"Everything turned out fine. When it first arrived, it was damaged in the shipping. It took them quite a while to get something back to us, or even to call me back when I wrote to them. But then, once they got the ball rolling, it went very quickly. It took them probably about a month to even get back to me. The price was very good. Once somebody actually did speak with me, they were very responsive. They were pretty professional when I spoke to them. I just think that they were light on manpower."
"David is excellent and very budget-conscious. In addition to the paint, which looks great, he spent at least 10 hours repairing damage caused by my flooring contractor (and somehow managed to make an entire houseful of badly damaged trim look nearly as good as new). All work was done professionally and at a very reasonable cost. Punchlist items were taken care of promptly. "
"It is a waste of money. The great majority of people are not going to find any value out of the service. If you need design consultation, you need a full service consultation. If you already have knowledge and experience, and you just need to get a few ideas, then you don't need to pay for that. You can just get a magazine or a book since you already have the knowledge of basic designs in your head or a little bit of experience. To have someone call you and give you information over the phone, you are not getting the personal service that you need. You may as well take the money $49 and apply it to something else like getting someone else to come out and give you the service that you need. Because, you are not getting much, you are not getting anything at all. They are going to have you do the work. After talking to them and I was talking to other home designers, I found out that that was a waste of time and waste of money. I gave them a C because they didn't fail at what they do but they don't offer any value for what they do. There's not much value to it. The cost was fair. They didn't do a terrible job and the cost isn't terrible, it was only $49. It just has a very low value. For responsiveness I gave them a B because they will answer your phone and answer your emails."
"John installed an outdoor generator connection and a lockout on the main panel. A very fair price, good communication and a very professional, quality installation."
"Nahla Madison Home has a wonderful collection of top quality furnishings and unique pieces. They took my ideas and thoughts and helped me turn them into reality. I love my new apartment."
"I sent the money and dimensions in in November 2011. She responded back very quickly, informed me that she was very busy and wouldn't be able to start on my project for a couple of weeks. I actually responded that that was fine. After a month or so with no contact, i emailed. She emailed right back, apologized and asked for some more measurements. I sent them. Didn't hear anything, when in response to inquiry, she asked again for living room measurements-- that was Feb. 3rd. On Feb. 20th, I emailed and asked for timeline. She responded back the next day with 3 designs asking for my preference. I emailed back on the 22nd of Feb with my preference. On March 16th, I inquired again as to timeline for completion.Two weeks later she sent a concept board with some furnishings. No window coverings or lights were suggested. Three were multiple rugs with no direction of which one for each room. All and all, not a pleasant experience. I suspect I could have gotten better service using Pottery Barn's free design service (especially since most of the furnishings came from there.)"
"I hired the company to do a make ready [clean up & prep] on a single apartment in a building which I own in the town where I live. I needed the property to be cleaned up so I could rent it again. I have been a landlord for over 20 years & hadn't found a vacated property in such a mess in all my years. They did the complete interior clean-up which took about five hours. And, the complete prep of the property. they took out all the trash & junk, and cleaned up all debris left in the yard. They did such a great job with that I decided to use them for the yard maintenance also. They cleaned all my flowerbeds & got them ready for spring, placed mulch & trimmed the shrubs and flowering trees. On the inside they made everything look brand new! Cleaning the walls, painting, cleaned the carpets & stripped & polished the wood floors...making them look brand new. The appliances that stayed were cleaned inside & out. They even remembered to get all the light fixtures clean for me. Dusted all window seals & doorways. Shine mopped all they tile floors. To top it all off they even gave the bathrooms a fresh clean look by putting a new caulk seal around the tubs, sinks & shower...which gave the bathrooms a fresh face. All in all I found it to be a very stress free pleasant experience. And, I will definitely call on them for the next project because if they could do so well with a nightmare like that I'm sure the less difficult will be equally affordable and easily handled. Everything just looked so nice when they were finished. Thanks, Green Earth "
You can take a few steps to prolong the life of your holiday lights. Make sure to replace burnt-out bulbs as quickly as possible to avoid overloading the rest of the circuit and knocking out more lights. Before packing them up each year, plug each strand into the wall to confirm everything is still working. Wrap the lights carefully back into their original packaging or something similar—winding a strand tightly together or leaving it to hang loose in a storage bin can lead to frayed or damaged wiring.
Yes, outdoor lights and receptacles should be on a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) for safety. The outdoors is considered a wet location where GFCI protection is generally required. A GFCI enhances safety by automatically tripping and shutting off the circuit if it detects an imbalance, which protects against electrocution and reduces the risk of an electrical fire. While it is the safest approach for all outdoor electrical components, specific requirements can vary depending on the type of light (e.g., pool lights), its location, and local electrical codes. For guidance tailored to your specific situation, it's best to consult a professional electrician.
Although security lighting may not deter a determined burglar, its presence will make your property that much less enticing to would-be trespassers. When paired with other types of home security systems like alarms and surveillance cameras, strong lights will better help you and the authorities identify thieves in the instance they attempt to break in or succeed at doing so.
High-quality landscape lights that are hardwired and properly maintained can last for 10 to 25 years or more. You’ll usually get a longer lifespan from soffit lights and wall-mounted lights that aren’t directly exposed to the elements or prone to damage from foot traffic or vehicle traffic. Solar-powered and battery-powered lights often won’t last as long, but you can still expect a lifespan of five to 15 years.
There are tons of different types of landscape lighting available, including the choice between solar and wired, incandescent and LED, and a variety of colors.
Specific types of lighting include:
Pathway lights: $50–$150 per fixture
String lights: $50–$150
Low-voltage lights: $90–$150 per fixture
Porch lights: $65–$250 per fixture
Floodlights: $75–$250 per fixture
Downlights: $100–$400 per fixture
Uplights: $100–$400 per fixture
Security lights: $ 350–$500 per fixture
Lamp posts: $400–$1,100 per lamp post
The Royalton, IL homeowners’ guide to lighting services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Discover how much under-cabinet lighting costs. Discover installation prices, key cost factors, and expert tips to save on your kitchen or workspace lighting project.
Light fixtures are important elements in any home. Find out how much it costs to install a light fixture based on factors like type, location, and labor.
Lighting can make or break a space. That’s why it’s best to know what your options are and explore the pros and cons of common types of lighting for homes.