Christmas Lights Installation Costs

Christmas is a joyous occasion that comes around only once each year. Festive homeowners enjoy dressing the exterior of their homes with thousands of lights and decorations, and although some people enjoy the day-long task of Christmas light installation, there are others who wish to hire someone to do the dirty work for them.

Since outside Christmas decorations are such a personal preference, many homeowners buy lights and Christmas decorations for the outside of their home all year long, planning the way they want their home to look during the holidays, then they call in a Christmas lights installer, aka handyman or an electrician to install them under their supervision.

In most cases, a handyman can install all your lights and decorations in 1 day, and depending on the amount of Christmas decoration and lights, as well as the size and style of home, may need a helper to get it done correctly.

In this Installation Cost Guide, we’ll take a look at one of the most festive holidays of the year, and exterior Christmas lights installation costs. You’ll learn about the various factors that can cause you to pay more to have your exterior decorations and lights installed, as well as helping you find various resources to learn how to hang them yourself. If you recently paid someone to install your Christmas lights, please consider sharing the cost and project details with us.

Before you get started – Look what your neighbors are doing! This guide to Christmas lights installation costs is NOT going to get into anything that extreme. Anyhow, let’s get going. Enjoy the video.

Whats Usually Included in the Cost Estimate

When you call out a Handyman or Electrician to give you an estimated cost to hang your Christmas lights, they are likely to assume you have everything needed for the project. (Click here for free estimates from a local Handyman) Be careful to inform them if you think they will need to supply Christmas lights, extension cords, or any specialty type hangers or wires for your Christmas light installation. Depending on your needs, most estimates will include:

• All Labor needed to complete the project. (1 or more Handyman laborers)
• Nails or Staple fasteners needed to secure the lights to your home.
• Wood or Poles for special displays and stands that may need to be built onsite.
• Gutter Clips or specialty fasteners to attach to vinyl, brick or gutters.

Most handyman or electricians will have a source for additional Christmas lights if you need them. Make sure to tell them in advance, all the paces you want the lights and decorations hung, so they come properly prepared. In addition to these basic fasteners and hangers, these tools and supplies will likely be needed.

Tools and Equipment likely Needed

• Sturdy ladder(s) tall enough to reach to top of your home at its highest points. Possibly both step ladders and extension ladders.
• Hammer to fasten nails.
• Staple Gun to set long shank staples if used.
• Tape Measure or other measuring device.
• Tool belt to carry all tools and fasteners.
• Extra extension cords, designed for outdoor use. (Important!! Improper cords may cause electrocution)
• Outdoor lighting timer.
• Paper and Pencil to plan the lighting and estimate power needs.

Installation Cost Variables and Factors

There are plenty of things that can have an effect on Christmas light installation costs. The most obvious are:

• The Height and Style of your House – If you want your Christmas lights to be fastened to the peaks around the roof of your home, and tall ladders need to be used to get there, it’s going to cost more.
• Availability of Electric Service – Nothing will spoil your effort to light up the house at Christmas like finding out you have inadequate electric service and need to have a new outlet run from the service panel.
• The Number of Light Strings and Decorations – The more you hang, the longer it’s going to take.
• Old Light Strings in Disrepair – If your Handyman starts installing lights and finds they don’t work, he will have to do the work twice. Check all your lights before they are hung!

What else do you feel can contribute to higher Christmas light installation costs? Let us know.

Ways to Save on installation Costs

You can save on the installation cost of Christmas lights in several ways. Of course, the most obvious way to save, is by putting them up yourself. If you choose to put your own lights up, there are several resources in the next section to help you out. Aside from the DIY route, try these other ways to save on Christmas light installation.

• Hire a day laborer – You can usually find self-employed day laborers outside big-box retail hardware stores early in the morning. As long as you have the tools and supplies, you can probably get labor for under $10/hour per person.
• Leave them Up for Next Year – Don’t laugh, once you put your own lights up a few times, you may never want to take them down again!
• Make it a Neighborhood Project – Help your friends and neighbors put theirs up in return for them helping you.
• Help your Handyman do the Work – No need for them to bring a helper if you are able to do it.

Learn More about Christmas Lights Installation

As always, we try to provide a few links for you to learn more about the topic on this page. in this case, Christmas lights and decorations, as well as installation.

• Consumer Product Safety Commission – A printable handout from the Consumer product Safety Commission, full of important safety tips for the Christmas holiday season.
• Utah State University – A great guide for faculty and staff about outdoor Christmas decorations.
• Lowes Home Improvement - has a nice little guide for choosing the right types of lights as well as ideas for hanging them around you home.

Do you have additional resources that would be useful on this page? If so, send us a message and let us know… We’re always on the lookout for great places to discover.

Tagged With: christmas, christmas decorations, christmas lights, holidays, xmas