are smart enough to understand the long term value. We always recommend using a certified member of the AOLP (Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals) when you are in the market for an outdoor lighting system. These serious lighting professionals are the ones who know the difference quality fixtures can make in the safety and beauty of their designs. They go the extra mile to insure the end user is well taken care of long term, and will not end up regretting the decision to invest in an outdoor lighting system for their home.