Top Landscape Lighting Installation in Elgin, Illinois Ranked

Outdoor lighting transforms your Elgin property from a dark space into a beautifully illuminated extension of your home, enhancing safety, security, and curb appeal. Professional landscape lighting installation involves strategically placing fixtures to highlight architectural features, guide pathways, and create ambiance for evening enjoyment. This guide will help you understand the options, costs, and key considerations for illuminating your yard, empowering you to connect with skilled local specialists who can bring your vision to life.

American National Sprinkler & Lighting

924 Turret Ct, Mundelein, IL 60060

American National Sprinkler & Lighting is a Chicago, IL-based company specializing in lawn sprinkler system installation, repair, and outdoor lighting services. Established in 1984, the company has grown from a small team to a large operation with over 40 vehicles and 80 employees. They focus on designing and maintaining reliable sprinkler and lighting systems, with a service approach that emphasizes quick scheduling and efficient repairs, often completed within one to two days. The company operates seven days a week to accommodate customer schedules and prioritizes minimizing the time clients need to be at home.

5.0

446 Reviews

Artistic Outdoor Lighting Chicagoland's Landscape Lighting

260 Cortland Ave #9, Lombard, IL 60148

Artistic Outdoor Lighting Chicagoland's Landscape Lighting specializes in landscape and outdoor lighting installation in the Chicago, IL area. They focus on enhancing home safety, security, and curb appeal through expert LED lighting designs that highlight architectural and landscape features. The company serves suburban Chicagoland communities including Lake Forest, Barrington, St. Charles, Hinsdale, Orland Park, Oak Brook, and Wilmette. Their process includes detailed nighttime demonstrations and precise installation plans to ensure customer satisfaction and accurate results. Artistic Outdoor Lighting emphasizes energy-efficient LED technology to provide durable and low-maintenance outdoor lighting solutions.

5.0

193 Reviews

Humbug Holiday Lighting of Chicago

chicago

Humbug Holiday Lighting of Chicago specializes in holiday and landscape lighting installation for outdoor spaces in Chicago, IL. They handle the entire process from installing and configuring lights to troubleshooting and removal after the season. This service helps homeowners enjoy festive lighting without the hassle of setup, maintenance, or storage.

5.0

141 Reviews

Ascend Irrigation, Inc

813 E Washington St, West Chicago, IL 60185

Ascend Irrigation, Inc is a Chicago, IL-based company specializing in landscape lighting installation, yard drainage, grading, and sprinkler system services. They design and install tailored irrigation and drainage solutions that promote efficient water use and help maintain healthy, vibrant outdoor spaces. Their expertise includes advanced irrigation technologies aimed at minimizing water waste and comprehensive drainage systems to prevent water buildup and erosion. With years of experience, Ascend Irrigation, Inc serves both residential and commercial properties, focusing on sustainable landscaping and outdoor lighting enhancements.

5.0

137 Reviews

Pavestone Brick Paving, Inc

1645 Elk Blvd, Des Plaines, IL 60016

Pavestone Brick Paving, Inc is a family-owned hardscape contractor serving Chicago, IL, and the surrounding north and northwest suburbs. They specialize in designing and installing brick and stone patios, driveways, walkways, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, and outdoor lighting. As an authorized contractor for Unilock and Rochester, Pavestone offers high-quality paver products and provides full 3D hardscape and landscape color renderings to assist with project visualization. With over 24 years of experience, they focus on craftsmanship and structural integrity to create durable and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living spaces. Pavestone also offers permeable paver installations for environmentally sustainable projects.

4.9

255 Reviews

See more providers in Elgin, IL

Why Invest in Professional Outdoor Lighting?

A well-designed lighting scheme does more than just brighten your yard. It extends the usability of your outdoor living spaces into the evening, allowing you to enjoy your patio, deck, or garden long after sunset. From a practical standpoint, it significantly improves safety by illuminating steps, walkways, and potential trip hazards. It also acts as a powerful deterrent to trespassing, adding a layer of security to your home. Aesthetically, it accentuates your home's best features and landscaping, boosting your property's visual appeal and potentially its value ¹.

Understanding Your Lighting System Options

The first major decision in any landscape illumination project is choosing between low-voltage and line-voltage systems. For most Elgin homeowners, low-voltage lighting is the recommended and most popular choice.

Low-Voltage Systems (12V): These systems use a transformer to convert your home's standard 120-volt power to a safer 12 volts. They are easier and less expensive to install, as the wiring can be buried at a shallow depth. They are also safer for DIY adjustments and are highly energy-efficient, especially when paired with LED bulbs. The fixtures themselves come in a vast array of styles for every application ².

Line-Voltage Systems (120V): These systems use your home's full electrical current and are typically used for brighter, larger-scale applications like illuminating very tall trees or large commercial properties. Installation is more complex, often requiring a licensed electrician and conduit buried at least 18 inches deep. While they can power brighter lights, they are generally less common and more costly to install for residential projects in Elgin ².

Solar Lighting: Solar-powered path lights and spotlights offer a plug-and-play solution with no wiring. While their upfront cost is low and installation is simple, their performance in Illinois can be inconsistent. They rely on full sun to charge and often provide less reliable, softer light, making them better suited for decorative accents than for primary security or task lighting.

Popular Fixture Types and Their Uses

Selecting the right fixtures is crucial for both function and style. Here are the most common types used by lighting professionals:

• Path Lights: These short, stake-mounted fixtures are designed to cast a soft, downward glow to illuminate walkways, driveways, and garden borders for safe navigation. They are often the most numerous fixtures in a system ³.
• Spotlights and Bullet Lights: With a narrow, focused beam, these fixtures are perfect for "uplighting" to highlight specific features like a beautiful tree, architectural column, or statue. They are highly adjustable for precise aiming ^{3 4}.
• Floodlights: Offering a wider beam angle than spotlights, floodlights are used to wash light over a broad area, such as a garden bed, a section of your home's facade, or a backyard fence ^{3 4}.
• Deck and Step Lights: These low-profile, recessed, or surface-mounted fixtures are integrated into hardscaping to provide subtle illumination for steps, deck edges, and seating walls, preventing trips and falls ⁵.
• Downlights (Moonlighting): Mimicking the natural effect of moonlight, these fixtures are mounted high in trees or on structures to cast gentle, dappled shadows downward. This technique creates dramatic, natural-looking illumination for patios or pathways below ⁶.
• Underwater and Pond Lights: Specially sealed fixtures designed to add stunning visual effects to water features, fountains, or pools ³.

What Does Landscape Lighting Cost in Elgin?

For a professionally designed and installed low-voltage LED system in Elgin, homeowners can expect a total project cost typically ranging from $2,000 to $4,500, with an average around $3,250 for a standard yard ^{7 8 9}. This wide range reflects the customization involved. A simpler project to light a front walk and a few trees will cost less than a comprehensive system covering multiple outdoor living areas.

Costs are often broken down per fixture, including the fixture itself and its professional installation. In the Elgin area, you can expect to pay $100 to $200 per installed fixture for quality LED units ^{7 8}. The fixtures alone, if purchased separately, can range from $70 to $150 each for basic to mid-range models ⁹.

Small Project (5-10 fixtures): Focusing on key areas like a front walk and garden accents. Medium Project (15-25 fixtures): Covering primary walkways, foundational plantings, and a patio or deck-this is the "standard yard" scope. Large Project (25+ fixtures): A full-property illumination including multiple feature areas, architectural highlighting, and extensive safety lighting.

Key Factors That Influence Your Project's Price

Several variables will determine where your project falls within the estimated cost ranges:

1. Fixture Quantity and Quality: The single biggest cost driver. More fixtures mean more materials and labor. Higher-quality fixtures made from durable materials like copper or brass cost more upfront but offer better longevity and aesthetics than plastic or lower-grade aluminum options ¹⁰.
2. Design Complexity: A simple layout with evenly spaced path lights is straightforward. A design that requires intricate wiring to navigate gardens, hardscaping, or multiple transformers for different zones will increase planning and labor time.
3. Installation Labor: Professional installation ensures the system is safe, reliable, and correctly aimed for maximum effect. Labor includes trenching for wires, installing the transformer(s), mounting fixtures, and final system programming if using smart controls.
4. System Technology: Basic systems with a manual timer are less expensive. Systems with smart controls (Wi-Fi/app-based), dimming zones, or color-changing LEDs involve more sophisticated components and programming.

The Professional Design and Installation Process

Working with a specialist ensures your system is both beautiful and built to last. The process typically follows these steps:

1. Consultation and Design: A professional will visit your Elgin home at dusk to assess your property's features and darkness. Together, you'll discuss goals (security, ambiance, highlighting), and the designer will create a lighting plan that maps out each fixture's location, type, and purpose.
2. Equipment Selection: Based on the design, you'll select fixtures that match your home's style and functional needs. A pro will recommend the appropriate LED wattage, beam angles, and finishes (e.g., black, bronze, brass) to achieve the desired effects.
3. Installation: The crew will install the transformer(s), run and bury low-voltage cables, and securely place all fixtures according to the plan. They will adjust each fixture's aim precisely to create the perfect lighting effect without glare or light pollution.
4. Demonstration and Final Walkthrough: Once complete, the installer will walk you through operating the system, explain timer or smart control settings, and provide care instructions.

Maintaining Your Outdoor Lighting System

Modern LED landscape lighting requires minimal maintenance. The long-life LEDs (often 25,000+ hours) may not need replacement for a decade or more. Primary maintenance involves:

• Periodically cleaning fixture lenses of dirt, pollen, and debris.
• Trimming back plant growth that may be blocking lights or getting too close to fixtures.
• Checking and adjusting fixture positioning if they get knocked out of alignment.
• Ensuring the transformer is clear of debris and functioning properly. An annual check-up by your installer can keep everything performing optimally.

Frequently asked questions

Sources