Outdoor & Permanent Lighting
Landscape, architectural, pool-area, and permanent roofline lighting — designed and installed by AE LEDs, our specialty lighting division.
Quick planning summary
- Best for
- Homeowners who want their yard to work after dark — safely down paths, warmly across patios and pergolas, and dramatically through trees and hardscape — plus anyone considering permanent architectural trim lighting (AE LEDs) that replaces seasonal ladder work
- Planning investment
- Low-voltage landscape lighting typically runs $200–$450 per installed fixture in the Valley, including trenching, low-voltage wire, transformer capacity, and photocell/timer setup.
- Typical timeline
- Design walk-through (evening preferred, so we can mock up placements): 1 site visit.
- Service area
- Phoenix metro — Peoria, Glendale, Surprise, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, and surrounding cities.
- AE division
- AE LEDs (permanent lighting) · landscape lighting by AE crews
Ranges are planning guidance and reviewed periodically. Final figures live in your signed proposal.
See real numbers before you call.
Our pricing guide shows the planning ranges we actually see on Arizona jobs — no "call for pricing," no hidden cost drivers.
New River Resort Backyard
A full resort transformation in New River, AZ — pool with in-water basketball, raised infinity-edge spa with fire trough and rain-curtain feature wall, stacked-stone ramada with outdoor TV and fireplace, color-changing pool and landscape lighting, and shade sails framed by metal palm sculptures.
What AE currently offers for this scope
Only options we actively design, source, and build today. Ask in your intake if you don't see what you're picturing.
- Landscape & pathway lighting
- Tree & plant lighting
- Architectural lighting
- Pool-area & water-feature lighting
- Smart lighting controls
- Permanent roofline lighting
- Holiday & accent lighting
- Designed & installed by AE LEDs
Low-voltage landscape lighting
- —Path lights (walkways, driveway edges)
- —Down-lights (from trees and structures, moonlight effect)
- —Uplights (trees, columns, house facade, feature walls)
- —Wash lights (grazing walls and stone texture)
- —Well lights (in-ground for uplighting)
- —Step and hardscape lights (retaining walls, stair risers)
- —Underwater LED for pools, spas, and water features
AE LEDs — permanent architectural trim
- —Eave, fascia, and roofline
- —Pergola and ramada perimeters
- —Column and pillar wraps
- —Programmable color, animation, and scene modes
- —App and voice control
- —Warm-white 'always-on' evening mode for security and curb appeal
Use the right planning tool for this project.
Use these first, then send AE the result so we can review your project with better context.
Looking for permanent roofline or holiday-capable lighting?
The AE LEDs division installs permanent track-mounted RGBW fixtures along your roofline, soffit, and architectural lines — separate from landscape, path, and uplight work covered on this page.
How AE LEDs actually builds and installs a system
Every AE LEDs track is custom-built in-house. We paint or use powder-coated aluminum for every track — sometimes we can match a home with a stock powder-coat color, and every system is built for that specific home. None of what we install is a big-box cookie-cutter product.
- Phase 1
Deposit & trim color match
— Week 0Confirm scope, pick the trim/track color to match your roofline or soffit, and lock the design. Custom fabrication starts once color is signed off.
- Phase 2
In-house fabrication
— ~3–5 weeksTrack cut and finished to your home's linear footage, corner and end conditions built to spec, controller and channel components staged for install.
- Phase 3
Install & commissioning
— ~1–3 days on-siteMount track, run channel, terminate the controller, program scenes and schedules, and walk the homeowner through the app.
Typical timeline from deposit and trim color pick to install is 4–6 weeks. If you have a fixed deadline (holidays, an event, listing photos), we can often push the schedule up — usually at some additional cost.
Because the system is built for your home, we won't ship half-finished track just to hit a date. What we install is what we stand behind.
Timing FAQ
How long from deposit to install on a permanent lighting system?
Usually 4–6 weeks. That covers trim color match, in-house track fabrication for your home's specific linear footage and corner conditions, and the 1–3 day on-site install and commissioning.
Can you install in time for the holidays or a specific event?
Often yes. If your deadline is tight we can push the schedule up — that usually carries some additional cost and depends on our fabrication queue at the time. We'll quote standard and rush timelines side-by-side.
What can delay a lighting install?
Trim color match confirmation, HOA approval on architectural review, roofline access on two-story or complex elevations, and controller/power routing coordination are the most common. Weather rarely stops us, but high winds can pause work at height.
Why not just install a stock system faster?
Because a stock big-box channel isn't cut for your home. Corners, gable returns, and end conditions get forced instead of built — and it shows in daylight. Custom fabrication is why AE LEDs looks like architecture, not accessory.
Typical timing depends on design, selections, access, site conditions, materials, weather, approvals, inspections, engineering, product availability, and current schedule. On-site install time is different from the full project timeline — preconstruction, approvals, materials, and coordination happen before visible field work begins.
Landscape, path, and uplighting across the Valley
Low-voltage landscape lighting — path, uplight, downlight, and hardscape integration — using FX Luminaire and Volt brass fixtures on transformer-protected runs. For permanent roofline RGBW lighting, see the AE LEDs division.
- Phoenix
- Scottsdale
- Paradise Valley
- Arcadia
- Cave Creek
- Carefree
- Fountain Hills
- Peoria
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Goodyear
- Litchfield Park
- Avondale
- Chandler
- Gilbert
- Mesa
Every layout is night-walked with the homeowner before final aim and burial.
The 13 questions AE answers for every outdoor & permanent lighting project
Each link goes to the canonical AE page that answers the question — cost guide, planning tool, warranty scope, real project, or homeowner FAQ. If a question isn't yet linked, it's because we're still finalizing the source page rather than publishing anything we can't stand behind.
- What is it?
Landscape, path, uplighting, and accent fixtures — separate from AE LEDs roofline/holiday lighting.
See answer - Who is it for?See answer
- Is AE the right fit?See answer
- What are my options?See answer
- What drives the cost?See answer
- What drives the timeline?See answer
- What goes wrong if it's planned poorly?See answer
- How does it hold up in Arizona conditions?See answer
- What does maintenance look like?See answer
- Permits, HOA, and engineering?See answer
- Warranty and manufacturer docs?See answer
- Show me a real project.See answer
- Is there a planning tool?See answer
The scope items that move the number
Size, selections, access, demolition, utilities, engineering, drainage, permitting, HOA requirements, site conditions, and specialty trades. We surface each one in your written scope instead of teasing a price that omits common cost drivers.
- Total fixture count and fixture type (path vs. up vs. down vs. hardscape)
- Trenching through existing hardscape, turf, or planting beds
- Transformer size (typically 300W or 600W) and location
- Wire gauge and total run length (voltage-drop calc)
- Brass vs. aluminum vs. composite fixture bodies
- Warm-white color temperature vs. tunable / RGBW
- Controls (timer + photocell vs. app-based vs. smart-home integrated)
- For AE LEDs: linear feet of trim, roof access, story count, corner count
- HOA review of any visible fixture on the front of the home
What this looks like in Arizona heat, soil, and monsoon
Heat and dust ratings
Fixtures rated for coastal or northern climates fail early in the Valley. AE specs fixtures rated for the Sonoran heat cycle (regular 110°+ ambient) and monsoon dust, and we set gasket and lens standards accordingly. We also avoid up-lighting directly at low windows where summer heat gain matters.
HOA and dark-sky
Cave Creek, Carefree, Oro Valley, and parts of Scottsdale enforce dark-sky rules that limit light spill above the horizontal plane. AE picks shielded fixtures and aims uplights so the beam stays inside the tree canopy or hardscape it's meant to hit, keeping installs compliant.
How we build it, summarized
- — Written, itemized scope before any work begins; no verbal change orders.
- — Engineering, drainage, and code review documented in the approved design.
- — Manufacturer instructions and current AZ code govern installation methods.
- — Photo documentation captured at each major milestone for the project file.
Final specifications depend on the approved design, site conditions, engineering, applicable code, manufacturer instructions, and signed scope.
See full Construction Standards →Set in your signed proposal
Your signed proposal and agreement control payment milestones, permitting responsibilities, warranty coverage, exclusions, and project scope. Pool and non-pool projects follow different milestone schedules.
What's covered, and by whom
AE provides a two-year workmanship warranty unless a signed agreement states otherwise. Manufacturer warranties apply where applicable and vary by product. Your signed agreement and manufacturer documentation control coverage.
- AE LEDs (permanent lighting)AE workmanship: 2-year workmanshipManufacturer: Manufacturer component warranty (varies by product)
Website information is for planning purposes. Your signed proposal and agreement control the scope, payment schedule, warranty, and project responsibilities.
Outdoor & Permanent Lighting questions, answered
How much does landscape lighting installation cost in Phoenix?+
Most AE LEDs low-voltage landscape lighting projects run $3,500–$12,000 installed, depending on fixture count, transformer size, wire runs, and controls. Permanent roofline lighting is quoted per linear foot of eave, typically $32–$48/ft installed with a programmable controller.
Low-voltage vs. line-voltage landscape lighting — which is better for Arizona?+
Low-voltage (12V) is the correct standard for residential landscape lighting in AZ: safer around planting beds and irrigation, easier to service, and the fixtures we specify are solid brass or copper for long-term corrosion resistance in our climate. Line-voltage is reserved for select architectural or commercial applications.
What brand of fixtures does AE LEDs install?+
AE LEDs installs contractor-grade brass and copper low-voltage fixtures plus permanent roofline systems from established manufacturers. Exact brand and model are documented in your proposal so you know what's on the house — not a generic 'landscape lighting kit.'
Are permits required for landscape or permanent lighting in Arizona?+
Standard low-voltage landscape lighting typically does not require a permit. Permanent roofline lighting is a low-voltage system mounted to the eave and generally does not require a permit either, but HOA architectural review is often required in Scottsdale, Peoria, Surprise, and similar communities — AE LEDs helps with submittals.
How does permanent roofline lighting work vs. seasonal Christmas lights?+
Permanent roofline lighting is a hard-mounted, weatherproof RGB+W LED channel installed under the eave. It stays up year-round, disappears when off, and is programmed from a phone app — warm-white patio ambiance, team colors on game day, or full holiday scenes without ever hanging a strand again.
Can I control AE LEDs lighting from my phone?+
Yes. Both permanent roofline and smart landscape zones are app-controlled — schedules, scenes, colors, dim levels, and holiday programs. Systems tie into Wi-Fi and support voice control on Alexa and Google Home where the homeowner opts in.
How long do LED landscape fixtures last in Arizona sun?+
Quality brass low-voltage LED fixtures typically last 15–25 years for the housing and 30,000–50,000 hours for the LED module. AE LEDs specifies fixtures rated for high-UV, high-heat outdoor use so they don't fade, corrode, or fail prematurely in AZ conditions.
What warranty comes with AE LEDs installations?+
Every AE LEDs project carries the fixture manufacturer's warranty (registered in your name at install — typically 5–15 years on brass low-voltage, plus separate LED module coverage) and AE's workmanship warranty on wire runs, transformers, and controls. Specific terms are documented in your written proposal.
Published specifications are typical AE planning or construction baselines. Final specifications depend on site conditions, engineering, manufacturer requirements, applicable code, and the signed scope.
What to clarify before choosing — common planning mistakes to avoid
- Cheap plastic path lights spaced 3 ft apart like an airport runway — hides plants instead of highlighting them
- Cool-white 5000K fixtures used on a warm-tone home (makes the house look institutional)
- Undersized transformer that browns out fixtures at the end of the run
- 16-gauge wire on long runs — voltage drop kills the last fixtures
- Fixtures buried in mulch or bark where they overheat and fail
- Trenching across new pavers or turf that could have been trenched during install
Often built alongside
Ready to plan this the right way?
One accountable team — design, written scope, build, and aftercare.