30 Jan Working with a Landscape Lighting Design Builder
By Mike Gambino
A real estate agent wouldn’t dream of selling you a house without understanding your needs and wants (or “must-haves” as they’re sometimes called). The same goes for the professional who designs and installs landscape lighting systems. In order to provide a client with a system that will truly enhance the Beauty, comfort and entertainment value of a home, he needs to learn about how you live in your home today, what you would like to improve, and how you envision life in a beautifully and tastefully illuminated residence, among other information. You’ll need to build a solid relationship and communicate openly with your landscape lighting design builder. Here are 10 tips on how to effectively work with a landscape lighting professional.
1. Open House Policy
A landscape lighting design builder needs to know whether you plan to illuminate an existing home, are planning a remodel of an existing system, or if you would like to put a new system into a house that’s on the drawing board. This may give him a good starting point, but to gauge the complexity of the job, he’ll need to see the property and/or blueprints. Provide him with ample time to visit your site and poke around the property. If you’re building, provide a set of landscape plans.
2. Air the Dirty Laundry
Everybody can rattle off a few items they find annoying or inconvenient about their home. Maybe it’s the dangerous steps by the pool, or the dark path on the way to the trash cans at night. A landscape lighting designer wants to hear your pet peeves so he can design a system that takes care of those trouble spots. Don’t hold back, and make sure every member of the family has a say.
3. Financial Situation
Having a budget in mind helps a landscape lighting design builder tremendously. He’ll be able to choose products and systems that will fit your budget. And when the lighter presents you with his budget-minded plan, understand exactly what you’re paying for and when before proceeding. And remember, a great landscape lighting system gives you the opportunity to add-on as your budget allows.
4. Time Frame
Is there an upcoming special event by which you’d like the project to be finished? Relay this information to your landscape lighting professional immediately. Based on the information you’ve shared with him, your lighter is probably already visualizing a system. However, if you want it done in three weeks, he may have to rethink the plan, Zone out some of the work or may even bow out if you’re firm on the deadline. Be clear with your timeframe; be flexible if you can be.
5. Special Assistance
Depending on the scope of your landscape lighting project, it’s possible that your lighter may use sub contractors for certain aspects of the job. For example, a lighting designer may be able to help craft the lighting schemes but they may not have the capability to do the installation. Naturally, you’ll want to know about these extra people on the job. Be sure to ask your lighter if subcontractors are part of the plan.
6. Comfort Level
How do you use the exterior of your home now? For example, are you an outdoor type that likes to spend most waking hours in the backyard around the pool, patio etc.? Or would you prefer to make the interior to exterior views the primary way you will appreciate the landscape lighting? What about controls? Do you want a timer? Do you want to switch certain sections of the property individually? For example, the front yard operated with a timer that turns on at dusk and off at dawn and the backyard that turns on at dusk and off at 11 PM.
7. Lifestyle
Lifestyle is a big buzzword in the landscape lighting industry, and for good reason. A candid discussion of your way of life will likely reveal the most important pieces of information an lighter needs to design and implement a system that is so in sync with you and your family that you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. At the very least, expect to divulge your household status (single, married, kids, elderly parents), your family’s schedule (work, school, travel), your social life (do you entertain frequently?). If your daily routine involves coming home after dark and your method of entering the home is through the side door, then you’re probably going to want to have a safe lighted passage way. Or if you entertain around the pool then maybe create the proper lighting environment for safety, relaxation and enjoyment.
8. On- and Off-Site Access
Naturally, a landscape lighting design builder and his team will need to frequent your home to run cable and install equipment. Do you feel comfortable having them in your house while you’re at work if need be? Discuss your concerns up front and try to be accommodating. And remember, a good portion of the work that needs to be done can often be handled when you are not home.
9. Aesthetic Preferences
Do you want to show off your home or illuminate it very discretely? Sharing your aesthetic preferences will help a landscape lighting professional decide whether he should provide dramatic lighting to the exterior architecture of your home , for example, or light it very softly and sparingly if at all. If you like the idea of having all of the landscape lighting equipment hidden completely from view, by all means tell your landscape lighting professional. There are lots of clever ways to hide hardware.
10. Active Participation
Believe it or not, most lighter appreciate clients who actively participate in projects. Your input throughout the process is valuable, so don’t be shy. If an idea strikes you in the middle of the night, share it with your lighter the next morning. Or maybe you’d like to see how trees that were not included in the agreement would look illuminated. Chances are, your lighter would be happy to put up a few extra lights for your review to decide if you want to keep and pay for them in addition to already agreed upon work.
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