The electrical line matters
Nobody licenses lighting installers as such in Texas, but electricians are licensed through TDLR, and a permanent system that ties into your house power is electrical work. Ask who makes the hardwired connection and whether a licensed electrician is involved for that part. A quality outfit answers cleanly; an outfit that shrugs about the tie-in is telling you how the rest of the job will go.
Ask what is going on your house
The difference between a system that survives this coast and one that dies in a season is the hardware: marine-grade coatings, sealed connectors, channel that handles sun and salt, and components rated for wind. Ask the brand, ask the ratings, and ask what specifically fails on cheap systems here, because an installer who knows this coast has watched it happen. A price that seems too good is usually the hardware answering for itself.
Warranty means presence
A lifetime warranty from a company that leaves town is a piece of paper. Ask how long they have installed under this name, who actually services warranty calls, and how fast. On permanent lighting the relationship is the product: seasonal scene changes, a dead segment after a storm, a controller swap in year three. Buy from someone who will still be answering the phone.
- Hardwired connections should involve a TDLR-licensed electrician
- Wind and salt kill cheap systems, so ask what is actually being installed
- The warranty is only as good as the installer still being here
Questions people ask about how to choose a lighting installer
What should I check no matter what?
Four things, every time: proof of liability insurance sent directly from their insurer, not a photocopy; how long they have worked this area under this name; local references you can actually call; and a written scope before any money moves. Anyone offended by those four is answering your question.