Low-voltage outdoor electrical wiring is a job that can be accomplished by anyone with a small amount of landscaping and simple home improvement skills. In most jurisdictions, use of low-voltage systems does not require the involvement of a licensed electrician. If your client’s home does not have a proper exterior outlet or access to an indoor outlet, you will have to engage an electrician to have one installed. Plug-in lighting systems attach to an outdoor grounded outlet with fault interruption protection or to an indoor outlet. A transformer reduces line voltage to safer 12-volt power. Another alternative is the use of solar-powered lamps that use batteries that are recharged by sunlight each day and require no wires to interconnect them. Consult web sites, catalogs, and home supply stores to learn about available systems and techniques. Contact manufacturers or distributors for samples, catalogs, and photographs of lamps and accessories.
For this job, you’ll need a power trenching tool. This device can be a single purpose unit or one that attaches to other equipment, such as a rototiller or a tractor. Short runs may be possible with hand digging. You’ll also need some basic hand tools, shovels, and hole diggers. Other expenses include creation of a portfolio of samples of available systems and advertising and promotion. In other side, you can charge a flat rate for your services based on the number of lamps and the length and complexity of the wiring involved, or you can quote an hourly rate. Add the cost of any lights, wire, transformers, and accessories; you should be able to purchase equipment at wholesale or discounted rates and resell them to your client at retail prices.