What Utah Homeowners Should Know Before Hiring or DIYing Landscape Lighting Installation

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Landscape lighting changes how a home looks after dark. The right setup pulls out architectural lines, makes walkways usable at night, and adds curb appeal that lasts well beyond the holidays. The wrong setup looks cheap, fails after one Utah winter, and gets ripped out the following spring.

Most homeowners researching landscape lighting installation are weighing two questions at once. Can I do this myself? And if I hire it out, what am I actually paying for? This article answers both. We’ll cover the three main types of landscape lighting, what professional installation looks like, what it costs, and where DIY makes sense versus where it doesn’t.

Utah Holiday Lighting has installed exterior lighting across Utah for over seven years, including high-profile work for Hallmark Christmas movie productions and clients like Netflix and Peacock. That experience shapes the guidance below.

Benefits of Landscape Lighting in Utah

Adding landscape lighting to your Utah home transforms your entire property. A thoughtfully designed low-voltage landscape lighting system instantly boosts curb appeal, making your home stand out after dark and highlighting unique architectural features and beautiful plants. Beyond aesthetics, landscape lighting is a proven way to enhance safety and security. Illuminated walkways, driveways, and entry points help prevent trips and falls, while a well-lit exterior deters unwanted visitors and gives homeowners peace of mind.

A quality landscape lighting system also extends your outdoor living space, allowing you to enjoy patios, decks, and gardens long after sunset. By strategically placing low-voltage landscape lights, you can create inviting zones for entertaining or relaxing, all while showcasing the best aspects of your landscape. Over time, these improvements can increase your property’s value and make your home more attractive to future buyers. With the right system in place, you’ll enjoy both the beauty and the practical benefits of landscape lighting for years to come.

The Three Types of Landscape Lighting

Before any installation conversation makes sense, you need to know which system you’re talking about. There are three:

Solar landscape lights

Each fixture has its own small solar panel. They charge during the day, switch on at dusk, and require zero wiring. Easy to install, but the light output is weaker than wired alternatives, and per Home Depot’s installation guide, they need six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily to work properly. In a yard with mature trees or a north-facing layout, solar struggles.

Low-voltage landscape lights (12V or 24V)

Low-voltage lighting uses a low-voltage transformer that plugs into a GFCI outlet, reducing the standard 120-volt household current to a lower voltage, typically 12 or 24 volts, which is then fed through buried cable to each fixture. This is the standard for most professionally installed landscape lighting. Low-voltage landscape lighting is safe to work with, energy-efficient, and produces consistent brightness regardless of the weather. Low-voltage landscape lighting systems typically operate at 12 or 24 volts, which is safer and more energy-efficient than traditional line-voltage systems.

Line-voltage landscape lights (120V)

Hardwired to the home’s electrical system at full household voltage. More powerful, more expensive, and, per CAST Lighting, legally requires a licensed electrician for installation. Used mostly for large commercial properties or specific architectural applications.

For 90% of residential landscape lighting projects, low-voltage LED is the right answer. It’s what professional installers use, and it’s what this article focuses on, including how to install low-voltage landscape lighting step by step.

Choosing the Right Fixtures

Selecting the right landscape lighting fixtures is key to achieving both the look and functionality you want for your outdoor space. Start by considering the purpose of each light. Do you need spotlights to accent trees or architectural features, pathway lights for safety, or floodlights for broader coverage? Opt for fixtures that are specifically designed for outdoor use, ensuring they are weather-resistant and built to withstand Utah’s climate.

Energy efficiency is another important factor. Choose fixtures compatible with low-voltage systems, typically 12 or 24 volts, to keep your lighting installation safe and cost-effective. Pay attention to the color temperature of the light source; warm white creates a cozy, inviting feel, while cooler tones can highlight modern landscaping or stonework. For best results, consult with a professional landscape lighting installation expert or a licensed electrician. Their experience can help you select the right fixtures, ensure proper placement, and create a cohesive lighting plan that enhances your landscape and meets your needs.

What Landscape Lighting Installation Costs

The numbers vary wildly across cost guides, which can make budgeting confusing. Here’s what the data shows:

Angi reports the average cost to install landscape lighting is $3,500, with most homeowners paying $2,000 to $6,000. LawnStarter puts the range at $2,000 to $4,500, with an average of $3,250. Per-fixture costs run $100 to $200 installed for low-voltage systems, with high-end fixtures pushing $300 or more.

The spread comes from a few specific factors:

Number of fixtures

Most projects use 8 to 15 fixtures. Larger properties with multiple zones need 20 or more. When considering how many lights you need, remember that the number of lights directly impacts the overall cost of landscape lighting installation.

Path lights are commonly used to illuminate walkways, driveways, and garden paths, enhancing safety and visibility at night.

Fixture Quality

Cheap plastic fixtures from a big-box store cost $20 to $40. Brass, copper, or stainless steel professional-grade fixtures run $80 to $200 each. The difference matters in Utah’s climate, where temperature swings and UV exposure destroy low-grade plastic within a few seasons.

Trenching Difficulty

Wiring needs to be buried. Mature landscaping, hardscape, or rocky soil makes trenching more labor-intensive. HomeGuide pricing data puts trenching at $5 to $12 per linear foot.

Existing electrical

If your home doesn’t have an exterior GFCI outlet, you’ll need an electrician to add one. That’s an extra $150 to $350.

Design complexity

A simple pathway run is straightforward. Multi-zone designs with uplighting, downlighting, and accent fixtures cost more because they require more wire, more transformer capacity, and more design work.

What Professional Installation Includes (and Why It Matters)

A professional landscape lighting installation isn’t just hanging fixtures. The installation process involves several key steps to ensure a safe, effective, and visually appealing outdoor lighting system:

On-site assessment.

Walking the property at night with a flashlight to see what existing light hits the home and where shadows fall. This shows where lighting will have the most visual impact and helps determine the focus for accentuating specific landscape features.

Lighting design.

Choosing fixture types and placements based on the home’s architecture, landscaping, and how the family uses the space. Essential equipment for landscape lighting installation includes light fixtures, low-voltage cables, a transformer, waterproof connectors, and mounting stakes or brackets. A pathway light belongs in a different location than an uplight on a column. Deck lights and step lights are designed to provide softer lighting for stairs, patios, and railings, improving safety without overwhelming the space.

Load calculation

Sizing the transformer correctly is crucial for a successful installation. The transformer’s capacity must be sufficient for the total wattage of all lights (add up all lights and multiply by 1.25 for extra capacity), and cable length impacts voltage drop and power loss. Consider transformer location for dryness, ventilation, accessibility, and proximity to the house or wall for optimal performance and safety.

Trenching and wire routing

Burying the cable in shallow trenches that route around plants, hardscape, and underground utilities. Before starting work, it is important to mark the locations of existing underground utilities, including existing cables and irrigation lines, to avoid damage during the process. Always comply with local codes regarding trench depth and wiring safety. (Anyone digging in a yard should call 811 first, regardless of who does the work.)

Fixture installation and aiming

Installing each light fixture and adjusting the angle and focus of the beam direction. Professionals make precise adjustments to the angle and position of each fixture to highlight features, create the desired ambiance, and ensure the lighting system achieves the intended effect. This is the step that separates professional results from DIY results. A landscape light pointed two degrees off-axis casts the wrong shadow.

Connecting components

Use waterproof, direct-burial-rated connectors and wire connectors to securely attach wires and prevent moisture intrusion. Proper connectors are essential for weatherproof and secure electrical connections in landscape lighting installations. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when connecting fixtures to the transformer and assembling components.

Mounting

Transformers and other components are commonly mounted on a wall or near the house for stability, safety, and accessibility.

Testing and final adjustment

Returning at night to verify how the lighting actually performs in the dark. Daytime aiming rarely matches what the system looks like at 10 pm. Final adjustments may include fine-tuning the angle, focus, and spread of each fixture. Setting a timer automates the outdoor lighting system for convenience and energy efficiency.

The reason professional installation costs more isn’t the labor of digging trenches. It’s the design judgment, the selection of proper materials, and the aiming. Two homes with identical fixtures can look completely different depending on how those fixtures are placed and aimed. Professional installation also includes careful planning, safety precautions, and adherence to the manufacturer’s instructions and local codes to ensure a successful installation.

When It Makes Sense for DIY Landscape Lighting

DIY landscape lighting is genuinely doable for low-voltage systems. The wiring is safe (12 volts won’t shock you), and the components are designed for non-electricians. Per Home Depot’s data, most low-voltage transformers handle 100 to 300 watts and connect with simple wire-strip-and-screw terminals.

DIY makes sense when:

  • You only need a few path lights along a single walkway
  • You’re using solar lights and don’t need any wiring
  • You’re comfortable with basic outdoor work and have a weekend to spend on it
  • Budget is the primary constraint, and the visual outcome is secondary

DIY does not make sense when:

  • You want the lighting to look custom-fit to your home’s architecture
  • The project involves more than one zone or 8+ fixtures
  • You need a new GFCI outlet installed (that’s an electrician’s job)
  • You want a warranty on workmanship
  • The cable run is over 100 feet, which requires careful voltage-drop calculation
  • You are not confident in identifying and avoiding existing cables when digging or trenching for landscape lighting

The honest tradeoff: DIY saves $1,500 to $3,000 in labor on a typical project. It also produces a result that looks like DIY. That’s not a knock on doing it yourself. It’s a recognition that lighting design and beam aiming take practice, and homeowners doing this for the first time tend to overlight, underlight, or end up with hot spots and dead zones.

LED vs. Halogen for Landscape Lighting

This part of the decision is closed. LEDs win.

LED bulbs use roughly 1 watt per bulb compared to incandescent or halogen bulbs at 5 watts. Per the LawnStarter cost guide, LED landscape lights last 25,000 to 40,000 hours. Quality professional-grade LED fixtures push that lifespan past 50,000 hours.

The math over a 10-year period is straightforward:

  • A 12-fixture halogen system runs roughly $200 to $300 per year in electricity at standard usage
  • The same system in LED runs $20 to $60 per year, per HomeGuide’s calculations
  • Halogen bulbs need replacement every 2,000 to 3,000 hours; LEDs rarely need replacement at all

If a contractor is still recommending halogen for landscape lighting in 2026, ask why. There’s no remaining advantage outside of a few specialty applications.

Utah-Specific Considerations

Generic landscape lighting advice misses what matters for Utah homes. The climate range here is harder on outdoor lighting than most of the country.

UV exposure

Utah’s elevation means stronger UV than coastal or low-elevation regions. UV destroys plastic fixtures, fades finishes, and degrades wire insulation. This is the main reason cheap big-box fixtures fail within two or three years on Utah properties. Quality brass, copper, or powder-coated aluminum fixtures hold up.

Temperature swings

A Salt Lake City summer afternoon can hit 100°F. A January night can drop to single digits. Fixtures and wiring need to handle that full range without cracking, condensing, or pulling apart at the connections.

Snow and snowmelt

Path lights buried in snow for weeks at a time need to be sealed against water intrusion. Cheap fixtures that look fine in the showroom fail their first February.

For Utah installations, the fixture quality decision matters more than it does in milder climates. The price difference between commodity hardware and professional-grade hardware is real, but so is the difference in lifespan.

When Permanent LED Lighting Is Worth Considering

For homeowners thinking about landscape lighting primarily because they want their home to look great year-round, permanent LED roofline lighting is worth looking at as a related option. Systems like Gemstone Lights install along the roofline, run on the same low-voltage principles as landscape lighting, and offer 16 million color options through a smartphone app.

A typical permanent LED installation runs around $3,500. For homeowners who also want holiday lighting, the math often favors a permanent system over the combination of seasonal lights plus landscape lighting plus annual installation labor. It’s a different conversation than ground-level landscape lighting, but worth flagging if curb appeal is the underlying goal.

Maintenance and Upkeep

To keep your landscape lighting system performing at its best, regular maintenance is essential. Start by inspecting your fixtures and cables periodically. Look for signs of wear, moisture intrusion, or damage from weather and landscaping activities. Use a voltage tester to confirm that each fixture is receiving the correct voltage, and check that your low-voltage cable is intact and properly buried to prevent accidental damage.

It’s also important to monitor your transformer’s capacity and total wattage, especially if you add new fixtures over time. Clear away debris, mulch, or overgrown plants from around your lights to maintain optimal brightness and prevent overheating. If you notice flickering lights, dim spots, or exposed wires, address these issues promptly to ensure safety and system longevity. For more complex repairs or routine checkups, consider hiring a professional landscape lighting installation company. Their expertise can help you fine-tune your system, prevent damage, and keep your outdoor lighting both beautiful and secure year-round.

Ready for an Estimate?

Utah Holiday Lighting designs and installs landscape, exterior, and permanent LED lighting across Utah. If you’re weighing professional installation against DIY, or want a real number for your specific home, get a free estimate from our team.