Landscape lighting FAQ — Lake County & the North Shore

Hillside Landscape answers the landscape lighting questions Lake County and North Shore homeowners ask most — from low-voltage vs line-voltage and LED vs halogen to fixture materials, freeze-thaw durability, controls, maintenance, and what a system typically costs. Based in Lincolnshire and serving fourteen communities across Lake County and the North Shore since 2001, we design and install systems built to look right at night and hold up to our winters.

How much does landscape lighting cost in the Lake County / North Shore area?

Landscape lighting is priced by the system, not the square foot — so every figure below is a typical range that varies with the number of fixtures, the materials you choose, how far the wire has to run, and how complex the property is. The North Shore tends to sit at the higher end because properties are larger and specifications are higher-end.

These are planning ranges only, not a quote. The real number depends on your specific property, which is why we start with a free on-site design consultation and provide a firm written price before any work begins. For our broader package structure, see our landscape lighting services.

Low-voltage vs line-voltage — which do I need, and does it require an electrician or permit?

For almost every residential project, the answer is low-voltage (12-volt) — it's the standard for landscape lighting and what we install on the vast majority of properties. A transformer steps 120-volt household power down to a safe 12 volts, so the buried cable carries no shock hazard. It's also flexible: fixtures are easy to add, move, or re-aim as plantings fill in over the years.

Low-voltage work generally does not require a permit, but that varies by village — some municipalities have their own rules, so we confirm locally before we start.

Line-voltage (120-volt) systems are reserved for specific high-output or commercial situations and are far less common in residential landscapes. That work must be performed by a licensed electrician and often requires a permit, which varies by village. When a project genuinely calls for line-voltage circuits, we handle the low-voltage design and coordinate a licensed electrician and any permits so everything is done correctly and to code.

LED vs halogen — what's the difference?

LED is now the standard for landscape lighting, and it's what we install. The advantages over the old halogen technology are substantial:

• Energy: an LED fixture often draws 7–9 watts versus 35–50 watts for a comparable halogen — a fraction of the running cost.
• Lifespan: quality LEDs are rated for 40,000+ hours, so you're not changing bulbs every year or two the way you did with halogen.
• Heat & load: LEDs run cool and draw little power, so more fixtures can run off a single transformer.

Halogen is legacy technology. Some homeowners liked its warm glow, but short bulb life, high energy use, and heat have made it obsolete. Modern LEDs are available in warm color temperatures (typically 2700K–3000K) that reproduce that inviting, halogen-like look without the drawbacks.

Will the fixtures survive Lake County winters and freeze-thaw?

Yes — quality fixtures installed correctly hold up well to Lake County winters, and this is exactly where good materials and good installation earn their keep. It's also one of the biggest differences between a system that looks great for decades and one that fails in a few seasons.

Solid brass and copper fixtures tolerate repeated freeze-thaw cycles, road salt, and moisture without cracking or corroding. The usual failure points aren't the cold itself — they're cheap housings and poor connections. Water works its way into a plastic fixture or an unsealed wire splice, freezes, expands, and cracks it open.

Our installation is built for this climate: waterproof connectors at every splice, direct-burial cable buried at proper depth, and intentional slack in the wire so the ground can heave and settle without stressing the connections. A fall inspection before the ground freezes catches any small issue before winter sets in — the same window you should be handling broader winter prep (see our Lake County lawn care FAQ winter-prep note on inspecting lighting before the freeze).

Brass/copper vs aluminum vs plastic fixtures — does material matter?

Material matters more than almost any other spec, and it's the single biggest driver of how long a system lasts.

Solid brass and copper are the gold standard. They resist corrosion, shrug off salt and freeze-thaw, and develop an attractive natural patina over time while lasting decades — often backed by lifetime fixture warranties. For a North Shore property where the lighting is a long-term investment, this is what we specify.

Cast aluminum is a mid-tier option. It costs less than brass and performs acceptably, but it can corrode where the powder-coat finish chips or scratches, especially near salted pavement.

Plastic and thin pot-metal fixtures are the ones that fail. They crack in the cold, fade in the sun, and let water in at the seams — which is why so many "bargain" systems look tired within a couple of seasons. If you've inherited cheap fixtures, replacing them with brass is usually money well spent.

What should I light?

A good design layers several types of lighting rather than flooding the whole yard with even brightness. The common elements:

• Facade / architectural uplighting — grazing light up the front of the house to highlight stone, brick, and texture.
• Path & walkway lighting — gentle, downward pools of light that guide the eye and keep footing safe.
• Tree uplighting & moonlighting — uplights at the base of a specimen tree, or fixtures mounted high in the canopy casting soft, dappled "moonlight" down through the branches.
• Steps, walls & safety — discreet fixtures on stairs, retaining walls, and grade changes.
• Feature / specimen lighting — a sculpture, water feature, or signature plant made the focal point.
• Security — entries, side yards, and dark corners lit so there's nowhere to hide.

The goal is depth and contrast — a mix of light and shadow that makes the property feel dimensional at night, not a flat, over-lit parking lot. You can see the effect in our project portfolio.

How many fixtures do I need, and how is a system designed?

There's no fixed count — it depends on the size of the house and facade, the trees and beds you want to feature, and which paths need safe footing. Good lighting design is about layering and restraint, not maximum brightness.

As a rough feel: a modest front-yard system might use 6–10 fixtures, while a full property with architectural lighting, specimen trees, steps, and multiple walkways can use 20–40 or more. But those are illustrations, not a formula.

We design by walking the property at dusk, identifying the focal points and the real safety needs, then placing the fewest fixtures that achieve depth and balance. Many installers — us included — offer a no-obligation nighttime demo so you can actually see the effect on your own home before committing to a layout.

Can I control the lights with an app, timer, or photocell?

Yes, and the right level of control depends on how you want to use the lighting:

• Photocell: the simplest option — turns the system on automatically at dusk.
• Timer / astronomical clock: pairs with the photocell to shut zones off at a set hour, adjusting as sunset shifts through the year.
• Smart / app control: a smart transformer or controller lets you run the system from your phone, set schedules and scenes, and group fixtures into independent zones.
• Color options: some LED fixtures offer tunable white or color-changing output for holidays and accents.

We'll match the controls to how you actually plan to use the system rather than over-complicating it with features you won't touch.

How much maintenance does a system need, and do you winterize it?

LED systems are low-maintenance, but not maintenance-free. A seasonal maintenance visit typically covers:

• Checking and resealing wire connections.
• Re-aiming fixtures that plant growth or frost heave has nudged out of position.
• Cleaning lenses and clearing mulch or soil off fixtures.
• Adjusting timers as the sunset time changes.
• Replacing the occasional bulb, LED module, or transformer component.

In Lake County we add a fall freeze-thaw inspection before the ground freezes to catch cracked housings or stressed wiring ahead of winter — the same season you should be handling broader winter prep (see the winter-prep note in our Lake County lawn care FAQ). A once- or twice-a-year maintenance visit typically runs $200–$500 and keeps the system looking the way it was designed to.

Can you add to or repair my existing lighting system (even if another company installed it)?

Yes. We regularly take over, repair, and expand systems that another company originally installed. Common jobs include:

• Replacing failed plastic or aluminum fixtures with long-lasting brass.
• Tracking down dead zones caused by corroded connections, damaged cable, or an undersized transformer.
• Re-aiming and rebalancing a system that has grown patchy and uneven over the years.
• Adding fixtures as the landscaping matures and new focal points appear.

We'll inspect what you already have, tell you honestly what's worth keeping versus replacing, and quote the work in writing before we start.

How is a low-voltage system wired, and what's a transformer and how is it sized?

A low-voltage system runs from a transformer that plugs into a GFCI-protected outdoor outlet and steps 120-volt household power down to a safe 12 volts. From there, direct-burial cable runs out to the fixtures, buried at proper depth and routed to keep voltage drop low over longer runs.

The transformer is sized to the total wattage of all the fixtures plus headroom. A common rule of thumb is to load a transformer to no more than about 80% of its rating — that leaves room to add fixtures later and keeps the voltage steady so the lights at the far end of a run are as bright as the ones nearest the transformer. Getting the wire gauge, run layout, and waterproof connectors right is what keeps a system even in brightness and reliable for years, and it's the part DIY kits most often get wrong.

Does landscape lighting improve security and home value / curb appeal?

It delivers on all three.

Security: well-lit entries, walkways, and dark corners remove the shadows and hiding spots that make a home an easier target, and a thoughtfully lit property simply reads as occupied and cared-for.

Curb appeal: nighttime lighting is one of the highest-impact exterior upgrades there is. It extends the hours your landscaping is actually enjoyed and makes evening arrivals feel welcoming instead of dark.

Home value: on North Shore properties a professionally designed lighting system is a sought-after feature that supports strong first impressions — both day and night — when it's time to sell. Browse our portfolio for examples across Highland Park, Lake Forest, and the surrounding communities.

What about dark-sky friendliness and avoiding glare into neighbors' windows?

Good landscape lighting is quiet and glare-free — you should see the effect, not the bulb. We design with that in mind:

• Shielded and recessed fixtures that hide the light source and direct the beam only where it's wanted.
• Careful aiming so no beam shines into a neighbor's windows or straight up into the night sky.
• Warm color temperatures (2700K–3000K) and modest wattage rather than harsh, bright-white floodlighting.
• Timers so the lights aren't burning all night long.

Dark-sky-friendly design also means lighting what matters and intentionally leaving the rest dark. The result is a property that reads as elegant and deliberate while respecting both your neighbors and the night sky.

What warranty comes with the fixtures and the installation?

Coverage comes in two parts:

1. Manufacturer's fixture warranty. Quality brass and copper fixtures often carry lifetime warranties on the housing, while LED modules and transformers are typically warranted for several years up to life, depending on the brand.

2. Installer's workmanship warranty. This covers the labor, wiring, and connections — the part that a bargain installer often leaves unaddressed.

We install professional-grade fixtures that carry strong manufacturer warranties and we stand behind our own installation workmanship. The specific terms are written into every quote, so you know exactly what's covered before any work begins.