Outdoor lighting installation covers the electrical work that gets lights burning outside: running cable, trenching, fitting isolators and earth leakage protection, and connecting each fitting safely. OutdoorLighting.co.za is a free quote service. You fill in one form describing the job, and we pass it to independent local electricians and installers, who quote you directly. We do not install, supply or repair anything ourselves, and there is no fee or obligation. Tell us what you want lit, how far it is from the distribution board and whether you need a CoC.
Why a registered electrician matters
Any fixed 230 V outdoor lighting is part of your electrical installation and must comply with SANS 10142-1, the wiring code for low-voltage installations. Only a registered electrical contractor, with an electrician registered with the Department of Employment and Labour (DoEL), may issue a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for the work. Insurers may ask for one after a claim, and you need a valid CoC when selling the property. When choosing electrician contractors, ask for their registration number up front.
What a typical outdoor lighting job includes
- A new outdoor circuit from the distribution board on its own breaker
- Earth leakage protection, normally 30 mA, so a damaged cable or wet fitting trips before it harms anyone
- Cable burial in conduit or armoured cable at the depth SANS 10142-1 requires, typically around 600 mm in open ground
- Weatherproof isolators, junction boxes and cable glands rated IP65 or better
- Fitting and aiming of outdoor wall lights, garden lights or security lights
Low voltage, solar and timer options
Garden spotlights often run on 12 V or 24 V from a transformer, which is safer to bury shallow and easier to extend. Solar lights need no cabling at all, which suits distant gates. An installation electrician can add day/night switches, timers, motion sensors or a smart controller, and can wire key lights to an inverter or backup battery for load-shedding. Separate switching zones let you keep security lights on all night while garden accents go off at bedtime.
What drives the price
Labour is usually the bigger part of the bill. Cable runs over long distances, trenching through paving or rock, core drilling through walls and a new breaker all add cost. Fitting a like-for-like light on an existing point is quick, while a full garden circuit with a landscape lighting plan can take days. Ask for quotes that separate materials, labour and the CoC fee, and confirm who supplies the fittings, since electricians may not warranty lights you bought yourself.
What to include in your request
- Say how far each light is from the distribution board
- Describe the ground: lawn, paving, concrete or rock
- List the fittings and whether you supply them
- Say whether you need a CoC on completion
- Mention timers, sensors or backup power you want
Outdoor Lighting Installation for different properties
- Homes: a new garden circuit, wall lights at doors and a sensor flood over the driveway
- Estates and complexes: unit wall lights and common-area bollards wired to body corporate specifications
- Farms and smallholdings: long armoured cable runs to sheds, gates and kraals with isolators at each building
- Shops and offices: parking and facade lighting circuits with timers, contactors and a CoC for the tenant
- Industrial sites: yard floods and perimeter lighting on dedicated circuits with surge protection
- Lodges, guesthouses and venues: path, terrace and garden circuits for lodges and venues on separate switching zones
- Municipalities, schools and clubs: park and sports field lighting circuits with buried cable and street-level isolators
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a CoC for outdoor lights?
How deep should outdoor lighting cable be buried?
Can I install outdoor wall lights myself?
How much does outdoor lighting installation cost?
Outdoor Lighting Installation by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester