Landscape Lighting Designer
in San Diego
Custom LED Outdoor Lighting Systems

Most residential landscape lighting systems in San Diego range from $3,500 to $15,000 depending on property size, fixture count, and control complexity. A front-yard starter system with 10–15 fixtures and a basic transformer typically runs $3,500–$6,000. A full-property system with 25–40 fixtures, multiple zones, and Wi-Fi smart controls runs $7,500–$12,000. Estate installations with 50+ fixtures, multiple transformers, and integrated hardscape lighting run $12,000–$25,000+. Modern Yardz provides a detailed fixture-by-fixture quote after the free evening design walk.

Yes, by an enormous margin. LED fixtures use roughly 80% less electricity than equivalent halogens, run at around 40°C instead of 150°C+ (safer around plants and hands), and last 40,000–50,000 hours — effectively 20+ years at typical dusk-to-dawn use — versus 2,000–5,000 hours for halogen. Over a 10-year horizon, a comparable LED system saves a San Diego homeowner $600–$1,200 in electricity alone, before factoring in bulb replacements and service calls.

Modern Yardz specs commercial-grade fixtures from Kichler, FX Luminaire, Vista Professional, Coastal Source, and Unique Lighting — depending on the project's aesthetic and budget. All are brass or copper construction (not plastic or powder-coated aluminum) because San Diego's salt air corrodes lesser materials within a few seasons. We avoid big-box retail kits entirely; those systems fail predictably in 3–5 years and are almost impossible to service.

A properly specified and installed system lasts 20+ years with minimal intervention. Brass and copper fixtures patina gracefully and never fail structurally. LED lamps run 40,000–50,000 hours before gradually dimming. Direct-burial 10–12 gauge cable runs indefinitely when installed correctly. The most common service item is transformer replacement after 10–15 years. Modern Yardz systems include a manufacturer fixture warranty plus our in-house workmanship guarantee.

Yes. We install astronomical-timer smart transformers (FX Luminaire ZDC, Kichler LED+, Coastal Source Wi-Fi) that give you Wi-Fi app control of every zone, scene presets for entertaining vs. nightly baseline, per-zone dimming, sunset-tracking timers that adjust automatically every night of the year, and optional integration with Ring, Nest, Control4, and similar home-automation platforms. Motion-triggered security lighting is fully programmable per zone.

Most residential landscape lighting installations complete in 2–4 days from trench to evening walkthrough. A compact front-yard system with 10–15 fixtures typically finishes in a single day. Full-property systems with 25–40 fixtures and integrated hardscape channels run 3–4 days. Estate installations with multiple transformers and extensive trenching can take a week. Modern Yardz schedules the final evening aim walkthrough 1–3 days after install, always at dusk.

No. Our low-voltage (12V) systems use 10–12 gauge direct-burial cable run along bed edges, under mulch, and through micro-trenches 4–6 inches deep. We hand-trench near root zones of mature trees and specimen plantings. LEDs emit almost no heat, so fixtures can sit directly against turf, planting, or tree bark without burning. We coordinate installation with irrigation systems so lines and emitters stay intact.

Almost none. Quarterly fixture aim checks (a 10-minute walk), occasional glass cleaning if salt spray builds up near the coast, and a transformer inspection every 3–5 years is the entire maintenance schedule for a well-specified system. Modern Yardz offers an optional annual tune-up service that covers aim adjustments, fixture cleaning, and dimming recalibration — most clients use this once per year after spring landscape growth.

Meaningfully, yes. A layered lighting system eliminates the dark-perimeter advantage that burglars rely on — light along walkways, side-yard access points, and the home's perimeter is a documented deterrent. Adding motion-triggered zones at entry points and garage elevations adds a second layer. We design with security as one vector alongside aesthetics so lighting never looks like floodlights; it looks intentional, which is what the best security lighting does.

Yes, and it's most of what we do. Retrofit installations are entirely possible without demolishing existing planting, lawns, or hardscape. We micro-trench along planting beds, run cable under mulch and decomposed granite, and tuck fixtures into existing plant material so the hardware disappears. Only a tiny minority of projects require hardscape cutting; when it's needed we coordinate with the original hardscape patterning so repairs are invisible.