December 2025 Contractor of the Month is: Tucson Landscape Lighting

Can you tell us about your business?

Tucson Landscape Lighting was founded 27 years ago with a strict focus on outdoor landscape lighting. Operating out of Arizona, Tucson Landscape Lighting creates beauty and elegance, transforming outdoor spaces with customized lighting solutions.

How did you get into the landscape lighting business?

It's a 27-year-old business as far as landscaping. My father-in-law along with his sons in the 90s started and grew a successful business, grew the business to 5 trucks and we have been running strong ever since.

What percentage of your business is landscape lighting/what other services do you provide (ie: landscaping, irrigation, electrical…)?

100% landscape lighting, design, installation, repair.

How long have you been installing landscape lighting?

Over 20 years. Mike Lopez, designer, installer, and lead technician, has been with us for 19 years. Mike does everything as far as selecting the products and lighting and design.

What AMP products do you prefer to use? Which fixtures are your favorite?

I would say for sure the MagnumPro Pathlight. That's like the main one we use in all of our installations. The Bronze finish really complements the Arizona desert landscape. That pathlight alone dominates around 95% of our installations.

What tips or tricks have you learned that have benefited your work from a design/installation perspective?

We have learned a ton of helpful tricks, one we like to use is if we end up going over a pool with bistro lighting, we turn the bistro lights into the low voltage for safety in case a kid pops off of a volleyball, we feel it makes the difference and is much safer. We use a motion sensor at the bottom of a MagnumPro, (and you got to put it at the end of the run!), this helps us light only part of the yard that you only want to light up, like while you're utilizing the garbage cans, that way you don’t see the what you don’t want unless you need to.

Tell me about your sales process. How do you find your customers? What is your sales process? Do you use sales tools such as a free demo…

We made a demo kit similar to yours, and we're actually making a 2nd one specifically for path lights. You don't want to be fumbling around in front of a customer trying to put a MagnumPro hat on a stem while you're having a conversation. Plus, you know, sometimes we talk to customers; it's 105 degrees. You don't want to be out there for too long so being effective with your process and having the hands-on materials is key. I like your hardscape lights, I think we should have more options on demo cases for hardscapes too. So, all this we get tossed on the trailer, and every driver has their own case. We're also sending a Christmas card saying, dear valued customer, assuming that we did their landscape lighting to say thanks but also up-sell future projects, if we didn’t service them, its an opportunity to meet a new customer.

Where do you find inspiration for your lighting designs?

We sent Mike to the AMP 2-Day Training, but otherwise, Mike's just a natural. A lot of the training was really beneficial, especially from the marketing and sales side. Mike has around 20 years of experience, so he has seen many forms of outdoor lighting, in many different landscapes. With that wisdom, we are able to lean on the knowledge and creative edge Mike provides.

What do you feel is the most personally rewarding part of installing a lighting system for a client?

The customers!! After the installation they take in the lighting for a night or 2 sometimes over a weekend, and then once they spend that time understanding what life is like with lighting they are like, oh, we just freaking love you guys. We have 2 firefighters, an ex-firefighter, ex-Navy, and an active firefighter and Mike burying the wires afterwards and we always enjoy seeing the customers face when the sun finally goes down.

Tell us a little bit about you personally: What do you like to do outside of work? What are your hobbies?

My background is accounting finance. I have a double major in accounting finance. I was in the car business for 23 years. I worked with Nissan and Crown Concepts, so going fast is in my nature. I love being with family and the team and that makes me feel truly blessed.