$120,000–$160,000 · 9 weeks
Stone Oak outdoor kitchen, San Antonio
Stone Oak, San Antonio · finished 2024 · led by Caleb Wendt
Landscape Lighting · from $6,500–$22,000
Landscape lighting design and installation in San Antonio
A lighting plan decides what you see after dark. Usually that's three things: the way in (driveway, walk, front door), the places you use (patio, kitchen, fire pit, steps), and a few features worth showing off (a live oak, a limestone wall, the facade). Everything else stays dark, and that contrast is what makes the yard look good at night.
We design whole-yard systems at night, on site, with test fixtures. Then we draw the plan, model it in your 3D night render, and install it with solid brass fixtures and warm 2700K LEDs on a properly sized transformer and timer.
Who it's for
Who this is for
Homeowners with a yard that disappears at sunset. New builds with a single porch light. Families with steps or slopes that are unsafe at night. Anyone who's just finished a patio, kitchen or garden and wants to use it after dark.
Materials and options
Fixture types and where they go
| Fixture | Use | Typical count | Installed cost each |
|---|---|---|---|
| Path light | Walks, bed edges | 6–15 | $300–$450 |
| Uplight / spotlight | Trees, columns, facade | 6–20 | $350–$600 |
| Wall wash | Limestone walls, fences | 2–8 | $325–$500 |
| Step and hardscape light | Steps, seat walls, kitchens | 4–20 | $280–$420 |
| Downlight in trees | Moonlighting patios and lawns | 2–8 | $450–$700 |
What it costs
What lighting design and installation costs
$6,500–$22,000
for most whole-yard systems of 20–50 fixtures
Most whole-yard lighting systems cost $6,500 to $22,000 installed, which works out to roughly $280 to $450 per fixture plus the transformer and timer. A front yard with walk lights, two tree uplights and a facade wash typically runs $6,500 to $9,000. A full front and back system with patio, steps and kitchen lighting runs $14,000 to $22,000.
Timeline
How long it takes
Most lighting projects take two to five days on site.
- Day site walk45 minutes
- Night design visit1–2 hours after dusk
- Plan and price1 week
- Install wire, fixtures, transformer2–4 days
- Night aiming and timer1 evening
What happens at the night visit
We arrive about 30 minutes after sunset with a box of battery-powered test fixtures. We light the front door and walk first, then the trees and walls you care about, trying two or three beam spreads and angles on each. You walk the yard with us and tell us what you like. We mark each fixture location with a flag and photograph the result, so the installed system matches what you approved that night.
Fixtures that survive Texas yards
Aluminum fixtures corrode within a few years under sprinklers and hard water, and their paint fades in the sun. We use solid cast brass and copper, which weather to a dark bronze and last decades. Lamps are integrated or replaceable LED, and every connection is gel-sealed so water can't wick into the wire.
Case study
Stone Oak outdoor kitchen, San Antonio
A cracked concrete slab replaced with a covered outdoor kitchen, a gas fire pit and a new LED lighting system that replaced a failed halogen setup.
Read the case study“We had 40 people for the crawfish boil in March and nobody went inside. Caleb came back two weeks later to re-aim two lights we didn't love, without us asking.”
Questions
Lighting design and installation questions
When should lighting be installed?
Plan it before hardscape so wire can run under stone. Fixtures go in last, after planting, so they're aimed at plants as they actually sit.
Can I control lights from my phone?
Yes. Most transformers we install have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth modules for scheduling and zones. All include an astronomical timer that follows sunset without an app.
Will the lights bother my neighbors?
Not if they're designed well. We aim and shield fixtures so light stays on your property and points down or into trees, not into windows.
Related landscape lighting services
All landscape lighting servicesWhere we build this most
Free · 45 minutes · no obligation
Start with a free site walk
Forty-five minutes on your property with a designer. You'll leave with honest numbers and a clear next step. A fixed-price proposal with a 3D render follows within two weeks.