Bud Austin of Hadco's Phoenix, Arizona office elaborates, "We offer an 800# tech line for in-field questions and concerns, and our highly concentrated representative network is well trained in specialized lighting techniques.

Clay Martinier of Westlake Village, CA-based California Landscape Lighting believes that well-trained suppliers can prove invaluable to Landscape Contractors. "Many of our employees have hands-on experience in the installation of landscape lighting. Some have come to us from the landscape contracting field, and others from the wholesale end of the business. Our outside people spend a lot of their time walking job sites with customers-- sometimes to troubleshoot a system with a problem, other times to lend advice on design or engineering a system. As consumers become more sophisticated in their landscape lighting needs and the systems become more complicated, the contractor appreciates a few honest and supportive suggestions."

He continues, "I believe the whole process of installing a landscape lighting system begins with getting the client involved. Find out what their major concerns are. If you design a system with purely aesthetics in mind, and your client is more concerned with security-- there's a problem. A system can integrate all types of lighting, from security to safety, to dramatic illumination. It is imperative to know what is most important to the end user."

Martinier also recommends that contractors "keep it simple" when planning out a lighting installation. "Separate the lighting into zones that are manageable. Often times, a contractor will force longer cable runs by trying to power a system using a large wattage transformer to cover a large area. A more simple method would be to use several smaller units placed in centrally located areas. This will make not only the engineering of the system easier, but it gives the client or maintenance crew more control of the lighting systems."

In regards to mounting hardware, the trend over the past ten years has been to move away from the metal ground stakes used to install 12-volt fixtures. Today's many manufacturers are producing composite or PVC devices that tend to stand up longer in the soil. Selecting the right ground stake depends on the type of fixture it will be required to support. Small accent fixtures and upright pathlights can use practically any stake. However, offset pathlights that have much of their weight set away from the center will require a ground stake with some sort of 'wing' configuration. These wings or struts help lock in the stake in all types of soil, whether loose or compacted. There have been many advances in the mounts used to install fixtures in trees. Many manufacturers now offer mounts that grow, or expand, with the tree as it grows. This is a small advancement, but one that shows the manufacturers are in touch with the concerns of the contractor.

There is much debate about how an in-line splice should be made on 12-volt landscape lighting systems. Martinier has always felt that "a copper-to-copper splice is the surest connection." Today, however, many lighting manufacturers supply a wire piercing connector that allows contractors to attach their fixtures to the low voltage cable without cutting the conductors. He elaborates, "Basically, the trick is to apply some sort of moisture preventative to any splice made directly into the soil. A simple wire nut splice left unprotected in the ground will probably last a few years before corrosion sets in, but a splice made with a sealed wire nut or connector will last indefinitely."

Kocsis stresses the need to double check that a fixture is plumb and level prior to backfilling the area around the fixtures. He recommends using a small torpedo level (bubble level) to check. Be sure to test the level on the top of the fixture, and turn the level at 90-degree increments while backfilling. This step takes 30 seconds and insures you of a professional-looking installation (all the lights come straight up).

Don Beasely of Hydro-Scape Products, Inc. recommends that lighting contractors "Keep the number of fixtures and the amount of light to minimum levels. Place emphasis on what the lights illuminate, not the light or fixture. Mark where you want to put the lights or define what you want to light (up light, moon or down light, pathway, back lighting, silhouette, accent, etc.). "

Austin recommends that contractors "Leave all electrical components above ground until you do an electrical check, and then fine tune at dusk. Next morning, bury the wire and fixtures. This process gives you the flexibility of movement, as it is so critical to establish a good electrical balance."

Martinier concludes, "Finally, leave room to expand. Too often a system is installed with the maximum wattage already placed on the transformer or the cables attached. Almost all systems need some type of final 'touch-up.' Save some room on the system to add one more fixture, or to upgrade a lamp." Kocsis agrees, "It is a good idea to leave an excess loop of cable at each fixture in the event that a fixture must be moved in the future."

For contractors who have mastered the various techniques of lighting installation, and wish to build upon their knowledge to increase profits, Nyren warns them that knowledge will always be the key to successful business building. He explains, "Continue to stay abreast of all the new bulb choices for performance, spread and lamp life." Martinier agrees, "Over the past few years, there have been several advances made in the controlling of the low voltage transformers used in landscape lighting. Everything from easy to install remote control systems, to wireless motion detectors. Manufacturers are bringing today's technology into the landscape lighting industry." Continuously explore different types of wire sizing, voltage drops, transformer sizing, application techniques, beam spread knowledge-- and always plan for expansion in a lighting design.

Kocsis concludes, "The best 'tip of the trade' that I know is to Listen to the Client! Most clients are more than happy to tell you what they want. Unfortunately, many contractors still install what "they think" the client should have. Even when the installation is flawless, if the client doesn't feel that he or she got what they wanted, nobody wins. Remember a happy client is the best ally you can have in this increasingly competitive market."

Indeed, by developing a strong working relationship with local distributors and lighting manufacturers, by fostering positive relationships with happy clients, and by mastering the various applications of landscape lighting products, Landscape Contractors can certainly enjoy bright prospects-- and profits-- in the landscape lighting industry. lcm