How Much Should I Budget For Outdoor Lighting?

If you’re thinking about adding outdoor lighting to your Memphis home, you might be wondering how much you can expect to invest. 

Outdoor lighting will contribute significant value to your home…but only if you invest in something high-quality that will deliver all the benefits. 

Though there are a lot of factors that will impact outdoor lighting costs, in this article, we’ll at least give you an idea of what you can expect to spend. It’s important to budget the right amount so that you can truly get the most out of your finished project. 

Budgeting for Outdoor Lighting 

First and foremost, it’s important to understand that lighting has come incredibly far in recent years. For that reason, you can’t compare the cost to install outdoor lighting 5 or 10 years ago to the cost today.

In fact, in general, due to the pandemic and inflation, costs have risen at a substantial rate across all areas of life. As a business, our costs of purchasing materials, paying team members, and more have risen significantly. What things cost just 10 years ago is really more like 20 years ago with the increases we’ve seen. But we still frequently have customers compare outdoor lighting costs today to a quote they might have gotten many years ago.

Besides the natural rise in costs, it’s important to remember that older systems simply don’t compare to what’s available today.

Older, incandescent lighting systems were less expensive to install but needed frequent maintenance (including regularly changing bulbs) and drove electricity bills quite high. 

Today’s LED lighting systems are much more energy efficient and can save you money on maintenance and electric bills. They may be a more substantial investment upfront, but the savings on the back end are significant (as compared to an old system). 

What to Expect with Outdoor Light Installation Cost 

Because every project is so unique, it really is difficult to say what you might expect to pay. But our minimum starting price for a new installation is $2,500. That would be for a small project that takes less than a day.

If you’re talking about a larger project with multiple lights that takes a full day, it could be easily upwards of $5,000. And if you’re talking about a substantial project with different areas of the property lit, that takes two days, it could easily be upwards of $10,000.

But those are just starting points. The more elaborate your project, the more it’s going to cost. At the time we were writing this blog article, we had just quoted a project that was six figures. It was an expansive property with front and backyard work.

As you can see, it’s difficult to give an exact cost to install outdoor lighting as it all depends on specifically what you’re looking for and what your property is like. 

Weighing Cost vs. Value When Budgeting for Outdoor Lighting 

Whenever making any large purchase decision, you have to weigh the cost vs. value. Is what you are paying worth the value that you’re receiving? 

Keep in mind: You can always find something cheaper…but is it really worth your investment? 

This is an important consideration when looking into outdoor lighting. While you might be able to find someone who would install landscape lighting for less money, you have to question what you’re getting. Unfortunately, not all outdoor lighting companies are created equally. Many are using outdated technology and installing subpar lighting materials. 

Outdoor lighting is often installed by landscaping companies or other businesses that do lighting as a “side job.” But that means they’re not bringing the top skills and expertise to the field. Because landscape lighting truly is both an art and a science, an unqualified technician simply can’t deliver the best results. 

At Mid South Night Lights, lighting is all that we do. When you pay our cost to install outdoor lighting, it might be a little higher than the competition but we’re also delivering a superior finished product. 

We are licensed, bonded, and insured with highly qualified technicians doing the work. We’re also using the newest technology and the highest-quality lighting products on the market. It’s simply not comparable to old systems that some landscape lighting “pros” are still installing. 

Plus, if you need to reach us, we answer the phone. One of the risks that people take when they choose a company that does lighting as an add-on service or a side job is that they aren’t going to be available if something goes wrong. But even good quality outdoor lighting does need maintenance from time to time.

You Get What You Pay For

The bottom line? As with most things in life…you get what you pay for. 

While the cost to install outdoor lighting might seem high with a high-caliber company, you don’t want to cut corners and end up unhappy in the end.  

Landscape lighting is certainly an investment, but it’s a wise one when you make good choices. With good landscape lighting, you’ll truly get the most possible enjoyment out of your outdoor spaces. 

Are you ready to create a secure, functional, and beautiful property at any hour of the day? If so, let’s meet and discuss some bright ideas.