Good garden lighting extends the time you spend outside, enhances the appearance of planting and hard landscaping, and increases security. The cost varies enormously depending on whether you want a basic solar string light system or a professionally installed low-voltage landscape lighting scheme.
Solar lights require no wiring and are the cheapest option. Performance depends entirely on light quality cheap solar lights from discount stores give minimal light output and have short battery lives. Quality solar lights (from brands like Philips, Ring, or specialist garden lighting companies) give genuinely useful illumination.
Solar path lights (pack of 8): £20 – £80
Solar spotlights (feature lighting): £15 – £60 each
Solar string lights: £10 – £50 per string
Limitations: Solar lights underperform in the UK’s dull winter months when the panels cannot fully charge. They are not suitable for reliable security or bright feature lighting.
Mains Low-Voltage Systems (12V)
Low-voltage transformer systems are the preferred choice for professional garden lighting. A 12V transformer plugs into a standard outdoor socket and runs cables to LED light fittings throughout the garden.
Benefits: Extremely energy-efficient, safe to bury and cut (12V is not dangerous), flexible and expandable, high-quality light output.
Transformer (60-150W): £80 – £250
LED spike spotlights: £20 – £60 each
LED path lights: £20 – £50 each
Cable (25m roll, 2-core): £25 – £60
Connectors: £5 – £15 each
A DIY low-voltage system for 8-10 light positions: approximately £400 – £800 in materials.
Professional Low-Voltage Lighting Installation
A garden lighting designer and installer designs a scheme to complement the garden, calculates cable runs, selects appropriate fittings, installs all cabling, and commissions the system.
Lighting design consultation: £150 – £500
Supply and install of 10-15 light points: £1,500 – £4,000
Supply and install of 20-30 light points: £3,000 – £8,000
The quality of professional garden lighting transforms a garden at night uplighting trees, washing walls with light, and creating pools of illumination on key features.
Mains 240V Garden Lighting
For higher-output lighting, security floodlights, or integrated home systems, a Part P-registered electrician is required to install 240V outdoor circuits.
Outdoor socket installation: £150 – £300
New outdoor lighting circuit from consumer unit: £300 – £600
Outdoor floodlight installation: £150 – £350 per fitting
Full outdoor lighting circuit with multiple points: £800 – £3,000
All outdoor wiring must be installed in accordance with BS 7671 wiring regulations. Armoured cable is used for buried runs.
LED vs Halogen
Almost all new garden lighting uses LED technology. LED fittings use 80% less energy than equivalent halogen fittings, produce less heat (important for plant proximity), and have lifespans of 25,000-50,000 hours versus 2,000 hours for halogen.
Do not install halogen garden lighting for a new system the running costs and replacement costs make it a poor choice in 2026.
Running Costs of Garden Lighting
A typical low-voltage garden lighting system:
10 x 5W LED spotlights = 50W total
Running for 6 hours per night = 300Wh = 0.3kWh per night
At 24p per kWh = approximately 7p per night, £26 per year
This makes quality garden lighting very affordable to run year-round.
Smart Garden Lighting
Smart lighting systems allow control via a smartphone app, integration with home automation systems, and programmable schedules. Brands like Philips Hue, LUTEC, and Integral offer outdoor smart LED fittings.
Premium systems allow you to set mood scenes, schedule lighting for security when you are on holiday, and integrate with voice assistants. Additional cost over a standard system: £200 – £1,000 depending on the number of smart fittings.
Getting the Best Value from Garden Lighting
Plan the scheme before purchasing identify the key features you want to illuminate
Use a low-voltage transformer system for maximum flexibility and safety
Choose LED fittings with an IP65 or IP67 rating for outdoor use
Consider starting with a small system and expanding over time
Invest in cable quality cheap cable degrades faster outdoors
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