The Honest Answer
Here is what most lighting companies will not tell you up front: landscape lighting cost depends almost entirely on fixture count and design complexity. A simple path-light run and a full-property architectural design are different projects with different prices — like comparing a powder room to a master bath. Anyone who quotes you a number over the phone without seeing your property is guessing.
What we can tell you is where the money goes, so you can judge any quote — ours or anyone's — with clear eyes.
What Drives the Cost
Number of fixtures. This is the big one. Each fixture is hardware plus labor to install, wire, and aim. A 10-fixture path project and a 40-fixture full-property design are in different worlds.
Fixture quality. Solid brass and copper fixtures cost more than aluminum — and last decades longer. Cheap fixtures corrode, lean, and get replaced. We install fixtures we will still be proud of in fifteen years.
Design complexity. A straightforward path run is quick. A layered design with up-lighting, moonlighting, hardscape fixtures, and six zones takes real design time plus skilled install labor.
Transformer and controls. The power center of the system. Smart controls and multi-zone setups add capability — and cost — versus a basic timer.
Site conditions. Rocky soil, long wire runs, and tricky access add labor. Most Arlington lots are straightforward, but every property is different.
Where Homeowners Overpay
Too many fixtures. Some companies sell fixture count, not design. More lights is not better — it is just more. A good design uses fewer fixtures placed with intent.
Cheap fixtures, expensive replacements. The low bid with aluminum fixtures looks good until year three, when half of them are corroded. Fixture quality is where the smart money goes.
No night aiming. If the quote does not include a night-aiming visit, you are paying for fixtures, not for lighting design. The aiming is what makes it look right.
How to Compare Quotes
Get itemized proposals: fixture count by type, transformer size, zones, and whether design, demo, and night aiming are included. Two quotes with the same fixture count but different fixture materials are not the same quote. And ask every contractor: "Do you come back after dark to aim?" The answer tells you everything.
Our Approach to Pricing
Every project gets a free consultation, a real design, and a written itemized proposal — so you see exactly where every dollar goes before you commit. No pressure, no same-day-signing discounts, no games. Start with a free design consultation.
Call (301) 679-9193 or send the form below for your free on-site lighting consultation.