Our neighborhood entrances are our subdivision’s first and often only, representation to the world. Most of the people who see the entrance are simply driving by and will never go into our neighborhood. Their only image is the one from the entrance. So we try to create the right impression to make our neighborhood seem welcoming, safe and secure. Landscape lighting can have a great impact on this first impression! Once your HOA decides to add landscape lighting, the next logical step is to choose an outdoor lighting specialist. Always look for a certified landscape lighting specialist, to ensure that you receive high quality products and top-notch installation done right, so your lighting will last for many years. Here are some essential elements to look for in your HOA landscape lighting contract:
Installation
- The type of lighting to be installed (brand of fixtures, type of lamp—LED, halogen, etc)
- Approximate timeline for the project
- Cost of the landscape lighting system (including transformer) and installation
- Where the lighting will be installed (walkways, entries, pools, etc.)
- The warranty information (fixtures, bulbs, installation, etc.)
- How they will install the lighting. This includes the materials to be used, the techniques involved and more. Should also include a nighttime visit to aim and adjust.
Maintenance
This covers how and how often the lighting firm will service the landscape lighting system to ensure its proper functioning. This may be a separate contract, or the first year might be included in the installation. The following maintenance services should be included:
- Ensure all the components are properly functioning
- Re-align or move fixtures as necessary
- Properly clean the fixtures for brighter lights, and to prevent possible corrosion issues
- Check timer programming and functionality
- Properly trim any trees or shrubs, etc. near the lighting
- Replace any malfunctioning lamps
- Properly bury any exposed wires that have come up
These services should be performed annually, although some areas may need to be seen twice a year or quarterly if they receive a lot of traffic, or if you have specific weather conditions such as salt.
Warranties
This is an extremely important element to your contract. Check the warranties on the products and services and determine how the firm stands behind them. You may want to find online reviews of your outdoor lighting firm to see what other people’s experiences are with them and how they stand behind their product and service. If most people are satisfied but maybe one or two complain, that seems reasonable. If most people complain but one or two think this company is the greatest outfit ever, I’d be suspicious and look for a different provider.
It doesn’t do you any good to have a quality system installed in a shoddy manner with no warranty, so that you have to keep paying for service calls to repair what should have been done properly to begin with. A true outdoor lighting specialist knows what they are doing, does it well, and stands behind their work.
Are you looking for Landscape Lighting in Greensboro? Located in Summerfield, NC Southern Lights- Architectural and Landscape Lighting serves properties and property management companies throughout the state of NC including Greensboro, High Point, Jamestown, Burlington, Reidsville, Oak Ridge, Brown Summit, Winston-Salem, Clemmons, Raleigh, Charlotte, Kannapolis, Salisbury, Gastonia, Matthews, etc.
Southern Lights has installed hundreds of outdoor landscape lighting systems and carries more certifications than anyone in the state. We specialize in lighting designs and service everything we install as well as lighting systems installed by others. With attention to detail and a solid knowledge of design, Southern Lights is the leading outdoor landscape lighting firm in the state of NC and beyond. See why our clients choose us. Contact us today by web (online form) or phone 336-451-4969.
