Outdoor Lighting Costs

Outdoor lighting can improve the look of any home and help increase its resale value. Lighting installation is usually priced on a per-fixture basis, although some electricians or handymen may charge hourly labor rates. Security lights and automated smart lights may incur a premium installation cost.

How many and what type of lights you need will also impact the cost of installing outdoor lighting. Small landscape lighting is going to cost much less than hard-wired fixtures on the garage or the house, for example. Here is a table of outdoor lighting costs by type of lighting that can help you cost your project. Each price listed is per light fixture.

Outdoor lighting installation: 26 light fixtures, 1 outlet, and 1 switch, in a 1,000 sq.ft. yard.

Other considerations and costs

• It may be initially more expensive, but installing LED fixtures can save up to 75% of the energy used in your home. If you are looking for a long-term lighting solution that also doesn’t require much maintenance, LED is the way to go.
• Do NOT use spiral CFL (compact fluorescent) bulbs outdoors. These bulbs were designed for indoor use only. They contain a small amount of mercury and will not hold their brightness in colder weather. Plus, even in a protected fixture, these bulbs will burn out a lot sooner simply because they aren’t designed to withstand the elements.
• Make sure that you consider how your light fixtures will look during the day. It’s important that they provide the right light at night, but it is also important that they don’t create an eyesore during the daytime hours.

DIY considerations

• Some outdoor light fixtures offer an “easy plug-and-play” installation. This may actually be a simple task, but some fixtures are misleading about exactly how easy they are to install. Unless you are familiar with electrical work or lighting fixtures, it might be best to hire an electrician to do the work.
• Always buy outdoor-approved light fixtures and bulbs for any outdoor lighting. Otherwise, the fixtures are going to get damaged or could even explode under certain conditions.

References

• Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2019.
• Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
• Literature review of DIY Web sites.