Outdoor lighting is the trend of today. Not only does it adds an element of uniqueness and beauty to your property, but also improves its safety and security. If installed properly, landscape lights can highlight the architectural features of your home and create an all-together distinct identity of your premises from the rest of your neighborhood.
Landscape lighting is an art. Underlit trees and few accent lights aiming at the facade of your home- creating a perfect lighting scheme is all that is required. You have to place every single light in a strategic way that enhances the aesthetics of your house and at the same time doesn’t burn on energy and your pocket.
However, all this demands specialized skills which can be found in professional landscape lighting designers. The knowledge they possess and the craftsmanship that they can provide would be something you would never be able to achieve on your own. Here is how you can hire one for your next lighting project-
Ask for recommendations
Skilled landscape designers are able to create a satisfied and loyal customer base with the quality of work they provide. These happy clients keep recommending them further to new clients unintentionally, expanding their growth and building up a solid reputation for them. So, when you plan to give a beautiful makeover to your property, speak to your friends, family, or colleagues and ask if they have dealt with such a designer before. If yes, then listen to their experience and decide if the prospective designer would be suitable for your project or not. You can also search online for the designers in your city and go through their websites, reviews and ratings.
Check experience and reputation
After listing down all the landscape lighting designers in your area, give them a quick call to gather more information about them. You should ask for how long they have been carrying out their business operations in a similar line. A well-established designer is more likely to be acquainted with the nuances of landscape lighting than an amateur who has just entered the industry. A designer who has been serving the market from long becomes a pro in understanding the customers and gains an edge of higher experience in comparison to its counterparts.
Look out for a work portfolio
While searching out for designers, don’t fall prey to their exaggerated plans to turn your house into a dream place. There might be a possibility that the images shown on their website is not of their own projects, but was put up only to entice people. Another situation can be unfeasible lighting plans laid down by the designer. One has to agree on the brutal reality that a lot of many times the ideas that look great on paper fail to look the same after they are executed in actuality. So, to keep all these issues at bay, it is crucial to ask the designer to present authentic images of lighting jobs that have been undertaken in the past. You can also ask for referrals and contact previous clients to have a clear picture in mind.
Take cost estimations
It is important to take detailed cost estimation from your designer for your project. Ask what all will be done, when will it be completed, what kind of materials will be used and what will be the procedure of payments. Compare the estimations received from one designer to another to land up with the best option. Ask all possible queries arising in your head to avoid any sort of ambiguity later.