Find the Best Christmas Lights Service for the 2022 Season: 10 Tips

Written By Kristin Terrell

As temperatures start trending downwards, the welcome feeling of fall is in the air. One of the most exciting parts about fall is celebrating the holidays. Christmas is no doubt the favorite holiday of millions. What better way to celebrate than with holiday lighting! You get to share your love of the holiday with others and beautify your home with just one gorgeous display.

Unfortunately, there are those out there who are bent on manipulating others' love of the holidays to manipulate, and even downright scam people out of their money. There are a few ways to identify which companies are a safe bet, though. Here is our list of important things to look for in a Christmas Lights Installer or Lighting Service:

Positive (and Numerous) Reviews

If a company is proud of their work, and their clients are satisfied, they will generally have good reviews on Facebook, Google, Nextdoor, etc. If you cannot find other people saying positive things about them online, this raises some red flags.

Does Not Utilize Flat Pricing

Every single roofline is different, so professional Christmas lights installers are unable to give you a flat number over the phone, without seeing a photo of the house. You can provide the photo, or they can look your address up with Google maps or Apple Maps.

But beware of installers, who will simply quote you a flat price without seeing the house.

Uses a Light Timer

Will they be using a timer? This is a great question to ask. If you’re paying a professional, this should be standard issue. You do not want to be manually, plugging, and unplugging your lights every single day. A professional installer wants to make your holidays easier. Not stick you with an outrageous electric bill.

Does Not Leave Permanent Damage

Will anything be permanently attached to the house like staples? This is a big no-no.

Insurance and/or Licensing

Some states may require licensing (Texas does not).

Many Christmas lights installers are not insured. You could see why this would be a big problem. Accidents on steep roofs are commonplace, and that’s even without inclement weather or ice. You don’t want to be sued for someone else’s injury. And you also don’t want to be liable if they damage your property in the process. Professional installers are insured for both your property, and their own health.

Proper Roofing Gear & Safety Equipment

A professional installer will have appropriate roofing gear. Special boots, tools, to anchor them to the roof, new installers with poor experience, or who are just trying to make a buck, are usually unprepared and unable to do well on a roof, and so will rely on climbing up and down the ladder hundreds of times during an install as they move it from one side of the roof line to the other In order to hang a few lights within the reach, and then move the ladder again.

Avoids “Cash Only” Payment

‘Cash only’ is a big red flag. This Christmas lights service may not be an actual business legally, and it is possible that they won’t even be around again next year.

Included Maintenance & Repair

What happens in the event of a storm, where some of your lights get blown down? What happens when a bulb burns out? Is there a charge for maintenance or service fee? It is worth paying a little bit more for maintenance to be included in the price. At 377 Christmas Lights, we take care of our clients maintenance & repair needs throughout the season.

Light Ownership vs. Leasing

Many installers these days no longer sell lights to the homeowner, but instead prefer to lease them yearly.

Pros of OWNING the Christmas lights.

  • You pay less the second and subsequent years.

Cons of OWNING the Christmas lights.

  • You pay a good deal more the first year.

  • You are responsible for storing them

  • You are responsible for setting them out for the installers so that they can access them if you are not home during the install process.

  • Lights are easily misplaced in an attic, and are often subject to rodent damage.

  • You will have to pay for any maintenance the lights need, as well as bulb/color changes.

  • If you move (the lights were not cut to fit any other home but your own), or will be out of town for the holidays, or simply choose not to reinstall, you have a tote in the attic that you paid a lot of money for, and now it’s just collecting dust.

Pros of LEASING your Christmas lights.

  • Same low price every year

  • No storage hassle

  • Installers can come any time, and you do not have to remember to set the lights out for them.

  • No tubs, or bags of lights to keep track of for a full year

  • Maintenance is included in the price

  • Any losses due to rodent damage are not paid out of your pocket since you are not storing the lights.

Cons of LEASING your Christmas lights.

  • Many people are accustomed to wanting to own their own lights. But there are no significant drawbacks.

If you have any further questions, please contact us at 377ChristmasLights@gmail.com, or give us a call. We would be happy to send you a free estimate, or, if you are out of our service area, we will direct you to other reputable installers in your area.

Kristin Terrell