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Garden path and planting lit by low-level outdoor lights in the evening
Outdoor and garden lighting

Garden Lighting Installation in Colchester

Good garden lighting makes paths safer after dark and lets you use a patio or garden room well into the evening. Martin Kaine Electrical designs and installs outdoor lighting across Colchester and North Essex, using cable, fittings and protection chosen for permanent exposure to rain, frost and soil.

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IP-rated
fittings for outdoor use
RCD
protected outdoor circuits
600+
projects completed

Mains or low-voltage garden lighting

Mains-voltage lighting is usually run in steel wire armoured (SWA) cable, buried at a safe depth or clipped along walls, and suits brighter fittings and longer distances. Low-voltage systems use a transformer near the house to step the supply down, which makes the cable to each light easier to route and move later. Many gardens end up with a mix of the two, and we will explain which suits each area.

  • Armoured cable for buried mains runs to the end of the garden
  • Low-voltage systems for flexible planting beds and borders
  • Weatherproof junction boxes and glands sealed against water
  • Cable routes recorded so they are not dug through later

IP ratings and RCD protection outdoors

Every outdoor fitting carries an IP rating that tells you how well it resists dust and water. Wall lights under an eave need far less protection than a ground uplighter sitting in a wet bed or a fitting near a pond. Outdoor circuits and sockets also need RCD protection, because damp conditions make an earth fault much more dangerous.

  • Fittings matched to their position, from sheltered walls to buried uplighters
  • 30mA RCD protection on outdoor lighting and socket circuits
  • Outdoor sockets in weatherproof enclosures for tools and garden rooms
  • Dedicated supplies to garden offices and outbuildings sized for their use

Switching, timers and lighting layouts

How lighting is switched matters as much as where it goes. Path and driveway lights work well on dusk-to-dawn sensors or timers, while feature lighting is better on its own indoor switch so you choose when it is on. PIR sensors suit side passages and bin stores where you only need light for a minute or two.

  • Path and step lighting set low to avoid glare
  • Patio and seating areas lit on separate switched circuits
  • Wall washers and tree uplighting for depth and focal points
  • PIR, timer or photocell control so nothing is left on all night
How the job runs

From first call to finished work

  1. 01

    Evening walk-round

    We look at the garden with you, mark where light is useful and decide which areas need mains or low voltage.

  2. 02

    Lay out routes and fittings

    Cable routes, trench lines, fittings and switching are agreed so planting and paving can be worked around.

  3. 03

    Install the hidden work

    Armoured cable, ducts and junction boxes go in first, ideally before new paving or turf is laid.

  4. 04

    Fit, aim and test

    Fittings are connected and angled after dark, controls are set, and the circuits are tested and certified.

Why customers choose Martin Kaine Electrical

  • Cable and fittings selected for outdoor exposure, not borrowed from indoor jobs
  • More than thirty years in the trade, indoors and out
  • Outdoor circuits tested and certified like any other installation
Questions

Common questions

Should garden lighting go in before or after landscaping?

Ideally the cables and ducts go in before paving, decking or new turf, with the fittings connected once the landscaping is finished. If your garden is already complete, cable can often be routed along walls, fences and existing edges instead.

Can you put a power supply in my garden room or office?

Yes. A garden building usually needs its own armoured cable supply from the house, sized for heating, lighting and computer equipment, often with a small consumer unit inside. We look at how you will use the building before choosing the cable size.

Do outdoor sockets need to be on their own circuit?

Not always, but they must have RCD protection and a weatherproof enclosure suitable for their position. Where you plan to run pressure washers, heaters or a hot tub, a dedicated circuit is usually the better option.

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