Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/85694
business bests o your customers grin when they write you a check for a landscape job? Not likely. But when Tanek Hood with Reynolds Landscaping in Manahawkin, New Jersey, flips the switch of an outdoor lighting project, illuminating the plants, trees, hardscape, art features and walkways of a newly installed landscape, the client almost always lets out a gasp of delight. "You get the 'wow' factor after a light installation," Hood says. "As a light designer, the landscape is your canvas." Not only is the client elated and the neigh- bors instantly envious, but Hood just added a sweet 40-percent profit to his bottom line. And the prospect of future business is all but assured. "When you add any amount of lighting, it's addictive. The client usu- ally comes back for more," says Hood, who leads the Reynolds's lighting division. If you operate even a small landscape business, you may be surprised how adding low-voltage lighting design and installation is such a natural fit. Unlike a typical start-up, you already have the clientele, tools, labor and expertise about the terrain. Low-voltage lighting is safe when properly installed and, except in a few states and municipalities, doesn't require an electrician's license. Lighting Trends 19% Number of TLC read- ers who planned to add landscape lighting services in 2011 96.2% Number of 2011 American Society of Landscape Architects' Residential Trends Survey respon- dents who rated exterior lighting as a somewhat or very popular outdoor living feature Paul Gosselin, owner of Texas-based Nightscenes Landscape Lighting Professionals and president of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals, says entering the lighting business successfully hinges on doing your homework. "You can't just fake it till you make it in this line of work," Gosselin says. Plenty of information, training and certification are available from associations and manufacturers, and it's worth your while to seek out every opportunity you can to educate yourself. Getting started The first call you make should be to check your local building department for licensing and certification requirements, which vary by state. Check online at licensedelectrician.com for your state's requirements. While most states don't require an electrician's license to install low-voltage lighting, it's important to under- stand your area's requirements. Some neighborhood January 2012 / TOTAL LANDSCAPE CARE 23