I’ve written before about the value of using professionals to install and maintain outdoor lighting on your property. I’ve also blogged about the pros and cons of using irrigators and landscapers – professionals in their fields of expertise, but hardly experts in outdoor lighting – to install and maintain outdoor lighting. But we came across something a couple of weeks ago that was so unbelievable, I just had to share it.
Our professional outdoor lighting systems are designed, installed and maintained by our team. Our team is very well trained in every aspect of outdoor lighting, especially troubleshooting and maintenance. Most of our systems have multiple transformers located throughout the property. Sometimes this is because the client wants to control zones of lights; and sometimes it’s because it’s an older system that was installed before quality LED outdoor lighting became available, and the load required more than one transformer. When we install multiple transformers on a project, we usually also install an automation system which allows our client to operate their system from their smartphone, or at least from a single location in their home. The automation system means all the lighting transformers work together to come on and go off together, or as the client prefers.
Imagine our surprise when the team went to one of our client’s homes for her semi-annual maintenance check and discovered that their irrigator had removed all of our high quality professional automation modules and replaced them with “dollar store” mechanical timers! They removed over $600 worth of equipment (that was working!) and replaced it with about $25 worth of timers because they couldn’t figure out how to turn the system on and off.
Why were these guys even messing with the outdoor lighting system to begin with? It seems our client started using a new irrigation company, and this company thought that they could just go ahead and take over the maintenance of the outdoor lighting as well since they “install outdoor lighting.” Never mind that the home owner, who has been our client for about 8 years, never gave permission or told them to touch the lighting. Never mind that this client recommends us to all of her friends for outdoor lighting. And never mind that these so-called “professionals” had no idea what they were doing. They just decided on their own to take over this property. It’s kind of like letting a two year old drive a Porsche – they were in way over their heads.
This irrigation company now has cost our client a hefty service call because we had to return to the property to reinstall the control system that these irresponsible idiots removed and threw away! Hopefully, she can get her money back from them – after she fires them for stealing her automation components.
Now that I’ve gotten that rant off of my chest let me also say this: I do know some very qualified and ethical irrigators and landscapers who design and install outdoor lighting. Unfortunately, these people are the exception, not the rule. Please make sure you know who’s working on your property, what their skill set really is, and that you know what they are doing. If you are in the Austin or Texas Hill Country area and your landscape lighting is not working properly, maybe we can help. Contact us here.
