We design low-voltage LED systems as part of the build, with sleeves and wiring run before hardscape closes up.
What we build
- Path and walkway lighting
- Tree and architectural uplighting
- Hardscape, seat wall and step lights
- Fixture-hidden wash lighting for walls and fences
- Transformers, timers and app control
- Retrofits and additions to existing systems
Documented buildBuilt by us · Real project
Historic Craftsman Restoration
South Park
The house reads the way it did when Bob grew up in it — architecture back where it belonged, on a foundation and drainage system built for the next several decades.
See This ProjectWarm, low, and glare-free
Too many systems are too bright and too blue. We use warm color temperatures, shielded fixtures and low output levels so you see the landscape rather than the light source.
Wired during construction
Running sleeves and conduit before patios and walls are finished avoids surface-mounted conduit and torn-up hardscape later.
What outdoor lighting does for a San Diego yard
It roughly doubles the hours the yard gets used, makes the house look considerably better from the street, and improves footing on steps and paths. Most clients tell us it is the element they notice every single night.
A layered lighting plan
Path lights for circulation, uplights on trees and architecture, grazing light across walls and fences, and small integrated fixtures in steps and seat walls. Zoning lets the yard shift between a dinner setting and a quiet evening setting.
Installation and controls
Low-voltage runs in conduit under hardscape wherever possible, a transformer sized with headroom for later additions, warm color temperature held consistent, and timer or app control. We also add to and repair existing systems.
Our work
Landscape lighting Projects We've Built
Real Staples Landscaping project pages — same trade, around San Diego County.
Read first
Before you start your landscape lighting project
Planning and cost guides from our own build experience.
Outdoor Living
Fire Pits and Fire Features for San Diego Backyards
Gas vs. wood, the seating geometry most people get wrong, and what a custom masonry fire feature costs here.
3 min readDesign & Planning
Ten Landscape Design Mistakes We See in San Diego Backyards
The errors that cost the most to undo — usually made in the first hour of planning.
3 min readDIY Projects
Five Weekend Landscaping Projects Worth Doing Yourself
Five projects with a real payoff for a weekend of work, and three that should stay with a contractor.
3 min readLandscape Lighting by neighborhood
Soil, permitting and access change street to street. These pages get specific.
Serving San Diego County
We take on landscape lighting projects in La Jolla, Del Mar, Carmel Valley, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Point Loma, Coronado, North Park, Chula Vista, El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee, Escondido, San Marcos, Rancho Santa Fe, Mission Hills, Clairemont, University City and surrounding communities. See all service areas.
Licensed C-27 Landscape Contractor — CSLB License #1159370
Common questions
- What does a landscape lighting system cost?
- Most full-yard low-voltage systems run $3,500 to $14,000 depending on fixture count, trenching and whether the transformer needs a new circuit.
- Brass or aluminum fixtures?
- Brass, especially anywhere near the coast. Salt air destroys aluminum and composite fixtures within a few seasons; brass patinas and keeps working.
- Can lighting be added after the hardscape is built?
- It can, but it costs more and looks less clean. Running conduit under paving during construction is far cheaper than cutting into a finished patio later.
- What is included in a landscape lighting installation?
- Design and fixture layout, transformer and wiring, trenching and conduit, fixture installation and aiming, and controls. Aiming at night is what separates a good system from a bright one.
- Do you repair or expand an existing outdoor lighting system?
- Yes. Adding zones, replacing corroded fixtures and upgrading a transformer or controller are all common requests, especially on coastal properties.
- Are you licensed for landscape lighting work in San Diego?
- Yes. Staples Landscaping holds California contractor license #1159370, carries liability and workers' compensation coverage, and pulls permits on any work that requires them. You can verify the license directly with the CSLB.
- Do you serve my part of San Diego County?
- We work across San Diego County — coastal, central, inland, East County and South Bay. Each area has its own soil, climate and permitting reality, which is why we publish neighborhood-level pages rather than one generic service area list.
