Evergreen Contracting & Irrigation installs landscape lighting for homes in East Berlin. Few towns this size hold as much original 18th century building anywhere in the region. That changes how a system gets fixed to a house and how much light it needs. We work to the building, not around it. Free estimates arrive within a week, and repairs are scheduled in 1 to 2 weeks.
What an East Berlin Project Involves
Evergreen Contracting & Irrigation has worked across Central PA since 2001. The crew brings more than 60 years of combined experience to the job. We read the property before choosing a fixture, because the house sets the terms. Handled well, the building holds its shape at night and the walk in stops being a guess. Estimates are free and reach you inside a week. Repairs are booked in 1 to 2 weeks.
Laid Out in 1764 on 85 Lots
John Frankenberger laid this town out in 1764 on land he bought from the sons of William Penn. He divided it into lots with streets and alleys, and named it for Berlin in Germany. The East was added in 1827 to tell it from another Berlin in the state.
The borough sits in a bend of Conewago Creek, which once powered its grist mills. The historic district holds 186 properties, most of them contributing. Log and stone dwellings from the 1700s sit at its core. The Studebaker family, later famous for wagons and cars, has roots right here.
What the Work Gives You
On a borough lot every fixture has a clear job, and the result shows quickly. Nothing on the way to the door should have to be found by feel. Here is what the work covers:
- A house that reads clearly from the street at night
- No corner of the lot left as a dark pocket
- Firm footing on steps, walks, and the driveway
- Outdoor space that still works past sunset
- Log, stone, and planting that keep their detail
Irrigation is our other trade. Both systems go onto one plan, and the same crew knows every run in the ground.
Raking Light Across Log and Stone
The oldest houses here are log or stone, and both come alive under the right angle. A flat wash aimed straight at them falls dead. These walls are all about texture, and texture only shows when light crosses it.
We rake the beam along the surface from a low, close position. On a log wall that picks out every chinking line between the timbers. On fieldstone it catches each joint and the shadow around it. The wall turns from a flat face into something with real depth. That is exactly what these old buildings deserve.
Mounting on a House This Old
On a building from the 1700s, how a fixture attaches matters as much as where it points. You do not drill into hand-hewn log or soft old stone and expect it to forgive you. Damage there does not heal.
So we avoid the historic fabric entirely. Fixtures sit in the ground, or fix to mortar joints that can be repointed. They never go into the log or the stone face. Where a later porch or downspout can take the load, we use that instead. Everything should come back off one day and leave the wall untouched.
The Window Trim Worth Showing Off
The town has a window detail all its own. It is a wide arched trim with modified corners, found on the late 19th century houses. Most people walk past it in daylight without a glance.
After dark it can become a quiet feature. A soft grazing light along the facade catches that trim and the shadow it throws. We keep it gentle, since the goal is to reveal the detail rather than spotlight it. On a street this full of good trim work, letting it show at night sets a house apart.
Seeing It Before It Goes In
Nobody should have to picture the result from a drawing, least of all on a house they care about. On anything beyond a couple of fixtures, we set up a temporary mock-up on site after dark.
We stand a few units in the actual spots and look at it with you. You see the aim, the spread, and the brightness before a cable goes in the ground. Changes at that point cost nothing. Adjustments after installation take time and money, so this hour is worth taking.
Why Choose Evergreen Contracting & Irrigation
Owners of old houses ask careful questions, and rightly so. This is what your project includes:
- Central PA properties in our hands since 2001
- One crew across irrigation and outdoor lighting alike
- Two years of warranty on every new system installed
- Manufacturer coverage on the fixtures alongside ours
- Lower rates for veterans and serving military
- Servicing set monthly, quarterly, or by the season
- Family owned and locally run, the same faces each visit
We cover northern Adams County, including nearby Lake Meade and Dillsburg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our house is log. How do you light that?
From a low, raking angle rather than straight on. Log is all texture, and a flat wash aimed right at it just falls dead.
We set the fixture low and close and rake the beam along the wall. That catches every chinking line between the timbers and gives the whole face depth. A log wall lit this way looks far better than one washed flat. It also suits the age of the house. The same approach works on the stone dwellings around town.
Will you be drilling into our old stone or log?
No. Hand-hewn log and soft old stone do not forgive a drilled anchor, and the damage cannot be undone.
We keep fixtures out of the historic fabric entirely. They sit in the ground or fix to mortar joints that can be repointed later. A newer porch or downspout works too. The rule we work to is simple. Take the system off in twenty years and the wall should look exactly as it did.
Can you light the window trim on our house?
Yes, and it is worth doing here. The local arched trim takes a soft grazing light beautifully. We keep it gentle so the detail shows without being spotlit. That sets an old house apart on the street.
Can we see it before committing?
On most projects, yes. We set up a temporary mock-up after dark so you can judge the aim and brightness first. You can see the standard in our low voltage work.
How quickly can a repair be scheduled?
Inside 1 to 2 weeks. Most faults trace to a connection, a knocked fixture, or a lamp at the end of its life. Our repair team carries the usual parts.
Contact Us
Evergreen Contracting & Irrigation is ready to walk the property with you. Estimates are free and arrive inside a week. What follows the install matters just as much. Seasonal visits and scheduled maintenance keep the system doing its job for years.
Call (717) 533-0606 or contact us today to schedule your consultation and get your property lit properly.