Documenting landscape lighting projects

Documenting landscape lighting projects

By Mike Gambino

I mentioned in my previous blog post that we were working on a very large project 450 miles from our normal service area. This project on 40 acres will be ongoing over the next 3 years or so as the property is developed and several buildings built and landscaped. We have completed phase 1 which took a solid and intense building schedule 2 weeks in duration. We are told the next phase will be ready for us in 3 months or so.

Taplin 10

Heavy construction work going on in close proximity of where we were installing our lighting system on an already completed section of this very large property.

I hired Mark Carlson of Avalon landscape lighting to document the project .

This detailed documentation will be valuable for future design and bidding on the site and also for troubleshooting should the need arise. I asked Mark if he would describe the process he goes through in producing the plan to a group of fellow landscape lighting professionals that are members of a private message board group that I started and moderate as a resource for the exchange of ideas and betterment of our own individual businesses . Here are Mark’s comments which he was kind enough to give me permission to re-post here:

I know I’ve talked a little about this earlier, but thought some may be interested to see what and how I go about this process on a job site. This is no CAD drawing or anywhere close to that level, but for what we do….this is more than acceptable. Remember, lighting can be plotted much like that of irrigation….diagrammatic and it doesn’t have to be 100% exact to its location on a plan. However, you should somehow detail where the fixture is at that location, especially if it is in a tree, on a structure, or something that is not completely obvious like that of a ground mounted fixture. The idea is to be close enough to find it at a later time.

Anyway, the reason why I like this method is because it is a relatively fast design process, once you learn how to draw based on visual references. For example, seeing the corner of the house and that wall….imagining a straight line that comes off of that point and being able to reference that as to where a tree might be located or another structure. That’s the basics to it….I’d have to walk you through personally to show you how it works very well. So, in the first photo….you see my original 8-1/2″ x 11″ yellow pad paper sheet that I have sketched the basics of the site on….this will include buildings, trees, structures, hardscape, art or features, and finally proposed fixture locations (in a different color pencil–I use ‘red’). I may need to use multiple sheets of paper to draw different areas and zones, but that’s okay. When I get back to the office, I’ll take these sketch pages and tape them together so that they fit and then take my trace paper to lay over the top. This is when you draw as neatly as you can and in ink. You want clean, dark lines to show at the printer. Once traced, then I’ll run to my reprographic’s company to have the trace blown up to fit a 24″ x 36″ standard sized plan sheet of bond paper. I’ll have them run at least one extra copy, so that I have a spare down the road.

At this time, I will plot my fixture locations in ink on this large print, to include transformer locations and any other items necessary for the plan–sleeve locations, electrical sources, switching, etc. For starters, I usually do a “conceptual” plan where only fixture and transformer locations are shown, and I’ll use highlighter colors to identify types of equipment (up lights, down lights, path lights, wash lights, etc.)….this makes it easy for the client to understand when you are running through a sales pitch. I NEVER locate cable runs or any critical details on these initial plans, just in case I don’t get the actual install. This is true even if they are paying for the plan…..it’s a concept plan and the actual installer will need to determine how they are running wire and performing the calculations.

Once the client buys the design service and gives a “go” for the install, then I’ll make sure to include cable runs and schedules, as that is part of my service. Besides, it helps the installation crew to identify where and how things go together, and it prepares us for the documentation stage of the As-build plans. These records are critical to saving time later in the future for service needs and additions to the system.

You will notice on my plan size copies that I had two of the same sheet used, but broke up the information to make it easier to read and understand. That’s one thing you will find….the larger the property and the larger volume of equipment will make the documentation much more challenging. So, in the Gambino case of the Napa job…..I used the first sheet to identify ‘secondary’ cable runs, fixture locations, and lighting zones for control (by color). The second sheet identified the ‘primary’ (home run) cable runs, transformer locations, J-box locations, and tree identification #’s. Yes, this will happen on occasion, where the site has been surveyed and trees are identified with a tag (stamped number) on the main trunk. If you have these, it helps towards locating equipment on site….larger job sites.

The last photo is off two of my schedules prepared for Mike’s job–transformer schedule (1 page) and cable distribution schedule (3 pages; one for each transformer). You can see by the columns on each page what I’ve identified. This information helps again for future additions by identifying what the loads are. It also serves as a security measure on what you actually did before leaving the job. How many times have you heard a customer say they didn’t touch anything/didn’t change any lamps, but when you get there and check these loads….finding a various/increased reading, now you have documented proof of what was versus what is. There’s no lying…truth is in the documentation.

Design Sketch 1

 

Design sketch 2

 

Design sketch 3

 

Design sketch 4

 

Photos by Mark Carlson

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 .

Blog articles may be published with permission on other websites without editing or removing links.

 

 

2 Comments
  • Mark Carlson
    Posted at 17:03h, 12 May Reply

    What a pleasure it was serving with you and your crew on this project, as I was able to see first-hand the high quality and total dedication put into each system installed by Gambino Landscape Lighting.

    I can honestly say that I have not found any other company out there practicing today that goes to the extremes that Mike does. I applaud Mike and his crew for this.

    Also, I’m honored to have Mike post some of my work for this documentation….just as Mike is dedicated to this discipline, so am I and especially so with the design and documentation aspect of these systems.

    I’m sure we will be working again in the near future–this process and combined ability offers the client the best of all worlds….thanks Mike.

    • Mike Gambino
      Posted at 02:03h, 13 May Reply

      Thanks Mark, You are a master at project documentation among other things. It’s a pleasure to work with you on projects and looking forward to doing more with you on this one and others in the future.

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