Exterior and security lighting in New York City covers entry and stoop fixtures, motion and dusk-to-dawn security lights, backyard and roof deck lighting, and low-voltage landscape systems. Everything outdoors needs wet-rated fixtures, sealed boxes and GFCI-protected outlets, and national figures put a light fixture installation at about $155 to $955.
Updated September 2026
Outdoor lighting fails for predictable reasons: water in the box, a fixture rated for damp but not wet locations, or a photocell pointed at the streetlight. Getting the rating and the sealing right is most of the job.
We plan each light for its purpose, whether that's seeing the lock, seeing who's at the gate or sitting outside, and keep the glare off the neighbors' windows.
Stoop and entry lighting
Entry lights should show the steps, the lock and the face of whoever's at the door. On a brownstone or row house stoop that often means a pair of fixtures at the door and a light at the bottom of the steps. We mount wet-rated fixtures on sealed boxes, drill masonry cleanly and seal every penetration against water. Switching from inside the front door is standard, and a photocell or timer can keep the entry lit from dusk to dawn without anyone remembering.
Motion and dusk-to-dawn security lights
Security lighting works best when it's aimed well rather than simply bright. Motion-activated floods cover side yards, alleys and back doors, and they're aimed so they trigger on people rather than on passing cars. Dusk-to-dawn fixtures keep a steady low level on paths and gates. We adjust sensitivity and timing after installation, point the heads down to limit glare, and can tie exterior lights to a smart switch so you can check or trigger them from your phone. Neighbors' windows stay out of the beam.
light fixture $155 to $955; ceiling fan $140 to $350; outlets $200 to $300; switches $85 to $200. Source: www.homeadvisor.com, 2025. Published market range for budgeting only, not our quote.
Backyard and roof deck lighting
Backyards and roof decks need light for walking, cooking and sitting, and outlets for heaters, speakers and string lights. On roof decks the wiring has to be protected against weather and foot traffic, with every outlet GFCI-protected and in-use covers that seal around plugged-in cords. We run circuits in conduit or rated cable, mount fixtures on railings, walls or posts, and put the controls inside the door so the deck can be lit before you step out. Fixtures are chosen to stand up to wind and salt air.
Landscape low-voltage systems
Low-voltage landscape lighting runs from a transformer plugged into a GFCI outlet, with direct-burial cable to path lights, uplights on trees and wall washers. It's safe to adjust, cheap to run with LED lamps and easy to extend. We size the transformer for the total load with room to add fixtures, bury the cable where it won't be cut by a shovel, and set a photocell and timer so the garden lights itself at dusk and shuts off late at night.
What moves the price
- Number and type of fixtures
- Masonry drilling and sealing
- New outdoor circuit or GFCI outlets
- Motion sensors, photocells and timers
- Conduit and cable protection on decks
- Transformer and burial for low-voltage systems
- Smart control integration
light fixture $155 to $955; ceiling fan $140 to $350; outlets $200 to $300; switches $85 to $200. Source: www.homeadvisor.com, 2025. Published market range for budgeting only, not our quote.
What an exterior lighting job includes
- Dusk walkthrough of the property
- Wet-rated fixtures chosen for each spot
- Sealed boxes and masonry penetrations
- GFCI protection on outdoor outlets
- In-use covers on deck and yard outlets
- Motion sensors aimed and adjusted
- Photocells or timers set
- Low-voltage transformer sized with spare capacity
- Controls placed inside the door
What we see in New York buildings
Lighting rules reach outdoors in New York City too. Local Law 88 required buildings of 25,000 square feet or more to bring their lighting up to the energy code by January 1, 2025, and the upgrades it covers include LED conversion, automatic shutoff and light reduction controls, exit signs and exterior lighting. Smaller houses aren't covered, but the same controls cut the running cost of lights left on all night.
What happens after you call
- 1
Walk the outside at dusk
We look at what needs light and where glare would fall.
- 2
Plan fixtures and controls
Wet-rated fixtures, sensors and switching chosen.
- 3
Run circuits
Sealed boxes, conduit or rated cable, GFCI outlets.
- 4
Mount and seal
Fixtures mounted and every penetration sealed.
- 5
Aim and adjust
Sensors, timers and photocells set after dark.
Signs your exterior lighting needs work
Water in the fixture
The box or gasket isn't sealed.
GFCI trips after rain
Moisture in an outdoor outlet or box.
Dark stoop or steps
A fall risk at night.
Motion light always on
Sensitivity or aim is off.
Rusted fixtures
Not rated for wet locations.
Extension cords to the deck
No outdoor outlets where they're needed.
Photocell facing a streetlight
Lights never switch on.
Questions about exterior & security lighting in New York
Yes. They have to be rated for wet locations and mounted on sealed boxes.
Usually sensitivity or aim. We adjust it after install.
Yes, GFCI-protected with in-use covers.
Yes. It's low voltage from a transformer and safe to adjust.
Yes, with a photocell, timer or smart switch.
We aim fixtures down and away to limit glare.