Permanent Lights for New Construction

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Building a new house, or just closed on one, is the easiest time to add permanent eave lighting. The trim is fresh, the paint colors are known, and the garage is still empty enough to plan where the controller goes. That’s especially relevant in Pasco and Hillsborough, where a lot of homes are recent: Census Bureau estimates for 2020–2024 put about 5.4% of Pasco’s homes and 3.2% of Hillsborough’s at 2020 or newer, plus 12.3% and 15.3% from the 2010s. In Pinellas, only about 1% of homes are that new. KWLE, short for Keywest Lights & Electric, fits new homes in all three counties with JellyFish lighting. Women own the business, our electrical contractor license is EC13014717, and we’re an authorized JellyFish dealer, not JellyFish Lighting itself. Call 727-476-7079.

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Tell us what you need and where you are. A licensed electrician will call or text you back to set a time. For an emergency, call (727) 476-7079, 24/7.

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When to install on a new build

The best window is after the soffit, fascia and exterior paint are finished, because the track is painted to match the trim and fastened to finished surfaces. In practice, that’s:

  • Near the end of construction, after the exterior is painted, if your builder allows outside contractors before closing.
  • Right after closing, which is the most common choice, since the house is yours and the trim is new.
  • Before the first holiday season, so the house never needs seasonal strands at all.

We don’t mount on unfinished trim, and we don’t need anything from the roof.

What to ask your builder

A few small requests during construction make the install cleaner later:

  1. Garage receptacles: confirm there’s a standard receptacle on the garage wall near the front, ideally high, where a controller can hang. That’s usually enough. The system runs from an existing garage outlet.
  2. Trim color: get the exact soffit and fascia paint color so the track can be matched.
  3. Soffit type: know whether the soffit is vinyl, aluminum or stucco. We mount to all of them, but it affects hardware.
  4. Wi-Fi: plan for a signal that reaches the garage. The controller connects over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
  5. Warranty terms: ask how the builder’s warranty treats exterior attachments. We’re a licensed contractor, which builders generally prefer.

HOA approval in new communities

Most new master-planned communities in Pasco and Hillsborough have architectural review committees, and some are still developer-controlled. Lighting under the eaves is visible, so submit before installation. Our package for the committee: spec sheet, track photos and a sketch of each run. Because the lights run white most of the year and the track is color-matched, applications tend to be straightforward, though approval is always the committee’s decision.

Two-story homes with tall gables

New construction around Tampa Bay is often two-story, with tall front gables over the entry and garage. Those gables are the most dramatic part of a lit house and the hardest to reach with a ladder each December. A permanent install is done once, with the right equipment, by licensed electricians. We use 6- or 9-inch spacing on high eaves so the line reads clearly from the street.

Design choices while everything is new

  • Which eaves: the front only, or the front plus the sides visible from the street.
  • Back of the house: the eave over the lanai or pool cage, often on its own zone.
  • Spacing: 6, 9 or 16 inches between lights.
  • White temperature: warm whites for tan and cream stucco, cooler for white and gray exteriors.
  • Zones: two zones are an extra KWLE option, so the front and back can run different scenes.

Where the lights go

Track hides beneath every soffit and follows each gable rake. Nothing is fastened through your new shingles or tile, so no roof work is involved. In daylight, the color-matched track is very hard to see.

Everyday use in a new neighborhood

A warm white along the eaves from dusk to late evening makes the house look finished and helps guests find the right door among similar homes. Add a stronger white above the garage doors as a security scene.

Moving-in checklist

  • Get HOA approval for exterior lighting early, since committees often meet monthly.
  • Keep the wall space near the garage receptacle free for the controller before shelving goes up.
  • Set up home Wi-Fi so it reaches the garage.
  • Decide whether you want the back eave lit now or later.
  • Book your free design preview while the trim paint information is still at hand.

Matching the track to new paint

New homes often have builder-standard trim colors such as white, cream or a light tan. We match the track to the soffit and fascia so it disappears by day. If you plan to repaint soon after moving in, tell us, and we’ll match the new color instead. Choose your trim color before installation rather than after.

Holidays from year one

Skip buying strands entirely. Permanent Christmas lights for December, stars-and-stripes colors in July, pumpkin orange for Halloween, your team’s colors on big weekends, and a birthday scene whenever you want one. It’s permanent holiday lighting from the first season in the house.

Energy

LED eave lighting is efficient: Energy Department figures credit LEDs with savings of as much as 90% compared with incandescent lighting.

Storm-ready from the start

The track stays fastened under the eave all year, and the electronics stay in the garage, so hurricane prep doesn’t include the lights. The National Hurricane Center’s season spans June 1 through November 30. After a storm, check the garage outlet’s GFCI and run a test scene.

Buying a resale home instead?

The same system works on any home. On older houses, we check the fascia and soffit more carefully and test the garage receptacle and panel. See our soffit and eave lights guide for how mounting works on any house.

Our process

  1. Call, or send the builder’s elevation drawing or a photo for a free design preview.
  2. A site visit after the exterior is finished to measure the eaves and rakes and test the garage outlet.
  3. A written proposal, plus HOA paperwork if needed.
  4. Installation, scene setup and an app walkthrough.

Warranty

Hardware is protected by JellyFish’s 5-year parts warranty. Our labor is protected by a 2-year workmanship warranty, or five years with a Member Care Plan.

New-home areas we serve

We install in growing communities across Pasco, including Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes, and Hillsborough, including Riverview and Apollo Beach, as well as Pinellas. Start at the JellyFish lighting page.

New construction FAQ

Do I need to pre-wire outlets in the eaves? No. The system doesn’t use eave outlets. The controller runs from an existing garage outlet.

Can it go in before closing? Only if the builder allows it and the exterior is finished. Most owners install after closing.

Will it affect my roof warranty? No. We stay off the roof entirely and work only under the overhang.

Can I add the back of the house later? Yes. Starting with the front is common, and the back eave can be added on a later visit.

Sources: share of homes built 2010 or later, Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, American Community Survey 5-year (data.census.gov); LED energy, DOE; hurricane season, National Hurricane Center. Wi-Fi band from JellyFish’s published controller specs.

Related: permanent lighting for businesses, soffit and eave lights and our free design preview. Call (727) 476-7079 for an estimate.