little design help (pics) - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

JamesNLA · 10-25-2007, 09:09 PM

Hi all,

Gotta project I am putting together. It's a big one (at least for me) over 200 fixtures and that's just the back yard. But I am breaking it down into more manageable sections.

First Pic is a bridge. HO and I decided to investigate the possibility of doing
4 of these:

atop of these:

My question is how are these columns built usually?

This will be low voltage. I am thinking of making a test hole through the mortor at the base in a not so noticeable place to see of it is holow.

Thanks!!

Billy-Integrity · 10-26-2007, 10:45 PM

personally... i dont like the choice in fixtures. I cant tell how big it is but it looks like a glare bomb and will leave a shadow (created by the collums themselves) on the steps. I think you can find a better choice in fixtures.

Good question on how thoes pillars are built. Could be cinder block under...Could be a preformed pillar... could be hollow. I have seen em many ways.

I think if you are going to use a direct lighting fixture you need to keep it insanly low wattage and also place a light of some kind to hit the steps as well.

Couple questions... Is that going to remain a dry creek bed or will it flow water later ? If it will hold water later this is the perfect place to build a "wishing well" and have it illuminated under water concealing the lights under the bridge

Is there any other plans or this is the backyard done and over with besides lighting ? I cant imagine they spent this much time and resources on the yard and never planned for lighting.

Now that i see this thread there are definatly more focal points in this backyard then thoes great trees. I already see many oppurtunities to use thoes trees to conceal some great moonlighting for thoes paths. This is the type of job designers drool over

shed-n-deck · 10-26-2007, 11:33 PM

Usually, those type of columns are hollow, built from plywood or OSB, and stone veneer is applied. That's the most economical way of building them, that I know of. You can test to see how solid it is by tapping it gently with a hammer.....If it sounds hollow, then likely it is...I've seen these built around sonotubes sticking 4' out of the ground, boxed with plywood, and then veneered...So really it's hard to say...

JamesNLA · 10-27-2007, 02:16 AM

Actually that was the first lantern top I could grab off the net. It will not be that actual one, I wanted people to see there was a light fixture going ontop and not have to explain which one...ect..ect...

This back yard is intense...it is really amazing. My HO does not want to light it up like I want to. Very subtle and nothing over powering. It's a draw back because I want to do it differently, but this is her house and she has alot to say on the lighting design. Put it this way, we remodeled some of the back house....3/4 of the way through she changed everything and we had to start all over. Money isn't the issue, the end result must be how she wants it. As for these pillars, I was planning on a cross lighting the steps/columns.

There is alot more in that active run off, that comes from the hills above. Apparently in big rain storms it gets up to the bridge. I wanted to light it up...she didn't.

As for moon lighting, I think I am putting about 11 fixtures up in the trees to light up a few specific things, otherwise it's pathways. Staggered every 10 ft.

JamesNLA · 10-27-2007, 02:27 AM

....and yes, they planned for zero landscape lighting. The invoice for this gig is at about 20K so far, and that is less than 100 fixtures and only about 3/4 of the back yard. The front yard I'm lighting up the house as well. This will take me through the new year!!

Hay, on that other pic of the sage plants, I get what your saying about making it a run way......but she doesn't want to light up any of the trees in the back round and wants nothing in the grass. Thinks that will kill the look. Wants very little showing which is cool with me, but that particular plant life is presenting a challange to me, and I think well lights would do so little. I hate to say it but pathways are looking more and more senseable....That one I am really stuck on.

Billy-Integrity · 10-27-2007, 07:22 AM

man thats really a shame... have you showed her any very well lit trees such as thoes by gambino or jan moyer ? There could be 8-10 fixtures concealed in the trees operating between 10 and 35 w on dimmers, just because its well lit doesnt mean it has to be bright. There are controls that will allow her to dim it at will. And since money is no object consider a vantage or itouch control system in there as well for the ultimate in cool. This is at minimum going to need a nice UPB system set up and transformers powering specific lights so you can create different scenes for different occasions.

Nice soft cocktail theme... OMG there is someone in my yard security theme...an everyday theme ect.

From the looks of this back yard 20k seems like a steal for her. make sure you figure in all the wire runs and dont forget about her electricians costs to add in all thoes dedicated outlets.

looking at your second to last picture it would be a real injustice to your client not to create a "magical canopy" right there within the tree. It would almost make people feel as tho they were in a fairytale. Kinda one of thoes places you enjoy being while not really knowing why your so at easy. Sitting under there in the evening with a glass of wine would be should I say enchanting ?? With the scope of the project is she is hessitant to agree with you demo some of the smaller areas and knock down the design. Sometimes when clients want to be so involved a demo is an excellent tool

JamesNLA · 10-27-2007, 01:09 PM

Yes, the initial invoice covers ALL the electrical / transformer locations / wire runs for 58 pathways - about 20 spots, and half a dozen wells.

I can already see how this is going to wind up. I'll get about 3/4 done with phase one, and she will totally want to change it up. Meaning all the other areas that are set to be completed after this main portion. I can see her wanting to properly light up that stone wall. For that I need well lights in the grass, she is big on no lights in the grass. She doesn't understand, that they are not visible unless you go looking for them. It was a hard sell, so I gotta let the lights do the talking. By the end of the first week I will have all my dedicated power recepts done. That is alot of work bringing those runs to a place where the transformers won't be running at 11.? volts. Even with jumping up the voltage up.

I kinda have to be careful on the budget because if I hit a particular $$ amount and don't have it mostly completed it's gonna get weird. It will be fine after I get the main lights going. There is another section that I haven't shown that has all these trails. I'm lighting up the trails and doing spots in various locations. Up in the trees and on the ground. It's a very open area on the ground so it makes a little challanging to light it up without having fixtures all over the place. I hate nothing more than walking through a lit up area and my eyes running into fixtures. My tree lights are about 25' up.

The whole mood and scenes thing is not her cup of

Billy-Integrity · 11-01-2007, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesNLA

....and yes, they planned for zero landscape lighting. The invoice for this gig is at about 20K so far, and that is less than 100 fixtures and only about 3/4 of the back yard. The front yard I'm lighting up the house as well. This will take me through the new year!!

Hay, on that other pic of the sage plants, I get what your saying about making it a run way......but she doesn't want to light up any of the trees in the back round and wants nothing in the grass. Thinks that will kill the look. Wants very little showing which is cool with me, but that particular plant life is presenting a challange to me, and I think well lights would do so little. I hate to say it but pathways are looking more and more senseable....That one I am really stuck on.

what about the limited use of a novelty fixture ? is the client into something like Zen or venitian glass ? Kichler and others make alot of novelties that are nice. Personally I would define the yard if she wont do a nice show on the trees then create a folcal point. Perhaps with a novelty fixture in the beds or add a statue/water feature for such a wonderful yard its a little disapointing in some areas