What Landscape Lighting Installation Costs in Coronado
Low-voltage landscape lighting installation on a Coronado lot runs $2,500 to $7,500 for a typical front and back yard package of 10 to 20 fixtures, transformer, and wiring. Path lights and uplights run $150 to $350 installed per fixture. Salt air pushes most jobs toward brass or stainless fixtures instead of the cheaper aluminum ones.
We rewired a lighting system on Balboa Ave last year that was six years old and already crumbling. The aluminum fixture housings had corroded through at the base, and two of the wire connections had failed inside boxes that were never actually rated for salt air.
That job became brass and stainless from the transformer out. It cost more up front. It will not be back in our truck in six years.
What Drives the Cost of a Coronado Lighting Install
Fixture count and fixture material matter more than trenching distance on most Coronado lots. A 10-fixture path and uplight package runs toward the low end. A full estate package lighting a hedge line, a specimen tree, and a paver patio can run 25 fixtures or more.
Transformer sizing is the detail most homeowners never see quoted separately. A 300-watt transformer covers roughly 15 to 20 low-voltage fixtures depending on wattage. Undersizing it is why some systems dim at the far end of the run, and we resize the transformer on almost every system we inherit from another installer.
Brass and Stainless vs Aluminum Fixtures on the Coast
| Factor | Aluminum Fixtures | Brass or Stainless Fixtures |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per fixture, installed | $120 - $220 | $180 - $350 |
| Expected life in salt air | 2-4 years before corrosion | 10-15+ years |
| Finish over time | Painted, chips and pits | Natural patina, does not pit |
We stopped quoting aluminum fixtures on bayfront and near-bayfront jobs. The labor to rewire a corroded system costs more than the difference in fixture price would have saved.
How Long Does a Landscape Lighting Install Take?
A 10 to 20 fixture low-voltage lighting install on a Coronado lot takes one to two days, including trenching for the wire runs, setting the transformer, and aiming each fixture at dusk. Estate packages with 25 or more fixtures across multiple zones can run three days.
We aim fixtures at dusk, not at noon. A light that looks right pointed at a hedge in daylight is often blinding or invisible once the sun goes down, so the final adjustment happens after the crew has been on site since morning.
Read more on low-voltage landscape lighting for Coronado yards or see the lighting installation page for what we install.
Last updated: September 2026