Irrigation & Outdoor Lighting in Ontario
Irrigation and outdoor lighting cover two different trades that homeowners often bundle into one project because both involve running lines underground and both get installed around the same time as a new lawn, patio, or planting bed. Irrigation work means designing and installing sprinkler systems (zone layout, pipe runs, heads, backflow preventers, and a controller), plus seasonal startup, mid-season adjustments, and fall winterization. Outdoor lighting covers low-voltage fixture design and install for paths, steps, garden beds, and house facades, along with the transformers and wiring that tie it all together. We're tracking 57 businesses across Ontario that do this work, ranging from small crews focused on seasonal service calls to full design-build outfits that handle irrigation, lighting, and the surrounding hardscape or planting.
What to check before you hire
- Whether they design a zoned system based on your soil, sun, and plant types, not a generic layout
- Licensing for backflow prevention testing (often required by municipal bylaw)
- Whether lighting is genuinely low-voltage with a properly sized transformer, not underpowered fixtures daisy-chained past their limit
- Clear terms for spring startup and fall winterization, since skipping winterization can crack pipes and heads
- Warranty coverage on both parts and labor, and who you call if a zone fails mid-season
Our ranked guide to irrigation and outdoor lighting companies scores all 57 businesses on the factors above, plus responsiveness and how consistently they deliver on seasonal service commitments. The scoring approach is laid out in full on our methodology page if you want to see how we weigh each factor.
Find irrigation & outdoor lighting for your project
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All irrigation & outdoor lighting, ranked by score and relevance
We found 72 businesses offering irrigation & outdoor lighting; 16 met the criteria for the scored directory. The order weighs each business's overall score by how much of its reviewed work is irrigation & outdoor lighting, so a lower-scored specialist can rank above a higher-scored generalist. Filter and sort below, or open the full map view.
Enquiries submitted through our forms may be shared with partner providers who can do the work, and we may receive a referral fee. Our rankings and scores are based on our published scoring method only and are not affected by referral fees.
Common questions about irrigation & outdoor lighting
- How much does a residential irrigation system cost in Ontario?
- For an average suburban lot, a new installed system typically runs a few thousand dollars, with the total driven by lot size, number of zones, and soil conditions (rocky or clay soil adds labor time). Outdoor lighting is usually priced per fixture plus wiring and transformer, so a modest front-yard package costs less than a full property wrap with house uplighting.
- How often does an irrigation system need service?
- Twice a year at minimum: a spring startup to check heads, pressure, and controller settings, and a fall winterization to blow out the lines before freezing temperatures hit. Skipping winterization is the most common cause of cracked pipes and blown fittings.
- What should I expect during an irrigation or lighting install?
- A site visit and design conversation first, then a day or more of digging trenches for pipe and wire runs, setting heads or fixtures, connecting to a backflow preventer or transformer, and testing every zone before they leave. Lawn areas get disturbed during trenching but should be restored to grade.
- How do I judge the quality of the work after it's done?
- Walk the property and check that spray heads don't overlap onto pavement or overspray fences, that zones are separated by sun and plant needs rather than convenience, and that lighting fixtures are aimed rather than just placed. A well-run system also comes with a controller programmed for your specific zones, not factory defaults.
Guides to choosing irrigation & outdoor lighting
- Irrigation system spring startup and fall shutdown, explained
Why an underground sprinkler system needs a proper spring startup and fall shutdown in Ontario, what each visit involves, and what happens if you skip it.