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Every year, some 60 percent of homeowners adorn their homes with Christmas lights. This process typically involves hauling a box or two of lights from the attic and going through the frustrating task of untangling them before teetering from the top of a ladder to string them up. While one can certainly DIY their own Christmas light display, a better option might be to hire professionals to do it.
One of the best Christmas light installation services will design the lighting display, provide professional-quality lights, complete the installation, and even take the lights down and store them for the next holiday season. In addition to removing the risk to personal safety and saving time for the customers, these displays are usually much more sophisticated and higher quality than what most DIYers can produce. Instead of spending time hunting down burned-out bulbs in 30-foot strings of lights, homeowners will want to read on to learn about some of the top professional Christmas light installation companies in the business.
- BEST OVERALL: Shack Shine
- RUNNER-UP: Shine Window Cleaning
- BEST AGGREGATOR: Angi
- ALSO CONSIDER: The Grounds Guys
What to Consider When Choosing One of the Best Christmas Light Installation Services
When vetting a Christmas light installation service, it’s crucial for homeowners to consider how it conducts its design process, what decor and lighting it offers to customers, and how it’ll store the lights when the holiday season comes to a close. Ahead, learn what to look for in a Christmas light installation service.
Service Area and Scheduling
When selecting a Christmas light installation service, customers will want to begin by looking at the geographic area the service is available in. Companies that have locations throughout the country may vary in their coverage. While some have a presence in all 50 states, others may only serve a handful of states or some metro areas within certain states. Most national companies have websites that allow customers to search for locations by ZIP code. Local companies can be found by conducting a search online using an online aggregator service.
Once a customer locates a company that serves their home, they’ll want to schedule a consultation. Most Christmas light installation companies allow prospective customers to schedule a consultation online or over the phone.
Consultation and Design Process
Prior to the installation, a Christmas light installation company should send a representative to meet with the customer to help brainstorm outdoor Christmas lights ideas to produce a lighting plan. This process should include the lights’ placement, style, and color scheme. Customers can often choose from multiple styles of lights, including string lights, icicles, Christmas pathway lights, and projectors. Many companies also offer decorations such as wreaths and garlands, which can also be incorporated into the lighting design.
After the lighting design process is complete, the installation service should provide a detailed quote for service prior to scheduling the installation. Once the lighting design is complete, the installation company should provide the customer with specific dates for both installing and uninstalling the lights.
Decor Purchase or Rental
When vetting a Christmas light installation company, homeowners will want to determine whether they need a company that will provide the lights and decorations or if they’ll provide the lights on their own. Some installation companies require the customer to purchase lights, while others offer lights for rent. If the customer plans to use the same light configuration each holiday season, it makes better financial sense to invest in the lights rather than rent them each year. Customers will want to note that most Christmas light installation companies can offer higher- end holiday lighting than what can typically be found at a retail store. Some companies will also offer 2- or 3-year warranties on lighting products they sell to customers.
Technician Insurance
Installing Christmas lights outdoors typically requires the installation technicians to use ladders to reach the home’s roofline. Since this increases the risk of injury, customers will want to make sure the service provider has insurance to cover any potential injuries to their workers, so the homeowners aren’t held liable should an accident occur on the property. It also makes sense for customers to check with their homeowners insurance provider to determine if their liability insurance will cover any injuries to workers on the property during the installation.
Light Disassembly and Collection
Once the holiday season comes to a close, the Christmas light installation company should return to remove the lights. Customers will want to find out prior to hiring the company when the disassembly will take place to make sure the lights are removed in a timely manner. Those who live in communities with homeowners associations will want to check with the association to find out when holiday decorations must be removed to avoid fines, then make sure the service can meet that deadline.
Customers will want to also check with the company to determine what storage options they offer. Some Christmas light installation companies will store the customer’s lights until next year, while others require the customer to store their own lights. If the company requires a customer to store their own lights, customers will want to determine if the company will box up the lights for them to make storage easier.
Additional Services
Most companies that provide Christmas light installation also offer a broad range of maintenance services for a home’s exterior. These services include gutter cleaning, window cleaning, power washing, and yard management services. Hiring a company that offers a suite of services can be more convenient than hiring separate companies to perform these jobs. Some companies will even offer discounts for customers who purchase multiple services at one time.
Our Top Picks
Whether a homeowner is installing white Christmas lights or a more colorful display, the list below includes some of the top national providers of holiday lighting installation services to get the job done, along with an aggregator that allows customers to vet local companies.
Best Overall
Shack Shine
Pros
- Wide variety of lighting styles and options available for purchase
- Professional grade, energy-efficient lights
- 2-year warranty on lights
- Decor storage provided at the end of the season
Cons
- Online scheduling only available for returning customers
- Service area: 20 states
- Scheduling: Phone; online for returning customers
- Additional services: Window cleaning, gutter cleaning, power washing, house washing, roof washing
Why It Made the Cut: Shack Shine’s end-to-end service and high-quality products make it the top choice for professional holiday light installation. With its broad range of light options and off-site light storage, Shack Shine is the top source for Christmas light installation. The company’s light service is end-to-end. Shack Shine provides new customers with a consultation, during which the customer works with the technician to produce a unique light design. Customers can choose from a broad range of professional-grade lighting options, including string, flood, curtain, and colored lights. Shack Shine customizes the lights to suit the home by measuring and cutting them to length, and it backs them up with a 2-year warranty. In addition to holiday lighting, Shack Shine also offers other decorations, including garlands, wreaths, and decorative spheres. Shack Shine will install lights in one visit, return at the end of the season to take them down, then store them off-site for next season. After the first year, customers only pay for installation and takedown. While Shack Shine offers online scheduling, it’s only available to returning customers; new customers can call to schedule a consultation. In addition to holiday lighting installation, Shack Shine also offers a host of other services for home exteriors, including window cleaning, power washing, and roof washing.
Runner-Up
Shine Window Cleaning
Pros
- Professionally trained installers
- Light maintenance and repair provided throughout the season
- Decor storage provided at the end of the season
- 3-year warranty on lights
Cons
- Holiday lighting may not be available at all locations
- Service area: 15 states
- Scheduling: Online, phone
- Additional services: Window cleaning, pressure washing, gutter cleaning, landscape lighting
Why It Made the Cut: Shine Window Cleaning offers a full suite of lighting installation services by technicians with specific holiday-lighting training. Shine Window Cleaning offers comprehensive Christmas light installation services. The company’s holiday light installations include design consultations by technicians who have gone through specialized training at the company’s headquarters. Shine provides a complete installation and removal as well as off-site storage for lights when the holiday season is over. Shine will come out to fix or replace any damaged lights during the season. The company also offers an impressive collection of lights, wreaths, and decorations. Plus, the company’s lights come with a 3-year warranty. In addition to Christmas lights, Shine also offers a host of other services, including window cleaning, pressure washing, gutter cleaning, and landscape lighting. Customers can reach out to their local Shine location to see if it offers Christmas light installation.
Best Aggregator
Angi
Pros
- Customers can filter by project and choose from local professionals
- Customers can obtain quotes or bids within minutes
- Streamlined and user-friendly website
- Comprehensive resource center organized by project type
Cons
- Name, phone number, and email address are required to browse local services
- Persistent follow-up emails
- Service area: 50 states and Washington, D.C.
- Scheduling: Online
- Additional services: Varies by provider
Why It Made the Cut: Angi’s comprehensive list of services makes it the go-to site for finding local pros, including Christmas light installation service providers. Why It Made the Cut: Angi’s comprehensive list of services makes it the go-to site for finding local pros, including Christmas light installation service providers. Those looking for a quality local company to provide lighting installation can look no further than Angi, one of the top home-service aggregators in the market. Using Angi, customers can search for holiday lighting installation companies based on ZIP code, then narrow the field by entering their specific needs, such as lighting for trees and shrubs and type of decor. Customers can also narrow their search to companies that provide lights or those that install lights they own. Once all this information is entered, Angi returns a list of vetted local professionals and quotes for service within a matter of minutes. While the site is easy to use, it does require customers to enter a name, phone number, and email address to receive a quote, which results in numerous follow-up emails and calls from prospective service providers. However, customers can easily opt out of these to keep their inboxes clear.
Also Consider
The Grounds Guys
Pros
- Wide range of seasonal outdoor home services
- Over 180 locations nationwide
Cons
- Relatively limited information readily available online
- Service area: 46 states and Washington, D.C.
- Scheduling: Online, phone
- Additional services: Mowing, pest control, fertilization, snow management, irrigation, gutters, tree and shrub care, leaf removal
Why It Made the Cut: The Grounds Guys are landscaping specialists that also offer complete holiday lighting services. The Grounds Guys’ expertise in lighting coupled with its broad range of services makes it a great option for holiday lighting installation. Since it provides holiday lighting for restaurants, malls, banks, schools, and other institutions, along with residential homes, The Grounds Guys has extensive experience with holiday lighting. And with more than 180 locations throughout the country, the company is likely to be a convenient option for many homeowners The Grounds Guys offers seasonal landscaping services including lawn maintenance, fertilization, irrigation, and snow management. Customers can reach out to a company representative with any specific questions regarding holiday light installation.
Our Verdict
Shack Shine offers a full slate of services that include design consultation, installation, takedown, and storage. Coupled with the company’s extensive collection of lights and decorations, Shack Shine is the best all-around Christmas light installation service. Those who don’t have a Shack Shine in their neighborhood can consider Shine Window Cleaning, which offers a full light installation service complete with technicians trained in holiday lighting.
How We Chose the Best Christmas Light Installation Services
We considered several factors when selecting the top Christmas light installation services for this guide. We looked for companies that offer end-to-end services that include design consultation and installation as well as post-holiday light removal. We also leaned toward companies that sell lights and decorations and provide off-season storage. Since many customers who purchase holiday light installation will also need other seasonal maintenance for their homes, we chose companies that offer other services, including power washing, gutter cleaning, and window cleaning. Finally, we chose companies that have a national presence with locations in multiple states. We also included a top aggregator service to allow customers to find local service providers.
Before You Hire One of the Best Christmas Light Installation Services
There are a lot of companies that offer Christmas light installation, but not all do an equal job. While customers might have the tendency to look for the most affordable option, that can be a mistake. Budget-priced Christmas light installers may not have the skill or design expertise to put together an attractive Christmas light display. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to review examples of the company’s work by asking for references or checking online reviews. A reputable Christmas light installation service should take pride in its work. Customers can also ask the installation company what measures it’ll take if the customer is not satisfied with the finished product. A reputable service should have plans for faulty lights and other issues that might arise.
Cost of Hiring One of the Best Christmas Light Installation Services
Hiring a pro to add holiday cheer by installing Christmas house lights varies in cost based on such factors as geographic location, home size, and the number of lights and decorations. Customers can expect to pay an average of $422 for a professional Christmas light installation. More sophisticated light designs that span multiple stories can cost as much as $1,500.
The Advantages of Using One of the Best Christmas Light Installation Services
While installing Christmas lights is something thousands of homeowners do on their own each year, there’s good reason to pay for a professional installation. Professionals have the skills to design beautiful displays that are custom to one’s home. A professional Christmas light installation service also has access to higher-end LED Christmas lights than what are available at most retail stores. These lights don’t just deliver a higher-quality display but also can save a considerable amount of money on energy costs. By hiring a professional service to do it, customers don’t have to risk their personal safety by scaling ladders to install string lights and other decorations on their own. Hiring a professional also removes a major task from the to-do list during one of the busiest times of the year.
- Professionally designed displays
- Access to higher-end commercial LED lights
- Minimized safety risks
- Frees up time around the holidays
FAQs
If you’re wondering what tricks pros use to install Christmas lights or what types of lights are the easiest to install, then read on for answers to some commonly asked questions.
Q. How do professionals install Christmas lights?
Not surprisingly, professionals have methods to make hanging Christmas lights easier. They typically use clips that are specially designed for hanging lights on gutters, shingles, or tree branches. If the service is creating a custom lighting display for a specific house, they will typically cut light strings to custom fit the roofline of the home, making it easier to reinstall the lights each year. Pros will also often use higher-end outdoor LED lights, which require less power and hold up better to harsh conditions than incandescent lights.
Q. What are the easiest Christmas lights to install?
While string lights are the lights most people associate with an outdoor Christmas light display, they are notoriously difficult to install. Fortunately, there are other light options that can add Christmas cheer to your home that don’t require hours of setup and don’t put you at risk for physical injury. You can change out the bulbs in your porch light and garage lights to smart colored LED bulbs, then change the color to festive Christmas colors. You can also purchase inexpensive outdoor holiday projectors that will project snowflakes or Christmas images on the front of your home.
Q. How do you hang Christmas lights perfectly?
The best way to hang Christmas lights perfectly is to hire a pro to do it. Choose one of the best Christmas light installation services.
Q. Are Christmas lights come in series or parallel configuration?
Most high-quality Christmas lights are wired in a parallel configuration. This means that if one bulb in the strand goes out, it will not affect the other bulbs. In a series configuration, if one bulb is removed or goes dead, the entire string will go out.
Q. What happens if you string too many lights together?
If you string too many lights together, you can cause the string lights to exceed their maximum wattage capacity. Most strings have a small fuse that’s located inside the plug. The fuse is designed to blow, cutting power to the string lights, in the event it exceeds its max wattage capacity to prevent damaging the lights. If you need to string many strings together, consider going with LED lights, which carry significantly less wattage than incandescent string lights.
Q. How do you outline a house with Christmas lights?
To outline a house with Christmas lights, you first need to measure the length of the eaves, doors, window frames, and other lengths on which you plan to hang lights. By having specific lengths, you can determine exactly how many lengths of string lights you need. Next, make sure to purchase light clips that will work with each location on the house where lights need to be hung.
Sources: HomeAdvisor
