Last updated: November 2026
What affects landscape lighting installation in Del Mar?
Landscape lighting installation in Del Mar is priced by scope: fixture count, cable distance, and trenching through beds or hardscape. Most Del Mar homes we light land between $4,500 and $12,000 for a full system. A walk-through sets fixture positions before any wire goes in.
We install low-voltage LED systems, usually 12-volt. The transformer and cable are the parts people forget to price. A typical front-and-back yard job for us is 15 to 25 fixtures on a 300-watt transformer.
How far does the cable have to run?
Voltage drops over distance. On a Del Mar Heights hillside job last spring, one run stretched over 120 feet from the transformer, so we stepped up from 14-gauge to 12-gauge cable and added a second transformer. Both add cost. We plan the runs on paper first.
Why does trenching change the number?
Cable through open planting bed is simple. We bury it about 6 inches deep and a crew can trench 100 feet in an hour or two. Cable under a paver patio or through a concrete edge is not. If the hardscape is already built, we sleeve under it or route around it, and that is slower work that can add a day.
Does salt air matter?
Yes. Homes within a mile of the Del Mar coast get fog and salt that corrode cheap fittings, so we choose solid brass or copper fixtures and seal every connection with waterproof gel-filled connectors. A fixture that fails in two winters is not a bargain.
What should you ask before hiring?
- Is the installer licensed? We hold California C-27 License #978145 and are bonded and insured.
- Who designs the layout?
- How are connections sealed against moisture?
- Where will the transformer go, and is it accessible?
Evan Weisman leads our lighting work as part of the full design, so lights land where the planting and patio actually are. We give a written scope and price before work starts.
Details are on our landscape lighting page and our Del Mar page. If we lit your yard in Del Mar, a Google review that names the service and your neighborhood helps the next homeowner.