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Outdoor Lighting in Canada: what the work covers, what it costs, and how to hire
CentFix
Updated regularly · Canada-wide
Good outdoor lighting is mostly restraint. A few well-aimed fixtures on a tree, a doorway and the steps do more than a row of path lights marching down the walk.
This page covers outdoor lighting specifically: what is normally included, what pushes prices up or down, when in the season the work is best done, and the questions worth asking before you sign anything.
CentFix is a matching service. You describe the project once and independent landscaping contractors who serve your address come back with quotes.
What outdoor lighting covers
Outdoor lighting covers low-voltage and LED systems around a property: path and step lights, uplighting on trees and features, deck and patio fixtures, plus the transformers, timers and controls that run them.
Most residential systems run at low voltage, which keeps installation simpler and safer. Anything tied into a new circuit or panel work is a licensed electrician's job.
- Garden lighting
- Pathway lighting
- Walkway lighting
- Patio lighting
- Deck lighting
- Driveway lighting
- Landscape spotlighting
- Tree lighting
What affects the price
Landscaping quotes vary widely because the same description can hide very different amounts of work. These are the factors that actually move the number on outdoor lighting projects.
- Number of fixtures and the run length of cable
- Fixture quality, cast brass and copper outlast plastic by years
- Transformer size and whether timers or smart controls are included
- Trenching through lawn, beds or under hard surfaces
- Repairs to an existing system, which often means tracing faults first
Describe the project once and independent contractors nearby come back with quotes you can compare.
Timing, seasons and how soon crews can start
Spring is the busiest period and books out fast. Planting is best done in spring or early autumn when temperatures are moderate and roots can establish before extremes.
Autumn is an underrated window. Hardscape crews have more availability, soil is still workable, and work completed before freeze-up settles naturally over winter. Sod also establishes well in cooler weather with less watering.
How to choose the right contractor
Ask what goes under the surface. A contractor who tells you excavation depth, base material and compaction method has built patios that stayed flat. One who quotes only on square footage of stone has not been asked before.
Look at work they built several years ago rather than last month. Anything looks good the week it is finished. The test in this country is what it looks like after three winters.
- Insurance and workers' compensation coverage
- A written scope stating excavation depth, base material and compaction
- Whether drainage has been considered and how water will move
- Plant warranty terms, if any, and what they require of you
- Photos of projects completed at least three years ago
Questions to ask before you book
You do not need to know the trade to ask good questions. These separate a contractor who has thought about your property from one quoting off a photo.
- Have you done outdoor lighting work on a property like mine recently?
- How deep are you excavating, and what base material are you using?
- Where will water go once this surface is in place?
- Does this retaining wall need engineering at that height?
- Are plants selected for my exposure and hardiness zone?
- How will materials reach the back yard, and what happens to the spoil?
Common mistakes that cost homeowners money
The recurring landscaping mistake is buying a surface rather than a structure. Money spent on base preparation and drainage is invisible and it is exactly what determines whether the project survives.
- Skimping on excavation and base depth under patios and walkways
- Building surfaces that direct water toward the foundation
- Planting large trees close to the house or the sewer lateral
- Building a retaining wall above the permit threshold without engineering
- Installing sod without preparing the soil underneath
Keeping the work in good shape afterwards
Established landscaping needs seasonal attention rather than constant work. The two things that matter most are keeping water moving away from the building and keeping plants suited to their spot.
- Clear leaves from drains, swales and low points each autumn
- Top up joint sand on interlocking surfaces as it washes out
- Refresh mulch annually to hold moisture and suppress weeds
- Prune shrubs away from siding and foundations
- Watch for settling near the house and correct grading before it becomes a basement problem
