Sunscape Outdoor Lighting is Austin’s go-to outdoor lighting company for homeowners and businesses who want more than just a few lights stuck in the ground. We design, install, and maintain custom lighting systems across the Austin metro, from Tarrytown and Barton Hills to Mueller, Circle C, and everywhere in between. Whether you’re looking for landscape lighting that shows off your live oaks, commercial outdoor lighting for your storefront on South Congress, or a full smart automation system you can control from your phone, we’ve got you covered.
We’re not a franchise. We’re not a national chain sending a random crew to your door. We’re a local Austin team that knows this city, knows the terrain, and knows what it takes to build lighting that lasts through Central Texas summers, flash floods, and everything in between.
Austin isn’t a cookie-cutter city, and your outdoor lighting shouldn’t be either. The Hill Country terrain west of MoPac looks nothing like the flat Blackland Prairie east of I-35. Mature live oaks in Tarrytown need a completely different lighting approach than the young landscaping in a new Mueller build. We design every system around the specific property, not a template.
Curb appeal matters here. Austin’s housing market stays competitive, and well-designed outdoor lighting is one of the fastest ways to increase your home’s perceived value. If you’re curious about the numbers, our guide on how outdoor lighting increases your home’s value in Austin’s market breaks it down.
Security is the other big one. Austin’s grown fast, and neighborhoods that felt small ten years ago now have a lot more foot traffic. A well-lit front yard and driveway does more to deter break-ins than most alarm systems. We position fixtures so there are no dark pockets around entries, garages, and side yards.
If you’ve lived here long enough, you know Austin’s soil is its own challenge. East of I-35, the Blackland Prairie clay swells when it rains and cracks when it dries. That kind of ground movement shifts fixtures, breaks wire connections, and ruins poorly installed systems within a couple of seasons. West of I-35, you’re dealing with shallow limestone and rocky ground where running wire requires careful trenching, not just a shovel. We’ve installed systems across both sides of the city, so we know how to prep the ground correctly the first time.
Central Texas weather adds another layer. Summer highs above 100 degrees cook cheap plastic fixtures and degrade low-quality wire insulation. Then spring storms roll in with heavy rain and flash flooding that can wash out shallow installations along creek beds and slopes. Every fixture we install is rated for these conditions, and we bury wire at proper depth with waterproof connections at every junction. Our guide to weatherproof lighting for Texas homes covers what to look for in fixtures that hold up long term.
HOA rules are a real factor for a lot of Austin homeowners. Communities like Circle C Ranch, Barton Creek, Rob Roy, and Spanish Oaks all have exterior modification guidelines that affect where and how you can install outdoor lighting. Some require architectural review board approval before any work starts. We’re familiar with the common HOA requirements across Austin’s major communities and can help you navigate the approval process before we break ground. If you’re not sure where to start with the design side, our outdoor lighting design page walks through how we approach every project.
We handle the full scope of outdoor lighting work across the Austin area. That includes residential outdoor lighting for single-family homes, commercial outdoor lighting for restaurants, retail, offices, and HOA common areas, and full landscape lighting design and installation built around your specific property.
Already have a system that’s seen better days? Our outdoor lighting upgrade service converts old halogen setups to energy-efficient LED. Most homeowners see a noticeable drop in energy costs and get much better light output. If you’re weighing the differences, our comparison of LED vs. halogen outdoor lighting covers the practical pros and cons.
For homeowners who want full control, we offer outdoor lighting automation that lets you schedule scenes, adjust brightness, and control zones from your phone or tablet. It’s especially useful for Austin homeowners who travel or have vacation properties in the area.
Every project starts with a free on-site consultation. We come out to your property, walk the grounds, look at the architecture, and talk through what you want the lighting to accomplish. Some homeowners want to highlight a 50-year-old live oak in the front yard. Others want their back patio usable after dark so they can actually enjoy Austin’s evenings. Most want a mix of both.
From there, we put together a custom lighting design with fixture placement, beam angles, and a layout that accounts for your property’s terrain, existing landscaping, and any HOA guidelines. We don’t use generic plans. If you want ideas before we meet, check out our guide to outdoor lighting design for Texas yards or browse our project gallery for examples of past work around Austin.
Installation is clean and fast. We trench properly, use direct-burial rated wire, and seal every connection. Most residential jobs wrap up in one to two days depending on the scope. Once the system’s in, we walk you through everything, test every zone, and make sure you’re comfortable with the controls.
We’re fully insured and we work with permit partners when a project requires it. If you’re wondering what sets us apart from other companies, here’s why Austin homeowners trust Sunscape.
We work across every corner of the Austin metro. Here are some of the neighborhoods and communities where we regularly install and maintain outdoor lighting systems:
Tarrytown, Barton Hills, Zilker, Travis Heights, Hyde Park, Allandale, Crestview, Bryker Woods, Old Enfield, Pemberton Heights, Cat Mountain, Barton Creek, Circle C Ranch, Rob Roy, Westover Hills, Rosedale, Bouldin Creek, East Austin, the Domain area, and Mueller.
We also install and maintain outdoor lighting systems throughout the greater Austin metro. Visit our service area pages to learn more about how we work in your community: North Austin, South Austin, West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Lakeway, Bee Cave, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Dripping Springs, Buda, Kyle, and Steiner Ranch.
Most residential projects take one to two days from start to finish. Larger properties or commercial jobs may take longer depending on the number of fixtures and how much trenching is involved. We’ll give you a clear timeline during the consultation so there aren’t any surprises.
It depends on your community. Many Austin HOAs, especially in master-planned neighborhoods like Circle C, Barton Creek, and Rob Roy, require architectural review board approval before any exterior modifications. We’re experienced with these processes and can help you prepare the submission.
It can if the system isn’t installed properly. Austin’s expansive clay soil, especially east of I-35, swells and contracts with moisture changes. That movement can shift fixtures and break wire connections over time. We account for soil conditions during installation by using flexible connections and proper burial depth to prevent damage.
LED fixtures are the clear winner for Austin’s climate. They run cooler than halogen, last significantly longer, and hold up better against UV exposure and temperature swings. We exclusively install commercial-grade LED fixtures rated for outdoor use.
Yes. We install smart outdoor lighting automation systems that connect to Wi-Fi and let you control zones, brightness, and scheduling from your phone or tablet. You can create scenes for entertaining, set timers for security, or adjust everything remotely when you’re traveling.
Absolutely. Our commercial outdoor lighting work includes restaurants, retail spaces, office buildings, HOA common areas, and multi-family properties across the Austin metro. Good commercial lighting improves safety, extends usable hours, and makes a strong first impression on customers.
Live oaks are one of Austin’s most striking landscape features, and they respond well to uplighting placed at the base of the trunk. For larger canopies, we’ll use multiple fixtures at different angles to fill in the branches without creating harsh shadows. Moonlighting from higher positions works well too, especially in Tarrytown and Barton Hills where the oak canopy is thick. Check out our 10 outdoor lighting ideas to boost curb appeal for more techniques.
Just give us a call or fill out the form on our contact page. We’ll schedule a free on-site consultation where we walk your property, discuss your goals, and put together a custom design and quote. No pressure, no sales gimmicks.
Your property deserves lighting that’s designed for it, not pulled off a shelf. We’ll come out, walk the grounds with you, and build a plan that fits your home, your style, and Austin’s unique conditions. Give us a call or reach out through our contact page for a free estimate. Let’s talk about what’s possible.
We design and install custom outdoor lighting systems across Austin, combining beauty, safety, and smart automation for homes and businesses.