[Jason A]

Ive never heard of Cornona. Just looked on their distribution list and it says City Electric in town carries stock, but I’ve never seen any landscape lights in there. And I go there at least once a month.

What are the factors that make your decide what brand(s) to go with when you guys don’t have designers picking the fixtures out?

You really should have a designer picking things, or get trained up to be a designer. Just pointing lights at things is not lighting design

 

[Jason A]

There's a guy in Virginia named Patrick Harders. His company is Sterling Lighting. They sell landscape lighting to contractors in pretty high volume.

Then there's Volt Lighting. Pretty big. Several US locations. Never done business with them.
Heck of a warranty: VOLT® extends an industry-best lifetime warranty on our brass and copper landscape fixtures, LED outdoor light bulbs and low voltage transformers.

And AMP Lighting too. Offices nationwide & lifetime warranties.

Nice! Had not heard of Sterling, despite being in VA myself. I may have to check into them and see about using more "local" products.

 

[Jason A]

I think the quality of the fixture is (of course) massively important. But of equal importance is an ongoing maintenance program to keep these high-end fixtures properly aligned and clean. Why would someone invest so much into a system and then not maintain it? IT just doesn't make sense to let them think that way to me.

 

[John Valdes]

@Jason A. Welcome to the forum. And for filling out your profile.

 

[RAD COM]

I think (for me) the best training is doing. I have spent years reading lighting design and engineering books but until I actually bought the fixtures and every conceivable beam pattern of bulb and lens I could find and started experimenting at night the books were of little use. Landscape lighting is a great gateway to lighting design. The fixtures are relatively inexpensive, are easy to upgrade, and to relocate. It's not like lighting art in someone's house where if you don't place the fixtures correctly you have to rip open the drywall. Leave a 3' loop at each fixture, use MR-16 based fixtures so you adjust beam spread and add filters to tailor the light. Once you learn some basic stage lighting techniques you can go out into your mother's backyard and experiment with a few hundred dollars of equipment. High quality fixtures are important from the client's perspective. But you can put a quality bulb in a crappy fixture, and it will look the same at night.

 

[MHElectric]

You really should have a designer picking things, or get trained up to be a designer. Just pointing lights at things is not lighting design

Experience has proven to be the real teacher for us. Followed closely by lighting design books, seminars and countless hours on YouTube looking over other companies installations.

My goal is to be the designer.

 

[RAD COM]

Home - CEDIA Expo

Here is a link to the Cedia Expo in Denver. If you go to the directory tab and jump to the L section of the vendors list there are some interesting new landscape lighting manufactures that will have booths this year. I have been spending hours researching how to attach bullet lights to a historic home where we are not allowed to screw into the structure.

 

[MHElectric]

Home - CEDIA Expo

Here is a link to the Cedia Expo in Denver. If you go to the directory tab and jump to the L section of the vendors list there are some interesting new landscape lighting manufactures that will have booths this year. I have been spending hours researching how to attach bullet lights to a historic home where we are not allowed to screw into the structure.

Some type of high-grade sealant? I’m in several different Facebook lighting groups and those guys use that stuff to attach small mini-puck lights in all kinds of crazy places. I’ve seem them do it on roofs, stucco walls, underside of rock waterfalls, ect.

 

[MHElectric]

I think the quality of the fixture is (of course) massively important. But of equal importance is an ongoing maintenance program to keep these high-end fixtures properly aligned and clean. Why would someone invest so much into a system and then not maintain it? IT just doesn't make sense to let them think that way to me.

Jason, what brands are you currently working with?

 

[MikeFL]

Home - CEDIA Expo

Here is a link to the Cedia Expo in Denver. If you go to the directory tab and jump to the L section of the vendors list there are some interesting new landscape lighting manufactures that will have booths this year. I have been spending hours researching how to attach bullet lights to a historic home where we are not allowed to screw into the structure.

I just spent what seemed like 20 minutes on that site.
Don't see any Directory tab.
Can't find out who the hell they are or what they do.
WTF
I did see they want $1,000 to go to their show...

 

[RAD COM]

I just spent what seemed like 20 minutes on that site.
Don't see any Directory tab.
Can't find out who the hell they are or what they do.
WTF
I did see they want $1,000 to go to their show...

My apologies. This should work...

Exhibitor Directory - 2024 CEDIA (smallworldlabs.com)

 

[RAD COM]

Here is a fixture that caught my eye, so to speak, for recessed lighting...
Ario Basic - Verozza

I have been looking for a canless recessed light that has the LED tucked up into the ceiling and that tilts. Most canless fixtures use a gimbal that sticks below the ceiling to tilt and are very glary.

 

[MikeFL]

For anyone who's curious

 

[Jason A]

Jason, what brands are you currently working with?

Generally I work with Garden Light out of Florida. They were tied to the training group I did our first year in the business, so I had plenty of peer support. They also will work with you to help with design ideas/fixture requirements when you're new. They helped the guy I hired to run it for a while, and me when I took it back over.

I definitely recommend going through some kind of design training to understand the art side of it better. Really, a couple different ones would be best to give you a variety of ideas. I did one for a year (it was about the business overall, so only part of it was design), and then learned plenty in a 6 week one that I've used ideas from as well. You want to have ideas that will make your client say, "I never thought of that"...

 

[MHElectric]

Generally I work with Garden Light out of Florida. They were tied to the training group I did our first year in the business, so I had plenty of peer support. They also will work with you to help with design ideas/fixture requirements when you're new. They helped the guy I hired to run it for a while, and me when I took it back over.

I definitely recommend going through some kind of design training to understand the art side of it better. Really, a couple different ones would be best to give you a variety of ideas. I did one for a year (it was about the business overall, so only part of it was design), and then learned plenty in a 6 week one that I've used ideas from as well. You want to have ideas that will make your client say, "I never thought of that"...

We started using Volt lighting about a year or so ago, then switched over to AMP and have been very pleased with them. Same thing as what you said, they put on design seminars (which I attended this year) for a very affordable price, compared to the other manufacturers. They will design jobs for you at no cost, if it’s something your not comfortable with. And their online ordering process and customer service are very good.

The quality is very high as well. But we’ve had to find other suppliers for different odds and ends.
Having 1 regular supplier and 3-4 good alternate suppliers has worked well for us.

On a separate note, I got signed up with Lighting Boss.com and they have an endless supply of products on their website. I’ve been very inclined to try out the Corona brand that @RAD COM suggested.

 

[Jason A]

We started using Volt lighting about a year or so ago, then switched over to AMP and have been very pleased with them. Same thing as what you said, they put on design seminars (which I attended this year) for a very affordable price, compared to the other manufacturers. They will design jobs for you at no cost, if it’s something your not comfortable with. And their online ordering process and customer service are very good.

The quality is very high as well. But we’ve had to find other suppliers for different odds and ends.
Having 1 regular supplier and 3-4 good alternate suppliers has worked well for us.

On a separate note, I got signed up with Lighting Boss.com and they have an endless supply of products on their website. I’ve been very inclined to try out the Corona brand that @RAD COM suggested.

Not sure about them. Volt was always a no-no name in pro lighting circles, since they were mainly selling cheaper stuff to DIY homeowners. IDK if that changed when they started up with AMP or not. If the product is quality, and the service is good, can't say I'd complain about it too much. In all of our businesses we tend to represent mostly the plush "baller" sort of products/designs and service, so I try to make sure the companies I buy from have those sort of products and make it easy for me to do that. It looks like most of their fixtures are drop-in style, which I just never use, so it wouldn't be something I'd mess with personally.

We've worked with LightingBoss some, but haven't really used any of their products recently. If you are using them, their design software is a nice tool. I just have my own thing kind of figured out to build proposal presentations, so it isn't really something I've focused on.

 

[MHElectric]

Not sure about them. Volt was always a no-no name in pro lighting circles, since they were mainly selling cheaper stuff to DIY homeowners. IDK if that changed when they started up with AMP or not. If the product is quality, and the service is good, can't say I'd complain about it too much. In all of our businesses we tend to represent mostly the plush "baller" sort of products/designs and service, so I try to make sure the companies I buy from have those sort of products and make it easy for me to do that. It looks like most of their fixtures are drop-in style, which I just never use, so it wouldn't be something I'd mess with personally.

We've worked with LightingBoss some, but haven't really used any of their products recently. If you are using them, their design software is a nice tool. I just have my own thing kind of figured out to build proposal presentations, so it isn't really something I've focused on.

Funny you mention that that Lighting Boss design software…

We were able to sell one of our contractors a 24 fixture job because of that design system and then he was able to turn around and sell it to the client who went for an extra 4-6 more lights. Very worthwhile if your going after this type of work.

I think it’s a $60 a month subscription, which is nothing compared to the what kind of jobs it can help you sell.

 

[DScott11]

Do you install in Orange County? I'd love to get a quote from you. Dayne Scott 949-690-9407

 

[MikeFL]

Do you install in Orange County? I'd love to get a quote from you. Dayne Scott 949-690-9407

To say you're from Orange County will make you unique in the state of California, but not in the United States. For there are seven other Orange Counties in the nation. Travel to Florida, Indiana, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Vermont or Virginia, and you'll find an Orange County.
Source: LA Times via Lord Google

ETA:
A little detective work says @DScott11 is in Orange County, California

The 949 area code covers most of the southern part of Orange County, California, including major cities such as Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Lake Forest, and Newport Beach.

 

[macmikeman]

Pretty close to my home.

Exterior Lighting - Beachside Lighting Honolulu | Maritime & Exterior Lights