5 Things every landscape lighting system Shopper Should Know BEFORE They Receive a Quote

5 Things every landscape lighting system Shopper Should Know BEFORE They Receive a Quote

by Mike Gambino

Ok, so you’ve finally decided this is the year for a landscape lighting system in your front or back yard.

Because buying a lighting system is something we don’t get much practice at, many people frankly go about it the wrong way. This is understandable; especially considering “How to Buy a landscape lighting system” is not currently part of high school curriculums across the country. But we live in a day and age where information is available at every corner. And with such information now available to everyone, the lighting shopper of today is nothing like the one of just 5 years ago.  But with more availability of information comes with it more of a responsibility on the landscape lighting system shopper’s part. Such is the focus of this article and the responsibilities of you, the shopper, are laid out as follows:

5 Things Every landscape lighting Shopper Should Know BEFORE They Receive a Quote

1. Know You Want a Landscape lighting system (all parties involved)

I know, you probably think this sounds silly but trust me it’s not. In fact, knowing that you do or do not want a system in your yard is the key to your ability in making sound and definitive decisions on what will be a pretty expensive project. Just the other day, I had a lady call me and tell me how much she wanted a lighting system, and all I had to do was convince her husband that he also wanted one. Although I certainly empathized with this lady’s dilemma, I simply told her that such wasn’t my job. That’s just not what I do. I help people, who know they want a system, choose the right system with the right options that will meet their needs not just today but years from now as well. So in the case of this lady, I referred her to multiple articles on our website, but as far as the ‘convincing’ was concerned, that would be contingent on the husband’s efforts to find the right answers.

2. Know What’s MOST Important to You about the yard and its lighting

Low maintenance? Aethetics? Customization? Controls? Warranty? Designability? Play Area? Water Feature Etc, Etc?  These are just a few common goals system shoppers normally have when considering what they want their landscape lighting to be. This is why every shopper should consider what’s important to them about their property and then rate these in order before they meet with the landscape lighter. Trust me when I say that by doing this your ability to focus on the right system with the right options will be enhanced drastically.

3. Know What’s MOST Important to You about the lighting system Installer

Are you looking for turn-key? Are you solely focused on lowest price? How much do quality and workmanship come into play regarding your decision? These are incredibly important questions that every shopper should answer before they meet with a lighting guy. In fact, I believe the question of price is maybe the most important question a shopper will ever ask themselves. This is because if a consumer is solely price-motivated then they likely don’t even need to have a bunch of lighting guys come to their home for estimates. And to be honest, I’ve had shoppers tell me their biggest concern was getting the lowest price to which I responded we probably weren’t the company for them. I say this because it is impossible to be the lowest priced guy and give the best workmanship and quality. The whole idea is contradictory and simply not feasible when running a business.

Over the years, I’ve quoted well over 1000 landscape systems and on most of these, our company was the middle or top guy in terms of how much the quote was.  I’ve also witnessed roughly 60% or so of the lighting companies I’ve competed with go out of business during this time. Fact is companies must make a profit in order to establish longevity and be able to offer great service down the road. So please consider these questions as you shop for your landscape lighting system. Write down your priorities and let these priorities be your compass as you seek to find the best landscape lighter for you and your family.

4. Know Your True Budget

Times are very different than they were just a few years ago. Today, it’s much more difficult to get loans for home improvements because property values have gone down, meaning equity lines and second mortgages can be very tough to come by. But the key is that you, as the homeowner, take the time to get your financing in order before you actually start getting quotes for home improvement projects. I know for many this might seem like putting the cart before the horse but in reality the exact opposite is true. I can assure you that if you do this neither your, nor the lighting persons, time will be wasted. Many of our clients pay out of savings so if this is the case then obviously there is no need for financing.

5. Know the General Difference Between different types of systems

Despite the fact that my company only sells and installs the most popular and consumer demanded low voltage halogen and LED landscape lighting systems, that doesn’t mean I haven’t told people before that we simply didn’t have a product to fit their needs. Fact is, a High Performance Gambino Landscape lighting system, although it fits the needs of many consumers, isn’t for everyone.

If a homeowner has a distinct idea as to the pros and cons of each type of system before they receive an estimate, they will be more able to make logical decisions on the type of lighting that will fit the needs of their family for years to come. So do your research on the different types of systems and I can assure you it will greatly help you as you go about this landscape lighting shopping experience.

So there are 5 things you should know before you receive a quote for landscape lighting. Its sound advice to shoppers all over the country and I hope you implement these suggestions into your landscape lighting buying experience as well.

This landscape lighting blog is published by Mike Gambino of Gambino landscape lighting inc. all rights reserved. Mike is a professional landscape lighting system designer/ builder and has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 20 years. Mike resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 2 sons. To visit his website go to www.gambinolighting.com . To inquire about hiring Mike please click here .

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