Hiring someone to hang your holiday lights: what to ask before you book

Plenty of people hang their own lights for years before they call anyone. What usually ends it is the roofline: the high run over the second story, the steep pitch above the garage, the stretch you can only reach by leaning out over a porch roof. If you are weighing whether to hire the job out, this guide covers what a professional install includes, what moves the price, and the questions worth asking before you book.

What a professional holiday light install includes

A full-service install is more than hanging strands. It is design, supply, installation, upkeep, take-down and storage, and companies split those parts differently. The first thing to learn from any quote is which of them it covers.

• Design: someone walks the property with you and decides which lines to light, such as roof edges, peaks, windows, railings, trees and walkways, before anything is ordered.
• The lights themselves: who supplies them, who owns them, and who replaces a strand that fails.
• Installation: how the lights are attached, and whether anything touches your roof, gutters or trim.
• Upkeep: what happens when a section goes dark in the middle of the season.
• Take-down and storage: whether the lights leave with the crew, or you are left with a box of tangled strands for the garage.

What changes the price

No two homes quote alike. These are the factors that move the number most.

Length and complexity of the lines

A long, simple roofline is less work than a short one with many peaks, gables and corners. Every turn adds time, and every added feature, such as a window, a railing or a wreath, is its own item.

Height and access

A single-story home with an easy pitch is a different job from a three-story house with a steep roof. Tall and steep lines take more equipment and more care, and a reputable crew builds that into the price instead of cutting corners on safety.

What else gets lit

Trees, shrubs, columns, fences and walkways can all be lit, and each one adds to the design and the quote. Decide early what matters most from the street, because that is where the display is judged.

Who owns the lights

If the company supplies, owns and stores the lights, you are paying for a service. If you buy the lights as part of the job, you are paying for a product plus the labor to hang it, and you still have a storage and replacement problem in January. Neither is wrong, but the quotes are not comparable until you know which one you are looking at.

Upkeep and take-down

Some companies include repair visits and take-down in the price. Others bill each visit separately. Ask which, and get the answer before you agree to anything.

Companies also price in different ways: by the foot, by the light, by the feature, or as a flat price after a walkthrough. The method matters less than whether the quote tells you exactly what you are getting.

Our prices average $800 to $2,000 for a typical home with a full roofline, with installation, take-down and storage included. Each Worried Bird location is locally owned, and your local owner sets the price for your home.

Questions to ask before you book

• Who owns the lights, and who replaces a failed strand? If the answer is you, ask what that costs.
• How are the lights attached? Clips made to hang from the shingle edge or the gutter lip, with no nails, screws or staples into the roof, are what you want. Holes in shingles outlast the lights.
• What happens if a section goes out mid-season? Find out whether a repair visit is included or billed, and who decides when it happens.
• Who takes the lights down, and where do they go? A good answer leaves nothing for you to coil, label or store.
• Is the company insured, and will they show you proof? You are letting a crew work at height on your home, so this is a fair question.
• Who will actually be on your roof? Ask whether it is the company's own crew or subcontractors, and who answers for the work either way.
• Will I see the design and the price before anything is ordered? You should never be asked to commit before you have seen both.
• Can the lights go up now and stay off until I am ready? Many people have them installed early and switch them on later, so ask whether that is an option.

How a walkthrough should go

Before anything is ordered or installed, someone should walk the property with you, look at the rooflines and other features, and talk through what is realistic for your home and your budget. You should leave that conversation knowing the design, what is included, and the price.

That is how we work. The first of our seven steps is to look at everything and confirm your price first, and the last is a walkthrough on every job. We confirm with you before we leave, every time.

Before you call

A few minutes of preparation makes the quote faster and more accurate.

• Walk the front of your house from the street after dark, or at least in the evening, and note which lines you notice first.
• Decide what you want lit: the roofline only, or windows, trees and walkways as well.
• Find your outdoor outlets, and note whether any are on a switch or a timer.
• Pick a look. Warm white and multicolor are both common, and it is easier to choose before the design starts.
• Book early. Good installers fill their calendars in the order people call, so ask about availability before you settle on a design.

Getting a quote

If you are comparing companies, ask each of them the questions above, ours included. You can read how holiday lighting works with us, then request a Worry Free Quote online or by phone, and your local owner takes it from there.