Most of the decision happens before the quote
The trouble with comparing lighting quotes is that two numbers can describe two completely different jobs. One company is pricing a standard package, another drew
https://blogfreely.net/sloganclcf/h1-b-temporary-event-lighting-weddings-parties-and-everything-in something for your house, and you cannot tell from the page which is which.
Start with the design
The first question is simple: what does the plan for my house look like? A company that works from the building's own lines will be able to tell you why the light goes where it goes. A company that will not is selling you a package.
Ask what the year looks like
Lighting lives outside, so ask who you call when something quits. For seasonal work, ask specifically about takedown and off season storage. For permanent systems, ask what support looks like a year in.
What is in their lane
The trades overlap but are not identical: holiday lighting, landscape lighting, permanent roofline systems, security lighting. Ask what they do not do so you can weigh the advice.
Ask about residential versus commercial
Homes and businesses are not the same job. At a house, the goal is how it looks from the street and how it works at night. A commercial building has to be legible from the road, and the install has to work around business hours. Ask which one they do more of, and weigh that against what you need done.
Signs to walk away from
Pressure to sign on the spot is the first flag. A refusal to put the scope in writing is the next one. An unclear answer on what happens when something quits is usually the honest answer showing through.Plenty of good crews are just disorganized. But lighting sits on your house for years, and the written scope is what you fall back on later.Get two or three quotes, and compare what is in them rather than the totals. A custom design and a stock package are not the same job, even at the same price. Ask each one what they would cut first, since the answer shows what they think the design is doing.
Local matters here
Local matters more than it sounds like it should: somebody who works your area knows what holds up. EverCrest Lighting is a lighting contractor working out of Greenville, South Carolina, serving Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina. Their work covers permanent LED lighting, holiday and Christmas lighting, landscape and patio lighting, accent lighting and security lighting, residential and commercial. The consultation is free, and the design gets drawn before anybody quotes. Call (864) 252-1732 or email
[email protected].