Why nobody publishes a single price
We publish our window cleaning prices because home size is a reasonable proxy for the work. Christmas lights aren't like that.
Two houses the same square footage can be completely different jobs:
- A simple single-story roofline versus a multi-gable two-story with dormers
- Roof only versus roof plus two trees plus a walkway plus columns
- Easy ground access versus steep pitch and awkward landscaping
- Warm white minimal versus full multicolor with wreaths and garland
Any company advertising one flat number is either quoting the smallest possible job or planning to adjust after they see your house. We'd rather just walk it and tell you.
What drives your number
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Linear feet of roofline | The biggest single driver |
| Height and pitch | Steep or high means more time and more care |
| Trees and shrubs | Wrapping is labor-intensive |
| Walkways, columns, railings | Each adds scope |
| Light type | Standard versus premium, warm white versus color |
| Access | Landscaping and grade can complicate setup |
What "full service" should include
When you compare quotes, make sure you're comparing the same thing. A real package includes:
- Design consultation — walking the property, planning the look
- Commercial-grade lights — cut and sized to your home, not retail strands
- Installation — including clips, timers, and power routing
- In-season maintenance — a strand fails, they come fix it
- Takedown in January
- Storage until next year
If a quote is notably cheaper, check which of those it's missing. Takedown and storage are the two most commonly excluded — and takedown in January is the part you'll least want to do yourself.
Buy versus lease
Leasing (the lights stay with the installer between seasons) usually means a lower first-year cost, no storage problem, and the company maintains and replaces failing strands. Most people prefer it.
Buying costs more up front but lowers subsequent years, and the lights are yours. Makes sense if you're confident you'll do this for many years and have somewhere to store it.
We'll walk through both honestly for your situation.
What it's actually worth
Compare it to the real alternative: a Saturday on a ladder in November, a second one in January, the strand that fails in the middle of the display, and the storage tub that never gets untangled.
Priced against a day of your time twice a year plus the risk of a fall, most people find it reasonable. Some don't, and that's a completely fair call.
Get a real number for your house. Request a quote — September is when the schedule fills.