Evergreen Contracting & Irrigation designs and installs landscape lighting for homes in New Bloomfield. The ground here climbs hard from one end of town to the other. That changes how a property should be lit. We plan around the grade and the house in front of us. Free estimates arrive within a week, and repairs are scheduled in 1 to 2 weeks.
The Oldest Courthouse Town in Pennsylvania
Perry County broke away from Cumberland in 1820, largely because crossing the mountain to Carlisle was miserable. The town was laid out in 1823 and named for the clover blooming nearby. Its courthouse went up in 1826 and is still in use today. No other courthouse in the state has run that long without a break.
The town grew around that square, with shade trees and globe lampposts down the streets. Nineteenth century houses sit close together, most of them red brick with white trim. A place like this rewards a careful hand after dark. We plan around the age of the house.
Getting Bottle-Green Shutters and White Trim Right
The color palette here repeats on nearly every block. Red brick, crisp white trim, and dark bottle-green shutters. Put a floodlight on that combination and it falls apart. The trim blows out bright while the shutters turn into flat black holes.
Dark paint swallows most of the light that reaches it. White paint throws nearly all of it back at you. We fix that with lower output and fixtures set off to the side. Angled light catches the shutter edge and the panel profile instead of flattening the face. The brick keeps its color and the trim stops glaring.
Designing for a Property That Climbs
This borough covers well under a square mile. Even so, the ground moves more than 300 feet across it. The north end sits close to 1,000 feet. The low corner near Little Juniata Creek drops to around 640. A lot of properties here sit on a real slope.
On a grade, a fixture aimed the normal way throws light into the sky or into the house uphill. We lower the mounting height and shorten the throw on uphill runs. Going downhill, the fixture has to sit farther back to cover the same wall. Step and wall units carry the walking routes so nothing has to over-reach. That is standard practice in our low voltage lighting work.
When the Hill Decides Your Sunset
A timer set to calculated sunset assumes flat, open ground. This town does not have flat, open ground. With high ground sitting to the north, your yard goes dim before the clock catches up. The system stays off while the property is already in shadow.
We set the schedule around what your property actually does. That usually means moving the evening start time earlier. Where a photocell suits the site better, we mount it clear of tree cover and porch glow. Everything comes on when you need it and shuts down when you do not.
Lighting a Flag the Way It Should Be Done
This town takes its memorials seriously. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument has stood in the middle of the square since 1898. The old academy on the hill trained cadets here for generations. Plenty of homes fly a flag year round.
A flag needs light from below, covering the whole field without spilling past it. One fixture rarely handles a tall pole well. Two or three low-wattage units spaced around the base give far more even coverage. We aim them tight so the beam stops at the flag rather than a neighbor’s window.
Digging Safely in a Two-Hundred-Year-Old Yard
Old lots hide things. Clay sewer lines, abandoned water service, and forgotten wiring often sit shallower than current code allows. Mature tree roots make the digging harder still. One careless trench turns a simple job into a plumbing bill.
We call in utility locates before a shovel touches the ground. Near root zones and foundations, the crew digs by hand. Wire runs follow bed edges instead of cutting straight across open lawn. Taking time at that stage saves everyone money later.
What Installation Week Looks Like
Your free estimate arrives within a week of the call. From there, most residential jobs run one to three days on site. We confirm the plan and every fixture position before anything gets set. You know the schedule before our truck pulls in.
The crew keeps trenches narrow and puts the sod back the same day. Final aiming happens after dark, since that is the only time you can judge it honestly. We walk the property with you and move anything you want moved. After that, the two year warranty takes over, backed by our service and repair team.
Why Choose Evergreen Contracting & Irrigation
Perry County homeowners tend to ask around before they hire anyone. This is what you get when you hire us:
- Work on Central PA properties dating back to 2001
- Technicians who handle irrigation and outdoor lighting alike
- Two full years of warranty on anything newly installed
- Fixture manufacturer coverage layered on top of ours
- Reduced pricing for active duty members and veterans
- Maintenance visits booked monthly, quarterly, or by season
- A family business, owned and operated out of Dauphin County
We cover Perry County and the surrounding area, including nearby Newport and Duncannon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my brick house look washed out at night?
Almost always because the output is too high and the angle is too flat. Red brick with white trim reflects unevenly. The trim takes the light and throws it right back, so it reads far brighter than everything around it. Meanwhile dark shutters absorb what hits them and disappear into the wall.
The fix is not a brighter fixture. We drop the output, move the source off to one side, and let the light rake across the face. That angle picks up the shutter edges, the sill depth, and the texture in the brick. The house ends up looking solid rather than bleached.
My yard is on a hill. Does that change the design?
It changes almost everything. Slope affects how far a beam travels, where it lands, and who ends up looking straight into it. A fixture that works fine on level ground will glare into an uphill neighbor’s kitchen. It can also throw light uselessly into the sky.
We measure the grade before drawing anything up. Uphill runs get shorter throws and lower mounts. Downhill runs get pulled back so the beam still reaches the wall. Walkways and steps on a slope get their own dedicated fixtures rather than borrowing light from somewhere else.
Can you light a flagpole properly?
Yes. A single fixture almost never covers a tall pole evenly. We use two or three low-wattage units spaced around the base, aimed tight. The flag stays lit from top to bottom and the spill stays on your property.
Will a standard timer work here with the hill to the north?
Not without adjustment. Calculated sunset is based on flat ground, and this town has anything but. We shift the evening start earlier so the system matches real conditions. A well-placed photocell is another option where the site suits it.
Do you actually come out to Perry County?
We do, regularly. Free estimates arrive within a week of your call, and repairs get scheduled in 1 to 2 weeks. Seasonal maintenance runs on the same schedule as the rest of our service area. Being over the mountain does not put you at the back of the line.
Contact Us
Evergreen Contracting & Irrigation is ready to plan your project. Free estimates arrive within a week, so you are not stuck waiting on a number. Repairs get booked inside 1 to 2 weeks. Seasonal service keeps the system working long after installation day.
Call (717) 533-0606 or contact us today to schedule your consultation and get your property lit properly.