Landscape Lighting: The Highest-Margin Add-On You're Not Selling

If you install patios, walls, or planting beds and you aren't also selling landscape lighting, you're walking away from the highest-margin add-on in residential landscaping. A typical 10-fixture install takes half a day, uses $400 of material, and bills $2,500. The math is hard to beat.

The margin king

Landscape lighting averages 50–65% net profit margin — roughly double the margin of hardscape work. The reason: low material cost, fast install, and minimal site disturbance. Once you've trained one crew member to install it cleanly, it's a printing press.

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Average project size

Residential lighting projects: $2,500–$8,000. Smaller projects (path lights only) start at $1,500. Full landscape lighting designs with uplighting, path lights, accent lights, and a controller can hit $10,000+. Average install: 4–8 hours including transformer wiring and testing.

Material costs

• LED path lights: $30–$80 each.
• Uplights/spotlights: $50–$120 each.
• Transformer (12V, 150–300W): $150–$400.
• Low-voltage wire: $0.50–$1.50/linear foot.
• Connectors and stakes: $40–$120 per project.

Mark up materials 100% (industry standard for lighting). At those rates, materials for a 10-fixture install run $400 in cost, billed at $800.

Labor pricing

4–8 hours for a typical 10-fixture install with one experienced installer. Plan layout first, run wire, set fixtures, splice, test, adjust. The longest part is aiming the fixtures correctly at night for final approval — don't skip the night walkthrough.

The upsell moment

'While we're installing your patio, we can run lighting wire and add fixtures for $X — it'll transform the space at night and we save you a separate mobilization fee.' This pitch closes 30–50% of patio jobs. The marginal cost to add is low because the crew is already on site.

Photo-to-proposal for lighting

Take photos of the property at dusk or after dark. Show the homeowner what the dark areas look like and where lighting would add value. Modern AI proposal tools can mark up the photos with suggested fixture locations — much more persuasive than describing it verbally.

Good / Better / Best for lighting

• Good — 6 path lights along the walkway and front bed. $1,500.
• Better — 10 fixtures: path + accent + 2 uplights on the trees. $3,000.
• Best — full design: path, accent, uplighting on trees and architecture, controller with phone app, integrated with hardscape. $6,500.

Recurring revenue

Offer a seasonal lighting maintenance plan — $150–$300/year for spring re-aiming, bulb replacement, and timer/controller adjustments. Easy add-on at install. Pure profit recurring revenue with almost no labor cost.