09 Oct Lowering the price of landscape lighting comes at the cost of lowering Quality, Reliability and Service
By Mike Gambino
Kit form and Plug and Play landscape Lighting lacks three critical essential elements- PASSION, EXPERIENCE and ART. The push for dummy proof lighting that takes the art and technical skill out of the installation and appeals to the do it yourselfer or generalist trade as an add on service to their primary offer. Lower product pricing direct to the end user to appeal to the masses, landscape lighting for all properties is the goal. Custom Landscape lighting is not a commodity product and is as much a high end amenity as is a Custom kitchen and has no place in every home on the block, never has and never will . It requires, Good design practices, planning, proper product specification and selection and expert execution of the installation. These components of quality come only from years of experience and cannot be learned on line or from over the phone advice from a product seller. And then after the installation there comes the maintenance and service. It is a universal truth that-No system installation is ever without issue over its lifetime no matter who built it or whose product brand got installed.
However there are those (manufacturers, product sellers and installers) who are lowering standards in a push to sell more to the masses and in order not to become a victim of these lower cost/quality products and installers you need to be aware. This article below from a landscaping trade magazine, emphasizes many things that are wrong with what is going on in the landscape lighting trade today.
Begin article- For the past two decades, xxxxxxxxx. has specialized in landscape transformations that have greatly enhanced the outdoor beauty of homes and businesses throughout the local xxxxxxxx., area. This includes working with owners to integrate patios, kitchens, fire pits, stairs, walks, plants and shrubbery with the grounds to not only create scenic artistry, but also living spaces that comfortably expand the flow of architectural elements and exterior aesthetics.
“Hardscaping has truly become an artform,” says xxxx. “It’s so much more than just laying brick and pavers. The entire process from specification to design takes a real artistic touch to get it right with a look and feel that promotes livability, curb appeal and even better value in a competitive sales market.”
According to xxxxxx, these activities begin with the design of a functional plan based on a combination of color, line, form, texture and scale. It then extends to choosing the materials that coincide best with the property’s existing features.
For instance, freestanding retaining and landscape walls are often constructed with a variety of curb stone collections to complement driveways, decks, pools and gardens with textures and hues reminiscent of the rustic hand-laid look of Old English estates or time-honed appeal of classic European gardens.
As for lighting, that was another matter entirely. Up until recently, xxxxx tried to resist requests for all forms of landscape lighting due to the various challenges associated with traditional products and installations. Only at the specific demands of customers did he even consider including them in his package of services.
“I dreaded lighting projects,” explains xxxxx. “The wiring was bulky. The line voltage was difficult to anticipate and it always seemed like the first light was brighter than the fifth and all the other ensuing bulbs. Plus, the time and effort involved just wasn’t worth the return. I’d add lighting if the customer was adamant, but it wasn’t something I actively pitched or even made me money. It was an add-on service that I often avoided as much as possible.”
xxxxx learned xxxx (website address) in early 2012 from a colleague and the demonstration he received at a local home show got him to thinking that it might be time to add landscape lighting as a service. He was particularly intrigued with the company’s proprietary “LED Lighting Simplified” connection technology. After a bit more research he became convinced that that installations utilizing the kits take nearly half the time of traditional outdoor lighting systems; users need to do little more than plug the system together to create customized deck, rail, stair, post, path, masonry and landscape solutions. Another benefit is that each LED installation only costs pennies a month to operate.
“Immediately, I realized this was the answer to my lighting problems,” continues xxxxxx. “It just seemed so easy to use. All you have to do is plug it together and install. There are no excessive set up times. The wiring is thinner and as a result easier to hide and the LED bulbs emit a warm, yellow glow.”
xxxxxxx now regularly recommends, sells and installs stair and deck lighting as well as hardscape and landscape lighting. He installs the lighting separately or in conjunction through a series of connections that plug together using either end of the xxxxxxx extension cables.
Photocell technology that senses ambient light and automatically turns lights on and off for both safety and security, while adding convenience and reliability
Over the past year he said he has sold more than 50 lighting jobs. “I now show the lighting on the first day and customers almost immediately ask me to include it in their projects,” says xxxxxxx. (start new paragraph)….It’s an easy upsell, he claims, adding that he’s had at least two jobs in the $25,000 to $30,000 range that resulted directly from the referrals of satisfied customers.In one case, a previous customer was so impressed with the aesthetics and its warm yellow hue of a lighting project that he instructed xxxxxxx to replace the home’s existing landscape and masonry lighting with a complete system consisting of nearly 250 masonry, path and uplights. “Lighting installations are now not only profitable, but also End Article- pleasurable to perform,” adds xxxxxx.”
I find it comical and insulting how this service provider stresses how his primary business which is hardscape installation “truly is an art form” in his words. The same can be said of the lighting- No? He makes no mention of that with his kit form lighting. I’m not going to show any photos from the article here or on the product manufacturer’s website because I would not appreciate anyone using my photos without my permission either. Please believe me when I tell you that they are incredibly amateur and lack luster at best. Some of the worst I’ve ever seen. Do not fool yourself into thinking that if you expect the finest results that custom landscape lighting is not a dedicated stand alone specialty trade. Sophisticated property owners know better not to take part in this race to the bottom.
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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