Lighting Design Software for Contractors | Strandr
Strandr

Lighting Design Software
Built for Contractors

Create professional lighting mockups in minutes. Show customers exactly how their property will look. Close more jobs with visual proposals.

Used by 1,600+ lighting contractors across the U.S. and Canada

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No credit card required Works on PC, Mac & tablets Cancel anytime

Why Contractors Need Lighting Design Software

Your competitors are already showing customers professional mockups. If you are still describing what the finished project will look like, you are losing jobs.

Without design software

  • Hand-drawing mockups on paper or describing the vision verbally
  • Customers cannot visualize the finished result and hesitate to commit
  • Losing bids to competitors who present polished visual proposals
  • Going back to the office to create quotes instead of closing on-site

With Strandr

  • Upload a real photo and design the lighting layout in minutes
  • Customers see exactly what their property will look like, lit up at night
  • Stand out from every other contractor with professional presentations
  • Create mockups and close jobs on-site from your tablet or computer

How Strandr Works

Three steps. Five minutes. One closed job.

Step 1

Upload a Photo of Any Property

Take a photo of the house, building, or landscape. Upload it to Strandr and you are ready to design. No CAD skills required.

Step 2

Design the Lighting Layout in Minutes

Place lighting fixtures on the photo. Adjust colors, brightness, and placement until the design looks exactly how it will in real life. Most mockups take under five minutes.

Step 3

Present to Clients and Close the Job

Show the mockup to your customer on-site or send it as a professional proposal. When they can see the finished result, the sale closes itself.

Lighting Design Software Comparison

See how Strandr compares to other design tools. Most alternatives are built for engineers or architects, not contractors.

FeatureStrandrDIALuxVectorworksProLandscape
Price$197/yrFree$3,045/yr$1,495+
Learning CurveMinutesWeeksMonthsDays
Photo Mockups
Christmas Lighting
Permanent LightingLimited
Built-in MeasurementsINCHR (Free)Limited
Target UserContractorsEngineersArchitectsLandscapers

What Types of Lighting Contractors Use Strandr

Whether you install holiday lights, permanent fixtures, or landscape lighting, Strandr helps you sell the job before you start it.

🎄

Christmas and Holiday Lighting

Show homeowners exactly how their house will look for the holidays. Design rooflines, trees, pathways, and yard displays in minutes. Holiday lighting is a visual sale, and a mockup is worth a thousand words.

Read: Best Christmas Light Software Comparison
💡

Permanent and Architectural Lighting

Design permanent LED lighting for soffits, facades, and outdoor entertainment areas. Show color options, brightness levels, and placement before committing to a single fixture. Close higher-ticket jobs with confidence.

Read: Professional Quoting Guide
🌿

Landscape Lighting

Design path lighting, uplighting, and accent lighting for gardens, driveways, and outdoor living spaces. Landscape lighting is a growing market and visual proposals set you apart from competitors quoting blind.

Read: Landscape Lighting Design Guide

How Design Software Pays for Itself in One Job

Strandr costs $197 per year. One extra closed job pays for it many times over.

$197
Strandr per year
$2,500
Average job value
1,168%
Return on investment

The math is simple

The average lighting installation job is worth $2,500. Contractors who use visual mockups close at significantly higher rates because customers can see the finished result before saying yes.

If Strandr helps you close just one extra job per year that you would have otherwise lost, that is $2,500 in revenue from a $197 investment. That is a 1,168% return on investment.

Most contractors report closing multiple extra jobs per month after adding mockups to their sales process. The software pays for itself before the trial ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about lighting design software for contractors.

What is lighting design software?

Lighting design software is a tool that allows contractors to create professional lighting mockups and proposals using photos of a property. Instead of hand-drawing layouts or asking customers to imagine the finished result, contractors upload a photo and place lighting fixtures digitally to show exactly how the project will look. This helps close more jobs by giving customers a clear visual before any work begins.

Is there free lighting design software for contractors?

Free lighting design tools exist, but they are typically built for engineers or architects, not contractors. Tools like DIALux are free but require weeks of training and do not support photo-based mockups. Strandr is purpose-built for lighting contractors at $197 per year and includes photo mockups, on-site quoting, and proposal exports designed to help you win jobs, not just design them.

What features should I look for in lighting design software?

The most important features for contractors are photo-based mockups so customers can visualize the result, material calculation to quote accurately, tablet and desktop support for on-site presentations, proposal export to send professional quotes, and a short learning curve so you can start using it the same day. Avoid tools that require CAD experience or weeks of training.

How much does professional lighting design software cost?

Professional lighting design software ranges from free to over $3,000 per year. DIALux is free but targets engineers. Vectorworks costs $3,045 per year and is built for architects. ProLandscape starts at $1,495 and focuses on landscapers. Strandr costs $197 per year and is specifically built for lighting contractors who need to create mockups and close jobs quickly.

What devices does lighting design software work on?

Strandr is cloud-based and works on any PC, Mac, or tablet with a web browser. This means you can create mockups and present designs on-site during sales appointments instead of going back to your office. Many contractors use Strandr on an iPad while walking properties with homeowners.

What is the difference between CAD and lighting design software?

CAD software like AutoCAD or Vectorworks is built for architects and engineers to create technical drawings with precise measurements and specifications. Lighting design software like Strandr is built for contractors who need to sell jobs. It uses real photos instead of technical drawings, takes minutes instead of hours, and produces visual proposals that homeowners can actually understand. If you are a contractor selling directly to homeowners, you need lighting design software, not CAD.

Start Designing in 5 Minutes

Join 1,600+ contractors who use Strandr to create professional mockups, win more jobs, and grow their business. Your first design is free.

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No credit card required. Cancel anytime. $197/year after trial.