Landscape lighting costs $4,000, on average, and most projects total between $3,000 and $6,000.
Most homeowners spend anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 on landscape lighting costs, with an average price tag of about $4,000. Your price could fall anywhere from $1,000 up to $7,500 depending on the type of lighting fixtures you use, how many you need, how large your property is, whether you DIY or hire a pro for the installation, and more.
One of the primary things that determines the cost to install landscape lighting is the size of your yard, or at least the portion you want to illuminate. Larger yards tend to require more lighting to create a cohesive appearance at night. Of course, your existing landscaping and the type of fixtures you want will play an important role, too.
| Yard Size (sq. ft.) | Average Lighting Cost |
|---|---|
| 5,000 | $2,000 |
| 10,000 | $4,000 |
| 20,000 | $6,000 |
| 43,560 (1 acre) | $7,500 |
You can expect to pay between $50 and $100 per hour for labor to install your lighting. That works out to between $3 and $5 per linear foot of wiring you need to run or between $20 and $50 per fixture, depending on the type of lights you’re installing. Including materials and fixture installation, the cost to install a single fixture is between $150 and $1,000.
In total, you’ll pay an average of around $3,000 on labor alone. Labor costs can be lower if you’re installing solar lights that just require installation, while wired fixtures will be more expensive due to the cost of trenching and running wire underground.
You might need to hire an electrician in addition to your landscape lighting pro if you’re installing wired lights. An electrician will also charge between $50 and $100 per hour.
You might just need to hire an electrician to connect the wires your landscaping pro installs to your electrical system, which could cost an average of $200 as a standalone job. You may also need to pay the cost to install a new subpanel if your main panel can’t receive the additional connections. This would run you between $400 and $1,750. Installing an exterior outlet costs around $230 and might be a better option if you’re using plug-in lights.
Labor and material costs will vary by location, often in proportion to the local cost of living. You’ll pay more to install landscape lighting on a home in a more expensive state, like California or New York, and you’ll also pay more if you live near a major metropolitan area, where living costs are naturally higher.
| State | Average Lighting Cost |
|---|---|
| California | $5,790 |
| Florida | $4,100 |
| Georgia | $3,660 |
| Illinois | $3,820 |
| Michigan | $3,690 |
| New York | $4,940 |
| North Carolina | $3,900 |
| Ohio | $3,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $3,800 |
| Texas | $3,700 |
There are some other cost factors you should consider in order to get the most accurate cost to install landscaping lighting on your property.
There are many different types of landscape lighting you can invest in to brighten up your home’s exterior, including pathway lights, ground lights in your flower beds, uplighting, and wall-mounted lights beside your front door. The type of lighting you want as a part of your landscape design is an important factor, as it affects the price of the light fixtures as well as installation costs.
| Type of Lighting | Cost Per Fixture |
|---|---|
| Floodlights | $250–$800 |
| Holiday lights | $220–$690 |
| Lamp posts | $400–$1,000 |
| Low-voltage lights | $100–$150 |
| Pathway lights | $50–$150 |
| Porch lights | $65–$250 |
| Security lights | $350–$500 |
| Soffit lights | $125–$300 |
| String lights | $50–$200 |
| Uplights | $100–$400 |
| Water feature lights | $100–$400 |
You have three main options when it comes to how you’ll power your lights: wired lights, battery-powered lights, and solar-powered lights.
Battery-powered lights tend to be the least expensive due to the ease and flexibility of installation. Solar lights are a little more expensive, on average, but they require less ongoing maintenance. Hardwired lights are the most expensive due to the cost of running underground wiring, but they’re the most reliable and normally last the longest.
| Power Source | Cost Per Fixture |
|---|---|
| Battery-powered | $50–$150 |
| Solar-powered | $50–$200 |
| Wired | $150–$300 |
You can also opt for wired lights that plug in to maintain flexibility over time. These fixtures cost between $100 and $175, on average, but you’ll also have to spend around $230 per exterior outlet you need to install.
Your current landscaping can be another major factor when determining the cost to install landscape lighting. Of course, if you’re upgrading your landscaping at the same time, you’ll need to budget for installing flower beds, planting flowers or trees, and installing hardscaping. Professional landscaping design costs around $3,500, but you could pay anywhere from $200 to $15,000 or more, depending on what features you want.
Your existing landscaping can also make the process of installing your new exterior lighting more challenging. For example, trenching for wiring can quickly double or triple in price if your professional needs to work around or trench under flower beds, patios, decks, ponds, and other features.
Finally, the type of lightbulbs you want in your lighting will affect not only the look of your illuminated property but also how expensive the fixtures are and the cost of running and replacing bulbs over time. Different bulbs also last for varying amounts of time, further affecting ongoing maintenance costs.
| Bulb Type | Lifespan (Running Hours) | Cost per Bulb |
|---|---|---|
| CFL | 8,000 | $10–$40 |
| Halogen | 2,000 | $6–$15 |
| HID | 12,000 | $10–$35 |
| Incandescent | 1,000 | $0.50–$10 |
| LED | 25,000 | $0.70–$8 |
It’s often possible to install your own landscape lighting, depending on your exterior home lighting ideas, and doing so could save you anywhere between $200 and $2,000. Provided you provided you opt for battery-powered or solar-powered lights, avid DIYers can easily install the following:
Pathway lights
Porch lights
Floodlights
Uplights
Security lights
Holiday lights
However, it’s always best to defer to a local electrician or landscaping pro if you’re looking for wired lighting, as it’s dangerous to work with electricity and often illegal to connect lights to your home’s electrical system yourself. Soffit lights also require cutting into your soffits, recessing the lights, and running wiring through your attic space, so it’s best to leave this job to a pro, as well. Finally, any lighting in or around water features requires a professional, as electricity and water don’t play well together, and mistakes can be dangerous.
When in doubt, or if you don’t have the time or experience, contact a local landscape lighting pro to get the job done properly.
If you have existing landscape lighting that’s no longer working as expected, you may need to decide if it’s a better idea to replace or repair the fixtures. Outdoor fixtures see a lot of wear and tear from the elements, so if yours are more than 5 years old, it’s probably more cost-effective to replace them. If a single light is out or malfunctioning, you can try replacing the bulb and then opt for a repair if that doesn’t work.
Replacing landscaping lights will cost about the same as installing new ones, often between $3,000 and $6,000. Repairing an exterior light fixture costs between $150 and $250, in most cases, and is a better option if the fixture still has a lot of useful life left in it.
Landscape lighting costs can easily climb to $7,500, so you may need to look for ways to save money on the installation total. There are a few things you can do to keep costs down.
Choose battery-powered or solar-powered lights: Running and connecting wiring for hardwired lights will drastically increase your installation costs. Battery-powered and solar-powered lights are easier and more affordable to install, and you can maximize savings by DIYing the installation if you’re comfortable.
DIY what you can: Even if you choose hardwired lights, you can save some money on labor by digging the trenches for the wiring yourself. It’s a good idea to speak with a pro first to ensure you dig in the right areas.
Think about lighting when you’re installing landscaping features: Planning a total overhaul of your home’s exterior? Keep lighting in mind during the planning stages. Something as simple as running wires under patios can keep installation costs down in the future, even if you don’t connect lights right away.
Invest in quality fixtures: Outdoor lighting fixtures won’t last as long as interior ones because they face rain, snow, and extreme temperatures. Invest now in high-quality fixtures to keep replacement costs down in the future.
Consider running costs: You should always choose bulb types that you enjoy the look of, but consider how energy-efficient they are, how often you’ll need to replace them, and how expensive the bulbs are to maximize savings.
Yes, the ROI from landscape lighting is around 60%, which means the project will add an average of $2,400 to your home’s value. Exterior renovations like landscape lighting improve your home’s curb appeal, which will immediately have a positive impression on buyers. Certain types of lights, like floodlights and security lights, can also improve home security, which can boost home value.
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Yes, landscape lighting is a type of design service that can absolutely be overdone, leaving your home looking more awkward than beautified. The goal with landscape lighting should be to illuminate key areas and create a cohesive appearance while also playing with lighting and shadows to add depth to your property. Consider hiring a professional to strike the right balance.
High-quality landscape lights that are hardwired and properly maintained can last for 10 to 25 years or more. You’ll usually get a longer lifespan from soffit lights and wall-mounted lights that aren’t directly exposed to the elements or prone to damage from foot traffic or vehicle traffic. Solar-powered and battery-powered lights often won’t last as long, but you can still expect a lifespan of five to 15 years.
An exterior lighting professional will normally be able to complete hardwired lighting installation in a day or two, depending on the size of the project, and they can install battery-powered or solar-powered lights in just a few hours. DIYing the project will often take a bit longer, but you can typically install battery- or solar-powered exterior lighting in a single weekend.
