Archive for exterior lighting

Where Do You Find a Reputable Exterior Lighting Contractor?

By Staff

Monday, April 28th, 2014

Finding a reputable exterior lighting contractor is not as easy as just opening up the phone book. When hiring an exterior lighting contractor, there are a few steps a homeowner should take. By taking these steps, you will be sure to have a reputable and qualified exterior lighting contractor to complete your home project.

Tips:

Ask questions. Have the exterior lighting contractor come to your home. Never take a bid or ask questions over the phone. An exterior lighting contractor needs to actually see what type of areas in your outdoor space that you want lighting to be installed to offer advice and suggestions.
Make sure the contractor is licensed in your state. Having a state license will let you know this contractor is serious about their trade and profession.
The contractor should have proper insurance and provide proof of the insurance upon your request. This will keep you and your property safe from all accidents and responsibility.
Get at least three different bids on your landscape lighting. This will allow you to see if all the contractors are close in price and different opinions that each contractor can give you. Don’t decide on a contractor due to price. The old saying, ”You get what you pay for” will be true with your lighting. The lowest price won’t always be the best work performed.
Ask the contractor for references and call those references. If the references all tell you what a wonderful job the contractor has done for them, then this is a good sign.
Ask the contractor about low-voltage lighting. Any landscape lighting expert will know exactly what this means, but if the contractor does not, then do not work with that contractor.
You can ask your friends, family, and coworkers for their contractor. These people all know you and they will give you an honest review of a contractor. Usually, a great and honest contractor has performed work around your town.

There are reputable exterior lighting contractors available, but you have to do a bit of research to find one. You can’t just open your phone book and call the first name you see. If you want a reputable contractor, then you must make a few phone calls and spend a little of your time to find the best one for you.

To learn more on Virginia Outdoor Lighting, click here!

Categories : exterior lighting, exterior lighting contractor, landscape lighting

Tags : lighting contractor, reputable contractor

What are the Licensing Requirements for an Exterior Lighting Contractor?

By Staff

Monday, April 28th, 2014

Knowing the licensing requirements for an exterior lighting contractor will ensure you that the contractor is a professional and has met and obtained the licenses required to perform your projects.

The Licensing for Integrated Building Systems (IBS) explains that low-voltage work varies from state to state and sometimes from city to city. Even if your contractor has the IBS license, you should still check the city that you live in to see if the license applies to your city and if it covers the low-voltage work that is involved in many exterior lighting projects.

The following states do not require any state-wide, low-voltage licensing:

Iowa
Kansas
Mississippi
New Hampshire
North Dakota
Ohio
Wisconsin

These states have no statewide requirements, but may have some requirements based on the city:

Colorado
Indiana
Missouri
Pennsylvania

An exterior lighting contractor may possess certification, which is not to be confused with a license. A certification can be issued by a government agency according to the laws of that locality. It is used by an independent organization or exterior contractor that specializes in a particular specialty of work.

Homeowners can find their state listing by visiting www.neca-neis.org. This is the site that has the state licensing and the requirements. The national codes on legal licensing requirements are required by each state and locality. Licensing for exterior lighting contractor requires a specific number of years of hands-on experience. Many states also require contractors to renew their license with educational classes.

There are several states that distinguish between contractors and technicians, which can allow for different licenses for residential exterior lighting work and commercial exterior lighting work. However, the contractor is still responsible for meeting all state and locality licensing.

The requirements for an exterior lighting contractor will depend on your state and locality. All states and locality may require different requirements for contractors. The key to remember is to look for licensed contractors. Certified doesn’t mean the contractor is licensed, it only means the contractor has been certified by that state and locality. This can be confusing for homeowners, as many homeowners believe when they see ‘certified’ that the contractor has been trained and licensed, when it may not necessarily mean both. Get credentials and ask to see a contractor’s license before hiring any contractor.

For more information on Virginia’s Outdoor Lighting experts, click here.

Categories : exterior lighting, landscape lighting, licensing requirements, Richmond, Uncategorized

Tags : licensing requirements, lighting contractor

What are the Benefits to Landscape Lighting?

By Staff

Monday, April 28th, 2014

Landscape lighting is on the rise for homes across the country. There are many benefits and it can make a huge difference for your home, friends, and family.

The Benefits of Landscape Lighting:

Safety: The safety that landscape lighting can bring to you and your family is a major benefit. The landscape lighting will provide a safe entrance or exit to and from your home. Landscape lighting can be placed near the walkways and driveway of your home. It can also be placed near any potential danger zone of your home such as around the pool, near the dog and stairs. Landscape lighting will illuminate your exterior of your home, working to keep your home safe from danger.
Appearance: Landscape lighting will enhance and make the exterior of your home stand out. A homeowner can place landscape lighting around water fountains, plants, pools, or any type of landscaping to bring out the beauty in these particular home features. Items will pop with lighting, working to illuminate your home at night and keep it looking simply amazing.
Added Living Space: Landscape lighting will increase living space to your home. With the proper landscape lighting, a homeowner will be able to use their yard even when the sun goes down. Landscape lights can be attached all around the yard and positioned around the patio or deck to bring enough lighting for late night dining or parties.
Security: Landscape lighting offers security for your family and any guests that enter or exit your home. The lighting can be positioned around sidewalks, walkways, stairs, and the driveway. It is easy for anyone to trip when they cannot see where they are walking, but the lighting will illuminate these areas to prevent falls or injuries.
Value: Landscape lighting can increase the value of your home. When your home has landscape lighting positioned around the property, it will create a rich sense of value to your home property.

As you can see, there are many benefits to landscape lighting. Call us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your home or business landscape lighting needs. Click here for more information on Virginia Outdoor Lighting.

Categories : benefits, exterior lighting, landscape lighting, Richmond

Tags : landscape lighting, landscape lighting benefits

What Influences the Price of My Landscape Lighting Project?

By Staff

Monday, April 28th, 2014

A landscape lighting project’s price includes many different costs based on the homeowner’s lighting needs. The more lighting that a homeowner wants, the greater the price. If there are different types of lighting that the homeowner can choose from, which also affect the total cost.

Many homeowners are worried that their landscaping will be destroyed by the landscape lighting installation, but in many cases, a small trenching blade is used to install the lighting fixtures so they are easily placed into the landscaping.

A homeowner can have spotlights, in-ground lighting, path lighting, and a light control module added to their landscaping for a very affordable price. You may be afraid to install landscape due to the overall cost, but exterior lighting can be reasonably priced.

The price of landscaping is not only affordable, but the lighting is completely energy efficient, such as the LED lighting option. It costs pennies to run this type of landscape lighting and the lights look amazing. A control module is installed to allow you to time when the landscape lighting will turn on and turn off.

One of the benefits of having landscape lighting installed is that you do not have to do anything to prepare for the lighting. The professional installers can have the landscape lighting installation process generally done in two days, but it depends on how much lighting the homeowner is requesting.

To know exactly what the cost would be to have landscape lighting installed at your home, you should call a professional landscape lighting contractor. Don’t you want to rest assured knowing that the lighting installer does this every day and has the qualification to perform the project effectively?

If the price of your landscape lighting project seems too good to be true, it may be the case. When a contractor offers you a price that is so affordable it is unheard of, this contractor might not have the credentials you need to perform your landscape lighting. Call around and get many different quotes before fully committing to one company. Ask many questions to the contractor to make sure they are qualified, trained, and have the experience and knowledge to do your landscape lighting. Landscape lighting can be affordable, but do not let a low price be the most influential factor in determining who will do your lighting.

For more information on Virginia’s #1 outdoor lighting experts, click here.

Categories : exterior lighting, landscape lighting, price, Richmond

Tags : landscape lighting, landscape lighting price