How Much Does It Cost to Install Outdoor and Landscape Lighting?

Landscape Lighting Costs

What is the cost of installing outdoor lighting? The average national cost to install outdoor lighting is $4,000. A project with only incandescent path lights and deck lights will cost between $2,000 and $3,000. High-end installations that include designer, motion, and solar-power lighting cost between $5,000 to $9,000.

You can improve the security of your home and add style to its exterior with outdoor lighting. This is especially important if you have large outdoor spaces such as a deck or patio that are used as a gathering spot for many visitors. This guide will help you estimate the cost of your outdoor lighting project.

Average Outdoor Light Installation Cost

Average Cost: $4,000 High Cost: $9,000

Landscape Lighting Installation Cost Factors

There are many factors that influence the cost of outdoor lighting. These include retrofitting, trenching, and power sources. The cost of your project is affected by every decision you make.

Existing Landscaping

Retrofitting outdoor lighting into an existing mature landscape can be more difficult and more expensive. Contractors must work around features such as large shrubs, rows of plants, mature hardscaping, and under or around them. Further increasing costs are the possibility of contractors causing damage to an existing design.

Wiring

The distance between your home and the lights will determine how much wiring you’ll need. The farther the lights are from your home, the more wiring you will need. New electrical wiring can cost anywhere from $3 to $5 per foot.

Digging and Trenching

Trenching costs between $4 and $12 per linear foot. If you want to run electrical cables, you will need to dig trenches. It’s safer and gives you a better finish. Your wiring will also last longer because it is protected from storms and rapid temperature changes.

Types of lights and fixtures

One of the most important cost factors is the type of light you choose. For as low as $50 per light for simple pathway lighting is possible, but gazebo or pool lighting can run up to $500 per lighting fixture.

Solar vs. Hardwired

Hardwired and solar lights are generally the same price per unit. There are two main differences: the cost of installation and running costs. Solar lights do not require wire to run from your home and don’t use household electricity. Solar lights are therefore more economical and efficient than hardwired lights. The only negative is that solar lights are not going to be as reliable as hard-wire lighting.

Outdoor lighting costs depend on the type of fixtures

There are many landscape lighting options available, each with different requirements and installation costs.

Light Fixture Range of Price

  • Average Cost Pathway Lights $50 – $150
  • Low Voltage Landscape Lighting$90 – $150
  • Porch Lights$65 – $250$160
  • Floodlights$75 – $250$160
  • Downlights$100 – $400$250
  • Uplights$100 – $400$250
  • Outdoor Security Light$350 – $500
  • Lamp Post$400 – $1,000

Pathway lights

Installed path lights can cost anywhere from $50 to $150, on average, and $100 on average. These soft lights are sometimes called mushroom lights and provide a gentle glow that will help you navigate a path after dark.

Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting

Low-voltage landscape lighting is available for around $120. Professionally installed fixtures can cost between $90 to $150. These lights require a 12-volt transformer to be installed because they use less voltage than the 120-volt household supply. This will reduce the household’s electricity consumption and run costs.

Porch lights

For porch lights, professionals charge on average $160. Most homeowners pay between $65-$250 per fixture. The installation takes less than an hour so the majority of the cost is for the lamp. These figures don’t include the cost to install an external power source. An external power source is not required for solar-powered lights. A 16-watt unit costs $30 and takes 8 hours to fully charge.

Floodlights

A floodlight installation will cost you around $160. Some floodlights cost less than $75 while others can cost up to $400. This price includes pole installation. Floodlight poles can be purchased for between $100 and $200.

Outdoor lighting contractors are charged between $18,000 to $25,000. You’ll spend around $13,000 to light a recreational tennis court. For $17,000 to light a tournament court, you will pay approximately $17,000

Downlights

The average downlight price is between $100 and $400, depending on the fixture. Most people spend around $250. Downlights are similar to moonlight. To provide soft, moon-like illumination, they are mounted high above the ground and feature a shrouded bulb.

Uplights

Uplights are similar to downlights and cost between $100-$400, with an average price of $250. The base of your home’s walls, a tree, or any other landscape feature will have uplights. While uplighting is effective in deterring intruders they are most commonly used to improve the appearance of your property or other property features.

Outdoor Security Light

An outdoor security light costs between $350 to $500 on average, and $425 for installation. Outdoor motion sensor lights or outdoor security lights can be used to deter intruders. They turn on a bright, harsh light when there is motion within the area.

Lamp Post

Installing lamp posts can cost anywhere from $400 to $1,000. Lamp posts are usually installed far from homeowners’ property, often close to the sidewalk. This means that they cost more to install. The pro will need to run electricity from your house to the lamp post.

Costs of Outdoor Lighting Depending on the Type of Bulb

Although the bulb won’t affect the installation cost, it can make the price of replacement bulbs significantly higher. The running costs are also considerably different. Metal halide bulbs, for example, are three times more expensive to run than equivalent LED bulbs.

  • LED: $0.70-$8.00
  • CFL: $12-$40
  • Halogen: $2-$5
  • HID: $10-$35
  • Incandescent: $0.50-$5.00

Exterior light fixture replacement costs

The labor cost to replace outdoor lighting can range from $65 up to $175 depending on where it is located. The fixture costs $20. Additional factors that could impact the replacement cost are features of the fixture and the complexity of wiring.

DIY vs. hiring an electrician for outdoor lighting

When deciding whether or not to hire an electrician to install outdoor lighting, electrical wiring installation should be considered. Simple repairs can often require the replacement and rerouting of electrical cables. These tasks should only be performed by a local landscape lighting contractor, as building codes often require them. Your local landscape lighting contractor could also install an outdoor lighting system, provided there’s an outlet for it to be connected to by an electrician licensed to do so.

Landscape lighting FAQs

Why is landscape lighting so costly?

Because landscape lighting is so costly, it can be affected by weather conditions. Landscape lighting systems often come with a lifetime guarantee, which can increase the cost of your initial investment. Cast brass is a more robust material than cast brass for exterior lighting. Exterior lights should also be water-resistant so they last many years without needing to be maintained.

Are LED landscape lights really worth the investment?

In the long term, LED lights are cheaper than sodium lamps and incandescent bulbs. The majority of LED landscape bulbs run between 6 and 15 Watts, making them an affordable choice. The initial cost of high-intensity lighting applications will be more expensive, however. It is important to determine the cost of these lights for landscaping.

What is the maximum number of low-voltage LED lights a transformer can handle?

A transformer’s ability to handle low-voltage LED lights depends on its total wattage. A 100-watt transformer would be required to handle eight 12-watt bulbs, which require a total power consumption of 96 watts.

Are outdoor lights consuming a lot of electricity to operate?

Outdoor lights’ power consumption depends on the purpose. While holiday lights use five watts per bulb, some displays require thousands.

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