Irrigation and outdoor lighting cover two separate trades that often get bundled together because the same crews dig the trenches and run the low-voltage wire. Irrigation means designing and installing an underground sprinkler system: pipe layout, zone valves, sprinkler and drip heads, a controller, and a backflow preventer to keep lawn water out of the drinking supply. Outdoor lighting covers path lights, uplighting on trees and facades, deck and step lights, and the transformers and wiring that run them. In Ottawa, both trades also mean dealing with a hard freeze-thaw cycle: systems need to be blown out with compressed air every fall and started up again each spring, and wiring has to be buried below where frost heave will disturb it.
When comparing contractors, ask how they handle spring startup and fall blowout (is it included or billed separately), whether they carry a plumbing license or work with one for backflow testing, and what brand of controller and heads they use, since parts availability matters when something breaks in year three. Get a zone count and a drawing, not just a lump-sum price, so you can compare quotes apples to apples.
Our scores weigh review history, verified licensing and insurance, and how consistently a company follows through on maintenance visits, not just installation day. See the full ranked guide to Ottawa landscapers for how these 14 companies stack up, and read our methodology for how we build that ranking.
