Residential landscape lighting designer

Homeowners who want better curb appeal, safer walkways and nicer evenings outdoors, often in mid-range to higher-value neighborhoods.

A fixed project price covering design, fixtures and labor, usually with a markup on materials. Add-ons include yearly maintenance visits, bulb or fixture swaps and seasonal holiday lighting.

• Eye for design and layout
• Basic electrical knowledge (low-voltage systems)
• Hands-on installation work, including digging and running cable
• Clear quoting and customer communication

• Licensing: rules differ by state and city, and some places require an electrical or contractor license even for low-voltage work, so check first
• General liability insurance, and workers' compensation once you hire help
• Any work connecting to a home's main power (such as a new outlet) usually needs a licensed electrician and may need a permit
• Call 811 before digging to have underground utilities marked
• Work is seasonal in colder states, and installs are physical, so plan your workload

Startup costs are typically around $2,500 to $12,000, depending on your tools, sample fixtures, vehicle needs and insurance. These are estimates. Work can be seasonal in colder states, so plan your cash flow for quieter months.

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many installs you complete, the size of each job and the season. These are estimates that assume roughly 15 hours a week or more.

Rules differ by state and city, and some places require an electrical or contractor license even for low-voltage work, so check first. Anything connecting to a home's main power usually needs a licensed electrician and may need a permit. Call 811 before digging.