Landscape lighting in Temecula.
Good lighting makes a yard usable after dark and makes the house look its best from the street. I design lighting as part of the yard, and you see it at night in 3D before a single fixture goes in.
See it at night before it is built
Lighting is hard to judge on paper. Every design I do includes night views in 3D, so you can see where the light falls, what it shows off and what stays dark, and change it before anything is installed. These are night views from a recent backyard design.
What I light
- Paths, walks and driveways, so people can find their way without glare in their eyes.
- Steps and changes in level, the places someone is most likely to trip.
- Trees and palms, lit from below so they read against the night sky.
- Walls, columns and the front of the house, washed with soft light rather than spotlighted.
- Patios, covers and outdoor kitchens, with light where you cook, eat and sit.
- Pools, spas and water features, planned with the pool lighting so the yard looks like one design.
How I design it
- Low-voltage LED. Fixtures run on a transformer that steps household power down to a safe low voltage, and LEDs use very little power and last for years.
- Warm light, not glare. Warm white light looks natural on plants and stone. Fixtures are aimed and shielded so the light lands on what you want to see, not in your eyes or your neighbor’s windows.
- Less is more. A few well-placed lights look better than a runway of path lights. Some darkness is what makes the lit parts stand out.
- Timer or photocell control, so the lights come on at dusk and go off when you want.
- Wire planned with everything else. On a new yard, sleeves and wire runs go in before the paving, so nothing gets cut into later.
Lighting in Temecula yards
On the valley floor, in Harveston, Paseo del Sol, Wolf Creek and Morgan Hill, backyards are often small and close to the neighbors. Lighting there is about making a patio feel like a room at night while keeping light out of the houses next door.
In Redhawk, Meadowview and wine country, larger lots, slopes and oak and olive trees give lighting more to work with: lit steps and walls on the slope, uplit trees and long views kept dark so the stars still show.
Many Temecula HOAs review visible exterior changes, especially in front yards. If yours does, I include the lighting layout in the submittal drawings.
What it costs
Lighting depends on how many fixtures, the type of fixture and how far the wire has to run, so the honest answer starts with your yard. Most projects run from about $1,200 for a few lights on a patio or front walk to $12,000 or more for a large yard or property.
Every design concept includes an honest budget range for your yard, so you know where you stand. For whole-yard ranges, see what this actually costs.
Questions people ask me
Do I need a permit for landscape lighting in Temecula?
Usually not. Low-voltage landscape lighting does not normally need a permit, which keeps the project simple and quick to install.
Can you add lighting to the yard I already have?
Yes. Most lighting can be added to a finished yard. Wire is run in shallow trenches through planting areas, and under paving through existing sleeves or along edges where possible.
How much does it cost to run?
Very little. LED fixtures use a fraction of the power older halogen lights did, and a timer or photocell keeps them on only when you want them.
What if a light stops working?
Fixtures carry the manufacturer’s warranty, and because I design and install the system, you call one person to fix it.
Will my HOA need to approve it?
Some Temecula HOAs review visible exterior lighting, especially in front yards. If yours does, I include the fixture types and layout in the submittal drawings.
Light up your yard
Every project can start with a no-cost design concept: a layout plan, a 3D view and an honest budget. Lighting can be its own project or part of a whole-yard design. You can also text DESIGN to (951) 428-8843.
Landscape design and build in: Temecula Murrieta Menifee Fallbrook Escondido