Skilled trades you say, John?.
I don't believe you.
Is that an un-supported and uncovered length of Romex in pic no. 2?, running through the garden?
Hope there is a good GFCI on that circuit.
Clowns.
That down-spout stuff has to be the worst looking shoddy thing I have ever seen.
If someone installed that on my house they would be back PDQ to replace it with something that doesn't look like it was stolen from a woodworking shop.