Outdoor lighting installation: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What outdoor lighting installation is

Outdoor lighting installation adds weather-rated path, wall, deck and landscape lights, with buried or protected wiring, transformers, timers or sensors. It improves safety on steps and walkways, and it lights the house and yard after dark. The work involves wet locations, so the cable, connections and controls must be rated for outdoor use and protected from water and digging.

Signs you need it

  • Steps, walkways or driveways are hard to see after dark
  • Your entry or porch light is a single bulb that does not cover the area
  • Outdoor outlets or old fixtures are cracked, corroded, or no longer seal against weather
  • You want landscape or uplighting for trees, a deck or a front walk
  • A motion sensor or timer would help you use the yard without leaving lights on
  • Exposed or temporary cords are in use outdoors and need replacing with permanent wiring

What the pro does

  • Plan the fixture layout and the cable route, marking the lines before any trench or dig
  • Install a low-voltage transformer or a weather-rated power supply at a protected location, and connect it to the correct circuit
  • Run cable through conduit or direct-burial rated wire, keeping it clear of irrigation and roots
  • Install fixtures and connectors that are rated for wet locations, and seal each connection correctly
  • Set the timers or sensors, and test each fixture for brightness, wiring and water protection
  • Document the cable route and the transformer location for future digging and repairs

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Number of fixtures and the length of the cable run to each one
  • Whether the layout needs trenching through lawn, beds or hardscape
  • Whether a new GFCI outdoor circuit or a transformer circuit must be added
  • Type of fixtures, such as path lights, wall washers or landscape uplights
  • Controls included, such as timers, photocells, motion sensors or app control
  • Access to the power source and whether the work requires a protected outdoor box

What a written quote should spell out

  • Number and type of fixtures, with the location of each on a layout sketch
  • Cable type and burial depth, and whether conduit is used
  • Transformer or power supply size, location and circuit source
  • GFCI protection and where it is located
  • Controls, timer or sensor settings, and any extra work for trenching or hardscape

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Will you call for utility locates before you dig, and who pays for them?
  • What type of cable will you bury, and how deep will it go?
  • Is the transformer rated for the total fixture load, with room for expansion?
  • Which connectors and fixtures are rated for wet locations?
  • How will the outdoor circuit be protected against water and ground faults?
  • Who repairs the lawn, beds or hardscape after the trench is closed?

Red flags

  • Plans to dig without calling for underground utility locates
  • Buries cable that is not rated for direct burial or wet locations
  • Connects outdoor fixtures to an indoor circuit without GFCI protection
  • Uses splices or wire nuts without weather-rated covers in the ground or in wet spots
  • Places the transformer where water can reach it or where it is hard to service

What you can do yourself

Choosing fixtures, planning a layout, and replacing a bulb with the power off are reasonable. Digging trenches for cable, connecting to the house circuit, and wiring a transformer need a licensed electrician. Call utility locates before any digging, because buried lines can be deadly to hit.

Licenses and permits

Outdoor lighting work is commonly done by licensed electrical contractors when it connects to house power, and new outdoor circuits often need a permit. Check with your state or local licensing agency or building department for the rules that apply to your yard and house.

Outdoor lighting installation questions

Can I bury a low-voltage light cable myself?

Low-voltage cable is less hazardous than line voltage, but it still needs to be rated for burial, routed away from other utilities and connected correctly. Call utility locates before you dig, and ask a pro to check the connections.

Why does my outdoor light stop working after rain?

Water is getting into a connection or a fixture that is not rated for it. Check the seals and the splice covers. An electrician can find the entry point and replace the failed part.

Do outdoor lights need their own circuit?

Not always. A low-voltage system runs from a transformer fed by a GFCI-protected circuit, and line-voltage fixtures need a protected circuit with enough capacity. The electrician checks the existing outdoor circuit's load and protection before adding fixtures.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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