What we light
- Paths and steps: low path lights spaced to light the walking surface, not the sky.
- Trees and large shrubs: uplights or downlights on a desert willow or a pine give the yard depth at night.
- Walls and boulders: soft grazing light on stucco or stone, in place of a floodlight.
- Patios: step lights, wall lights and string lights under a pergola for evenings outside.
- Entries: enough light at the front door and address to find the house.
Low-voltage and LED
A low-voltage system runs from a transformer plugged into an outdoor outlet. Cables run shallow under the rock or mulch to each fixture. LED fixtures use little power and run cool, so they are safe near plants and hands. We size the transformer with spare capacity so you can add fixtures later.
Dark sky habits
Rio Rancho's open mesa and clear air make for good stargazing, and many neighbors care about it. We use shielded fixtures, warm color temperatures, aim lights down wherever possible and set timers or photocells so lights are not on all night. Uplights stay low and aimed at a target, not past it into the sky. New Mexico has state rules on outdoor lighting; we will review what applies to a fixture before we install it.
Planning lighting with the design
Lighting is easiest to add while a yard is being built. We run conduit or sleeves under new patios and paths during the install, so cables do not need to be cut in later. When lighting goes into an existing yard, we work cables under rock and around plants and leave the ground cover as we found it.
Boulders and a dry creek bedControls
A timer, a photocell or a smart transformer that runs from your phone are all options. Most homeowners settle on lights that turn on at dusk and off around midnight, with path lights on a separate zone that can stay on later.
Wiring and permits
Plug-in low-voltage systems generally do not need an electrician. A new outdoor outlet, a line-voltage fixture or a circuit at the house does, and that work is done by a licensed electrician under the right permit.
Outdoor lighting install
$2,000to$6,000
Professional installation
Angi · checked Oct 2026 · national
Fixtures, per light
$50to$500
Path lights least, security lights most
Angi · checked Oct 2026 · national
The number of fixtures, distance from the transformer and whether we can run cable while the yard is open set most of the price.
