Lighting

Landscape lighting installation across San Diego County.

The difference between a yard that looks finished and one that disappears at night is lighting. The pros we match you with design and install low-voltage (12V) LED systems, path lights along walkways, uplighting on specimen trees and architecture, well lights in beds, soft moonlighting from above. Brass and copper fixtures that hold up in SD salt air, transformer sized with headroom, and zones programmed to the hour.

Last reviewed June 4, 2026

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Warm white landscape uplighting on a palm tree and path lights along a walkway at a San Diego home at dusk

What's included in LED landscape lighting in San Diego?

Walkthrough at dusk to find natural focal points, specimen trees, architectural details, patio zones
Lighting plan with fixture type, placement, and wattage per location
Low-voltage (12V) LED fixtures, path, up, well, flood, step, deck, underwater
Brass and solid-copper fixtures for corrosion resistance in coastal zones
Transformer sizing with 20%+ headroom for future additions (300W, 600W, 900W options)
Wire burial at 6" depth minimum, with splices in waterproof silicon-gel connectors
Smart controller install (Kichler, Sollos, WAC) with astronomical timer and app control
Existing system repair, corroded connectors, failed transformers, replaced LED modules

Lighting detail work by a skilled San Diego County landscaper

When do you need LED landscape lighting in San Diego County?

New landscape or hardscape just finished and the yard looks flat at night
Front entry is dark and lacks curb appeal after dusk
Specimen trees (agave, palm, olive, oak) deserve to be featured
Existing 120V line-voltage system is failing and an upgrade to safer 12V makes sense
Old halogen system is eating power, and an LED swap cuts the draw hard
Pool and patio areas need integrated lighting for evening use

What do homeowners ask about LED landscape lighting?

Do you install low-voltage or line-voltage landscape lighting?

Low-voltage (12V) for almost everything residential. A transformer at the house steps 120V down to 12V, then fixtures run on buried low-voltage wire. Safer (no shock hazard when a fixture breaks), more efficient with LEDs, and the standard install for residential landscape lighting. Line-voltage (120V) systems exist but are higher risk, require a licensed electrician (C-10), and are usually overkill for residential.

Do I need a permit or electrician for this?

Low-voltage landscape lighting does not require a permit in most SD jurisdictions because it operates below 30V. The transformer plugs into an existing 120V GFCI outlet, and the crews we match you with do not touch 120V wiring. If you do not have an outdoor outlet near the transformer location, we refer that portion to Bright Pro Electric.

How long do LED landscape lights last?

Quality integrated LED fixtures (Kichler, FX Luminaire, Sollos) run 40,000-50,000 hours, roughly 20+ years at typical 6-hour nightly use. LED modules in replaceable-bulb fixtures run 10-15 years. Transformers and fixture bodies outlast the LEDs. The failure point on SD installs is usually connectors in coastal salt air, not the lights themselves.

Can I control my lights from my phone?

Yes. Smart transformers (Kichler DMX, Sollos Prizm, WAC Smart) support app control, voice (Alexa / Google Home), scene programming, and dimming per zone. It adds a modest amount to the transformer cost and is worth it for zone-by-zone control and scheduling.

What about solar landscape lights instead?

Solar path lights look similar on a product page but fail in real-world use, dim output, short battery life (2-3 years before replacement), cloudy-day outages. For accent lighting on trees or features, solar is not bright enough. For path lighting, low-voltage LED runs circles around solar on reliability and brightness. The pros we match you with skip solar for anything a customer wants to actually see by.

Do you handle landscape lighting repair, or only new installation?

Both. Landscape lighting repair is a large share of the work here: corroded connectors in coastal salt air, a failed transformer, dead LED modules, and wire nicked by a shovel. The landscape lighting installers we match you with test the system zone by zone, replace what failed, and reprogram the timer. A repair visit usually costs less than a partial re-install.

What's the difference between landscape lighting and permanent exterior lighting?

Landscape lighting is low-voltage LED in the yard: path lights, uplights on trees, well lights in beds, and step lights on hardscape. Permanent exterior lighting is a color-changing LED track mounted on the house trim and sold for holidays and game days. The outdoor lighting installers we match you with do the yard systems, not the trim track. Light the yard first, since it earns curb appeal every night of the year.