Most Christmas light companies look alike online. The differences show up when you ask specific questions. Ask these nine before you sign with anyone, us included. Each one comes with what a good answer sounds like and how we answer it.
1. Who owns the lights after I pay?
A good answer: a clear yes or no, in writing.
Ours: You do. The set becomes yours once the job is paid in full. We explain the difference in leasing vs. owning your lights.
2. Is takedown included?
A good answer: yes, with a month named.
Ours: Yes. We take everything down in January, and it is already in the price.
3. Where do the lights go between seasons?
A good answer: somewhere dry, labeled for your house.
Ours: A climate-controlled facility, in a bin labeled for your address.
4. What happens if a bulb goes out in December?
A good answer: a number of hours or days, and no extra charge.
Ours: Text Tate. He fixes it within 24 hours at no cost.
5. How do the lights attach?
A good answer: a description of the method, plus what happens where it won't work.
Ours: Clips hook over the gutter lip or slide under the shingle edge, with no nails or screws wherever the roofline allows. Where a section won't take a clip, Tate agrees the method with you before he starts.
6. Is this a ballpark or a firm price?
A good answer: a firm price after someone measures your house, written into an agreement.
Ours: The satellite ballpark comes first. The firm price comes after Tate measures in person, and it goes into your service agreement. Once you sign, that price holds even if rates go up later in the season.
7. Who will be at my house?
A good answer: a name.
Ours: Usually Tate, the owner. A few friends work with him, so you may meet them too.
8. What happens if weather moves my install?
A good answer: they reschedule, tell you the new date, and keep the price.
Ours: Snow, ice, high wind and lightning stop ladder work. Tate books the next day he can work, texts you the new time, and your price stays the same.
9. Can I see your work?
A good answer: photos of real houses and reviews you can check.
Ours: Browse our portfolio and read our reviews on Google.
Get more than one quote
Two or three quotes show you what the going rate looks like. Line up what each price includes: takedown, storage, December repairs and who owns the lights.
Warning signs
- No written agreement
- A firm price from someone who never measured your roofline
- Nobody can tell you who owns the lights
- Takedown costs extra, and nobody mentioned it
When to start asking
Installs start in mid-October and run Monday through Saturday. Houses are booked by route, so neighbors often share a day, and the two weeks before Thanksgiving are the busiest of the year. Ask in September or October and you have time to compare quotes without losing the week you want.
Price is part of the timing too. Our rate steps up on set dates through the season, so the same house costs more the later you call. The current rate is on our pricing page.
Common questions
Should I pay a deposit to hold my date?
We do not normally ask for one. Payment is due when the install is finished, and we take cash, check, card, Venmo and Cash App. If another installer wants money up front, ask what it covers and what happens to it if your date moves.
What should the written agreement say?
The price, the sections being lit, who owns the lights, when takedown happens and what a December repair costs. Ours says the set becomes yours once the job is paid, and a signed price holds even if rates rise later in the season.
Can I light only part of the house?
Yes. You choose which sections get lit. Just the front, or just the peaks, is fine, and the front of the house carries most of the look from the street.
Start with a ballpark
Send your address on the estimate form. Tate measures your roofline from satellite imagery and texts you a ballpark, usually the same day.
