Maybe I can help.

nightscapespaul · #1 (**permalink**) 07-09-2006, 06:44 PM

Hello, my name is Paul Gosselin and I would like to offer my services to this forum. I am a low voltage landscape lighting designer/installer. Lighting is all that I do. I am not a landscaper. I started as an electrian and have 15 years of experience as an electrician. I started in low voltage lighting about 5 years ago. I am certified through the Low Voltage Lighting Institute of the Americas (LVLIA).
If there is anything I can do, any questions that I might be able to help with, please let me know.
I see that most of the posts in this forum are old. Maybe we can get things rolling.
I hope I can help.

Blacksheep · #2 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 06:17 PM

Hi Paul

I am just getting in to the Landscape Lighting business. (Except as an admirer, I am not into landscaping either) I have been reading everything I can get my hands on, as far as design, including Janet Moyers book. Signed up for a seminar in August at Kichler.
I am about to order a demo kit from Cast to start working with actual lights. It comes with (15) 20 watt, and (5) 35 watt MR16 fixtures. Is that enough variety to get a really good idea of what one can do with lights ? Do you know of a demo kit that might be more helpful ?

Also, I am fairly comfortable with the electrical end, so I would appreciate any input regarding seminars, or books, or distributors etc. that would be the best as far as designing is concerned

Thanks
Mike

nightscapespaul · #3 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 08:22 PM

Hi Mike,

The seminar that you will be attending in Cleveland is really good. I went through it a few years ago. I wil actually be there August 9th through the 12th for a focus group with other contractors from accross the country. The Kichler people are top knoch and I'm sure that you will walk out of there feeling good about the course.
I think you can set up a very good "demo" with very few fixtures. You only have to give them an idea of what you can do. I don't even do demos and when I did, they were very small in size. Once you give the client a good feel for what you can do, and they agree to have you design a full system for them, they will see the whole picture. Remember, demo means a demonstration, not a full blown installation. Too many guys spend many hours every week putting up and taking down demos. I would rather spend that time, in the evenings, with my family.
I hope this helps. Let me know if there is anything else I can do.

Inspired · #4 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 08:23 PM

NightScaping used to have a very nice Demo Kit. I'll bet they still do.

However, experimenting yourself will be helpful. You can buy some cheap fixtures at Home Depot (as much as I hate to say those two words together) that use an MR16 and an MR11 bulb. Buy one of the cheapo Malibu 300 watt transformers and some 12 ga. wire while your there. Then go out in your yard with your books and try stuff out.

Home Depot will only have the BAB (wide angle) MR16s so you may need to try a landscaping supply house or a light bulb supply to find a variety of MR16s to experiment with.

The fixtures in this business are all fluff for the most part. It's the bulbs and sockets and your creative placement that makes the difference.

Hope that helps
Bill

GLAN · #5 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 08:26 PM

Cool....

Welcome aboard Paul

nightscapespaul · #6 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KisichDesign
NightScaping used to have a very nice Demo Kit. I'll bet they still do.

However, experimenting yourself will be helpful. You can buy some cheap fixtures at Home Depot (as much as I hate to say those two words together) that use an MR16 and an MR11 bulb. Buy one of the cheapo Malibu 300 watt transformers and some 12 ga. wire while your there. Then go out in your yard with your books and try stuff out.

Home Depot will only have the BAB (wide angle) MR16s so you may need to try a landscaping supply house or a light bulb supply to find a variety of MR16s to experiment with.

The fixtures in this business are all fluff for the most part. It's the bulbs and sockets and your creative placement that makes the difference.

Hope that helps
Bill

Right on Bill!!

nightscapespaul · #7 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 09:16 PM

Thank you Glan.

Inspired · #8 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GLAN
Cool....

Welcome aboard Paul

Yes, welcome aboard, Paul. I must have missed your post earlier. Nice to have someone with your experience here.

nightscapespaul · #9 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 10:46 PM

It's good to be part of a forum and bounce ideas around. Thanks for the warm welcome.

Blacksheep · #10 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 11:14 PM

Thanks Paul,

Glad to hear the Kichler seminar will be worthwhile.
I'm not ready yet to be doing any demos for clients, just anxious to start practicing with the real thing. That makes sense to just do a small demo, and being a newbie, I am thinking I may have to do that because I will not have a lot of past work to show. I can see the advantage of not having to set up and take down demos though, so what are you doing instead ? Portfolio ?

Blacksheep · #11 (**permalink**) 07-22-2006, 11:23 PM

Thanks KisichDesign,

You saved me a lot of money. I looked up the Home Depot stuff online, and it looks like it will be just fine to practice with. Should be a lamp (MR bulb) supplier somewhere in Mpls, St. Paul so maybe I'll have a tree lit up by next weekend

Thanks

GLAN · #12 (**permalink**) 07-23-2006, 08:21 AM

One thing regarding the Malibu series at Home Depot.

When and if you do an installation using fixtures from the Depot. Neighbors will be copying.........cause they can get the same thing and do it themselves.........

Case in point.

I began doing lighting some 15 years ago......using the Toro varifocus kits.....did a couple lighting installs with design work, then the lighting end of it dried up untill 3 summers ago.

3 summers ago I threw a huge surprise birthday party for my dads 80th......family and friends from all over the country attended.....party was not at my house......but I knew that family would be spending a few days, so I needed to do something special and extend our use of the yard after dark.

I researched......Kichler and other high priced fixtures was a bit out of reach for my purposes. I not only wanted to light up the front and backyards, I also wanted to have a display or a show room for various lighting use and technigues.

What I ended up setting up was 4 - 300 watt lines in the back and 2 - 300 watt lines in the front......All Intermatic and fixtures....20 watt spots.....50 watt spots........11 and 18 watt lanterns, bolards. The end result was a heck of alot of lights and for the amount of lights used.....it does look nice.........Many, many comments of approval.

Well..........here's what began to happen 2 summers ago. 2 homes around the corner from me installed there own lighting......same stuff I used from Home Depot, though their layout sucks......but that is not the point. Point is.........they found the same products I used from Home Depot and did it themselves.

Last summer, 2 homes on my street and a couple others on the surrounding streets installed their own systems, again using the same products I used from Home Depot. This summer another on my street installed their own. None of what I have seen them do realy looks all that great. But that is not the point here...........point is.........if you display or demo products that homeowners can get at Home Depot or Lowes.......they will more than likely, go themselves to Lowes or Depot and do it themselves.

Where I live...........is middle and upper middle class........all can afford to pay me to do a lighting installation........even if the project was $2k or more using Kichler and the like units. But they didn't.........cause of what I used and they just copied what I used. And lets face it........landscape lighting is relatively easy to install.........so these homeowners do some of their own DIY projects.

So now what I am contemplating is................Change over the light fixtures from Home Depot stuff to the better and more expensive units like Kichler and others similar manufacturers. Of course when and If I do the change over........I would be using less light fixtures........which is fine with me.

Oh and just last week.........I ran a 100 watt line down the other side of my driveway.......once again using the Intermatic Malibu series Lanterns and a wall wash fixture to light up my Cannas

nightscapespaul · #13 (**permalink**) 07-23-2006, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blacksheep
Thanks Paul,

Glad to hear the Kichler seminar will be worthwhile.
I'm not ready yet to be doing any demos for clients, just anxious to start practicing with the real thing. That makes sense to just do a small demo, and being a newbie, I am thinking I may have to do that because I will not have a lot of past work to show. I can see the advantage of not having to set up and take down demos though, so what are you doing instead ? Portfolio ?

I show my portfolio and 95% of my business in now by refferal, so they have already seen my work.

I also agree that if you demo with the malibu fixtures, these people might go out and buy them themselves. The one thing that has to be stressed is that you are installing "professional equipment". Therefore it costs more. These fixtures by Kichler, CAST, Hadco, FX and Vista are not DIY lighting fixtures.