I am getting quotes for front yard and back yard low voltage lighting. As expected, the quotes widely vary based on the light fixtures. The lower end seem to be Volt and the higher end seem to be the solid bronze Cast. To make it more fun, each manufacturer have different types of fixtures for bullets, paths, wells, etc. I've read a ton but I can't seem to find much on manufacturer rating aside from the typical stick with brass/bronz and stay away from plastic (obvious). I am looking for something higher quality than a typical big box store if I am going to shell out $5-$10K for lighting.

 

Hi, check out this site, RAB has a nice quality product.
Geo

https://www.rablighting.com/outdoor

 

Sure. I can do that but aside from material, how do I compare products? What makes cast lighting so much more expensive ?

 

Plastic is cheap, metals (aluminum, zinc...) are more expensive and metals like brass and bronze are even more expensive. So, any light made of a more expensive material is going to be more expensive. Then when you figure the economies of scale a cheap, residential grade plastic light made in China by the hundreds of thousands is going to be much more inexpensive than a lower volume, quality commercial or cast light.

 

Agreed. Let’s kick them out of equation. How do you differentiate between an acceptable Buick and a Porsche ?

im trying to pick somewhere in the middle And a bit higher with regards to quality.

 

I have quite a few RAB fixtures, different styles and never had any issues, they also have good tech support if you have any issues with layout.
Geo

 

The best way to decide is to get your hands on one or two of them. You also need to decide the cost/value to you.

The plastic lights are cheap and will last 1-3 years.

The lightweight metal ones like they sell at HD/Lowes are a decent middle-ground - they will hold up much better, though will rust/corrode over time. Most last 3-5 years. For an installation I did for my parents, it was at a good price-point, and we made the whole system last 10+ years by replacing one or two of the path lights each year as they broke. I'm sure going with a better manufacturer you'll get a bit better quality, at a slightly higher price.

The heavyweight cast will last almost forever. You'll probably find a few that need their lamp terminals cleaned after 5-10 years if water gets into them. But the fixtures themselves should last a long time. You see some that were installed in the 80's/90's still in use around. But of course you're going to spend a lot more for them.

If I was going to install some at my house right now, I'd go for the middle-range. I don't need to spend $$, and would rather repair a few times and refresh it in 10 years. But that's just based on my opinion on my installation.

 

These are the questions I am asking. For example, the cast quote is $7700 but an aluminum fixture is $5000 ($2700 cheaper) and Kichler would be $5400. So, is cast worth $2,300 more? Or is there a middle ground between Cast/Kichler? Or is Kichler OK and just replace if something breaks?

 

Kichler is considered top shelf fixtures. They cost more but are built better and last longer.

 

That's what I thought/read. I guess I don't see too much need to spend $2300 more for Cast.