Lite Visions- Landscape Lighting Experts in Raleigh & Eastern NC
Concert & Stage Lighting Background
Raleigh,North Carolina
Is proud to be one of a small handful of members of
To promote and advance the landscape and architectural lighting industry for lighting designers and installers.
Here is a link to AOLP’s consumer webite with some great outdoor lighting information
http://www.youroutdoorlighting.com/consumersite/
By: Brandon Kuehler, CLVLT, COLD
http://blog.lightitright.com/blog/5-ways-to-determine-the-cost-of-your-landscape-lighting
When it comes to landscape lighting there is no standard cost structure – it is not a One Size Fits All world. Pricing of lighting can and does vary from State to State, City to City, and Provider to Provider – everyone uses something different and designs very differently than another. So when looking at landscape lighting and what you think the system of your dreams is going to cost take these 5 tips into consideration.
1) Quality of Materials
First and foremost – Quality of the materials being used by a certified lighting designer over a landscaper or handyman are going to be substantially higher and of higher and the warranties will meet the demands of these designers. Lighting designers have taken the time to increase their education in lighting and the differences in fixtures and their proper uses, LED options, quality installation methods, and have mastered the fine art of tricky installs. All of this training has taught designers how to spot a quality fixture over a cheap one and they prefer to use the best quality they can get to give their customers the experience they expect, and demand. Remember fixtures are NOT all the same – many are made of plastic or powder coated aluminum, and depending on the climate where you live those materials will crumble in a few years. For example, if you are in Houston, we have salt in the air from the Bay and that salt will eat away aluminum before you know it. You should be looking for fixtures made of SOLID brass or copper – those will withstand any climate and…..yardcrew!
2) Design
Are you looking for something straight forward or something with more detail? Depending on the difficulty of the design and installation your cost will vary. If you are looking just to up light the front of your house and there are only flower beds in front, well for most certified lighting designers that would be considered a straightforward installation. Now on the other hand, if you are looking to up light the front of your house, driveway with concrete, backyard with waterfall lighting in your pool and fence lights around the whole perimeter, and then add some lights into your fire pit that would be trickier and take a true expert to install so expect the cost of that to be substantially more than the straightforward up lights.
3) Special Features
Do you have a Fire Pit? Waterfall? Fountain? Putting Green? If you do and you want to highlight them to be able to enjoy them at night that takes extra time, special lighting, and special installation techniques. The end result is beautiful, but does cost more than just placing a light in the ground as a fair amount of labor goes into making these lights look like they have been there all along.
4) Concrete?
Do you have concrete in the way of where lights need to go to up light your house, along your pathway, do you want lights on your garage? Many think that because there is concrete present a light can’t go there….NOT TRUE! Now, is it easy – for a real professional lighting designer and their crew – YES! It does take a little more time but with the use of proper tools and experience, getting a light into already existing concrete is doable. Of course if you are in the process of pouring concrete and know you want lighting where it will be poured have your lighting expert get the prep work for your lights in before the pour happens, that will save you money and your lighting team time. NOTE: Not all lighting companies can do this – if you are quoted a “core” ask to see examples that company has done if they did not show you one at the time of your onsite meeting.
5) Scale
How large of an area are you looking to add lighting too? Do you just want the front of the house for security? Looking to have soft lighting in the front and back? Do you have a pool, putting green, dog run? Is your yard on a small plot or are you on acreage? The size of your home, property, and your end goals will really give you a better idea of what your lighting system cost will be. If you are acreage you should expect to spend more than someone in a master planned community. If you go into your onsite meeting thinking OK for my 5000 sq foot house on 1 acre with a pool I should expect a quote for $2500 you are going to be very surprised and sticker shocked when your quote comes in. Now if you go into your meeting thinking I will be looking at about $10,000 then you will be close to the ballpark. But, if you are only looking for certain areas to be done let your designer know this up front so that they do not provide you a quote for everything – you may want to see everything quoted, but don’t do this because you will just be hurting yourself in the long run and wasting the designers time as you will then decline their quote since it was more than you wanted to spend – even though they did exactly as you asked, showed you EVERYTHING when you really only wanted the front yard.
Landscape lighting can cost you $2500 or it can cost you $200,000, it is all up to you and what you want done and want to spend. Keep these 5 tips in mind when you start searching for your lighting designer. Remember hire a certified lighting designer and you will get the best product, design, and service for the right price – this is an investment, not something you should be redoing every few years (read this article to learn how to find the right expert). Nothing is apples to apples and professionals are not going to compete with your landscaper or handy man on price or materials, and there is a reason why, we know what we are doing and it is all we do.
One of the sad things in this industry is how many outdoor lighting manufacturers trying to push their products by giving a short class to landscape industry companies who stick lights in the ground and never come back to focus them properly and do not use good installation methods. Here are a few recent examples of what we fixed.
VOLTAGE PROBLEMS Outdoor lights getting 16 volts to a 12 volt light fixture and blowing bulbs on an old halogen system, we corrected the voltage and then installed all new LED lamps.
BAD WIRING Outdoor older halogen system browning out due to getting only 8 volts to some of the lights, there was corrosion in many wire splices and poorly done wire connections. We fixed the voltage and now they have an energy efficient LED system.
NO MAINTENANCE, system not working due to tree roots damaging cables and lights actually growing into tree roots. We ran some new wires replaced fixtures and re-lamped with new LED lamps.
DIFFERENT LAMP TEMPERATURES, lamps had been purchased at several different chains and were not all the same color temperature or beam spreads. We took out and reinstalled all new same color temperature LED lamps and the system looks brand new.
WHITE LIGHTS ON CREPE MYRTLES : There are several different color temperatures of LED lamps, some DO NOT look right on certain trees. We installed correct color temperature lamps along with a filter and now the Crepe Myrtles look natural lit up at night.
A Lighting Designer is someone who understands the science of working with light and shadow,using a pallate of many different outdoor lighting fixtures,lamp types,different color temperature lamps for different purposes as well as different lamp beams and shields, filters or louvers to shield light from peoples eyes so they can see only the effect, not the source. He might only use one fixture from a certain manufacturer that does one thing better for the specific outdoor lighting job.
A customer recently called and asked if I could look at updating their older lighting system and that they were getting a quote from their landscaper also after telling him about their lighting interest, I said No Problem I can guarantee my quote won’t be as low as his but feel free to call me to fix the landscapers work as I do it all the time.
A lighting designer installs the outdoor lighting system correctly the first time, with the bulletproof waterproof connections that will not be a problem down the road. He also checks to make sure all the light fixtures are getting the correct voltage and comes back the evening after the lighting install to properly focus the outdoor lighting system.
As a Lighting Designer who only installs outdoor lighting , we stand behind our outdoor lighting installs and use the best-LED lamps available to the professional outdoor lighting designer,I have overheard pond people and landscapers talking about once they pickup their check they simply do not care how long the lights last.
We are a member of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals, we are one of only a small handful of professional lighting designers in the NC area.
Please read our 5 star reviews on Google and give us a call about seeing your home in a new light
919-581-9950
Taking the time to properly light the exterior of your home can showcase your home and call attention to the features you love most, without making expensive changes to the structure of your home or yard.
Some of the changes you make to the exterior of your home won’t even be visible after dark unless you highlight them with your lighting choices. outdoor lighting is one of the least expensive ways to boost curb appeal and makes a big impact on your home’s exterior. With lighting, you can pick out and highlight your home’s best features – while leaving those you’d prefer not to show off or that are in need of attention in the dark.
The landscape, garden, even that beautiful statue or water feature will shine after dark if you highlight them with the right lighting. Exterior lighting enhances all the other improvements you’ve made and improves your home’s appeal, even after dark. By highlighting your improvements with up lighting,tree lighting and other lighting effects, you can be sure you get the most from your curb appeal investment.
An investment in outdoor lighting does more than just make your home look great; by illuminating your lawn and yard you make your home a less appealing target to potential burglars and those possibly wishing to do you harm.
Lighting up the areas around windows and doorways and walkways can and will enhance the look of your home and boost your security as well.
Outdoor lighting is about more than crime prevention; by using lights to illuminate walkways and paths, you make your yard safe and easy to navigate. Your family and guests will appreciate being able to navigate the yard and reach your home without safely in the evenings.
Whether you want to enhance your curb appeal, show off the unique features of your yard and home or improve your home’s safety, outdoor lighting can help. Call Lite Visions today at 919-518-9950 to find out how easy it is to make a lasting impression with the right outdoor lighting. We can help you decide what you need to showcase your home’s best features and to give you peace of mind about the safety and security of your home, too.
Outdoor lighting installed on bridge over water feature and walkway providing safety in the evenings.
Call us Today 919-518-9950 Lite Visions Outdoor Lighting and Landscape Lighting Professionals Raleigh NC
When the sun is shining and the day is bright, your commercial landscape is at its visible best. Outdoor Lighting can help you bring that same life to your business at night.
Illuminating the grounds of commercial landscapes, buildings, and unique features, is one of our specialties. Knowing what kind of commercial outdoor lighting is needed and the proper placement/installation is important to accomplish the most effective overall look.
These are some of the reasons you should consider having our outdoor lighting designer assist you in your design for your Raleigh businesses outdoor lighting.
Minimize Energy Use While Maximizing Lighting
According to the U.S Small Business Association, lighting can account for 20-50% of a business’s electricity consumption.
Outdoor lights can use a lot more energy than you probably think. If you are still running conventional incandescent outdoor lighting, you are probably paying far more than you should to light your property.
Today’s Green Friendly Energy Efficient Long Lasting LED lamps are capable of delivering the same amount of illumination while cutting energy use by up to 80%. Outdoor lighting can really bring a business to life once the sun sets.
Make Your Business Look It’s Best
It’s the perfect way to give people a much better impression of your business when they drive by or pull up — and is great for attracting new customers.
Increase The Safety and Security of Your Property
One of the most immediate benefits of adding landscape lighting to commercial properties is the increase in personal safety for employees, customers, and guests.
A commercial lighting designer in Raleigh will strategically place landscape lighting which can help reduces the likelihood of falls and trips, reducing potential liability for commercial property owners.
There is a good chance that you do not know about all the options that are available for your Raleigh business. Luckily, at Lite Visions Outdoor Lighting, we only offer top of the line professional grade lighting fixtures and transformers that are extremely reliable and durable.
Lite Visions Outdoor Lighting ’s professional outdoor lighting designer, has the knowledge and experience to design a system tailored to your specific situation. We can help you determine what type of lighting your business needs, whether that means a few lights or a complete lighting system.
Lite Visions Outdoor Lighting proudly serves commercial properties and businesses in Raleigh and the surrounding area. Let us design the perfect outdoor lighting solution for your business today. Email or give us a call at 919-518-9950 for a free estimate!
Photos of the lower patio area with brick columns before outdoor lighting.
Night time demo with only 2 different lighting fixtures to demonstrate how the lighting would work and create 3 distinct lighting effects.
Yes that’s right
3 separate lighting effects, by mounting the lights as high as possible on the columns results in an accent effect on the architecture of the brick column.
You also get a nice soft pool of light on the concrete patio area below the column.
The soft pool of light on the concrete reflects itself back up onto the soffits and ceiling panels above to give you a beautiful soft light effect all over the patio area.
This also created some much need security lighting around the back patio area under the homes lower level.
Now isn’t this a much nicer effect than a security flood light or spotlight blinding you out on the patio?
Call us Today 919-518-9950 Lite Visions Outdoor Lighting and Landscape Lighting Professionals Raleigh NC
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Summer is the perfect time for gathering with friends and family. But once that sun goes down is the party over for you? Landscape lighting is the perfect way to extend your living space show off your home, highlight specific features of your property, expand your entertaining space, and revitalize your yard.
Remember, your home is your investment. By adding Outdoor Lighting to your home, you will increase your property value and appearance.
Let Lite Visions show you what your home could look like with our FREE DEMO. Give us a call 919-518-9950. We will enhance your home’s Appearance, Functionality, and Safety.
Here are some reasons why it’s the perfect time to brighten up your yard with landscape lighting:
The obvious benefit to lighting up your outdoors is the enhancement of your home’s look. Outdoor lights can make the architectural features of your home stand out, creating an enchanting façade after sundown. You can also customize lighting on commercial properties to create an inviting common area along with curb appeal.
What Some of Our Previous Landscape Lighting Customers Have Said About Us:
Decided to go to NC home show at State Fair Grounds and met Joe. He is very professional and extremely creative. He set up a demo system for one night and it looked stunning. Few of my neighbors were impressed as well. So we decided to get the lights installed. He made our home look great in the evening and we love it.
Joe did an amazing job with the landscape lighting in our backyard. He is an expert at what he does and offered lighting ideas that completely changed the look and feel of our yard.
I typically don’t write reviews but I couldn’t be more pleased with the professionalism, design and great work that Joe did for me, hence the exception here. He is a true pro who has provided lighting set-design for many major touring acts and he showed the same level of attention to detail in designing an architectural lighting plan for my home. I can’t recommend Joe and Lite Visions highly enough. His work brought the exterior of my home to life. Really happy I responded to his direct mailer and contacted him.
Joe does the best Landscape lighting in the area! From his music touring days and professional lighting experience, he knows the ins and outs of the lighting systems he is installing. I had several quotes from other companies which were not as detail-oriented as Joe. Joe knows how to add just the right amount of light for the project and has the artistic eye for the best placement. He is honest and will not try to “sell” you on more fixtures. He did a Demo light set up which was invaluable!!!! (Other companies not wanting to do this because they “know where the lights need to go”) If you are spending the money on landscape lighting it is helpful to be a part of the process and see the placement of the lights. We may extend our lighting system in the future and will not use anyone else other than Joe (owner) of Lite Visions!
Lite Visions Landscape Lighting of Raleigh truly cared about my landscape lighting installation and Joe even explained why I should be able to look out and appreciate the lighting as a three-dimensional effect, not only should it be seen from the street. I liked the fact that Joe had worked in the concert industry and was a true lighting designer.
We also feel safer with the dusk to dawn control system. My wife and I both drive in from work now to a secured and nicely lit up home in the evening. I feel Live Visions landscape lighting is the best landscape lighting company in Raleigh NC.
Jay R. Henderson NC
Landscape lighting also plays a pivotal role in the way you use your outdoor space. If you find yourself moving inside once the sun goes down, you could be missing out. After all, there’s no better time to enjoy the cool evening breeze or simply unwind from the stress of a long day. Landscape lighting gives you the ability to extend your living space and your time outside.
Although landscape lighting does beautify your yard and all of its important features, it also promotes safety. Home exteriors are full of potential dangers, like stairs, drop-offs, pools and tripping hazards. Lighting can help to prevent falls or other injuries. Illuminating your driveway, walkways and house number helps visitors to arrive safely and makes your home easy to find.
Enjoy your home and backyard in the evening hours this summer with outdoor landscape lighting
We can also fix or upgrade your older outdated lighting system to energy-saving LED lighting
Give us a Call today to see your Home and Yard in a whole new Light 919-518-9950