Unless you want to spend your holidays searching the attic for decorations, untangling endless strands of lights and trying to figure out which bulb has gone bad, you should hire a professional lighting company to give your home some festive flair.
But, what will that cost?
The exact price for lighting your home is going to depend on its size, level of difficulty and what all you want.
To give you an idea of the costs, here’s a look at the price ranges for different holiday lighting services and what you’ll get for the price.
What’s Included in the Cost?
Before we break down the costs of holiday lighting, you need to understand what all is included in that price.
A professional holiday lighting company will provide the initial design or layout, installation, maintenance and storage after the season comes to an end.
They will also use professional-grade products — not the lights found at your local home improvement store. The lights will hold up better to the elements, meaning less downtime and maintenance during the season.
But maybe the most important thing you get when you hire a professional is their experience. Anybody can hang lights, but not everyone can do it safely, while also making it look good.
You need to make sure the company has liability insurance and workers’ compensation. If they don’t and one of their employees gets injured at you house, you could be responsible.
Make sure the company provides all of these things for the following holiday lighting services.
Roof Lights
Lining your roof with holiday lights can create a stunning effect.
We typically use LED C9 bulbs for roof work, and these are available in a variety of colors — from warm and pure white to red and green.
We custom cut everything to fit your roof while we are there, so you won’t see any tangling cords or out-of-place lights.
Depending on the height of your house, it’s going to cost about $3.50 to $4 per linear foot for the C9 lights to be installed.
Tree Wrapping
Another popular holiday lighting service is wrapping trees.
We normally use incandescent lights for trees, and those cost about $10 to $20 per strand. The tighter you want the lights to be wrapped around the tree, the more strands it will take and the higher the cost will be.
So, if you want a 10- to 15-foot tree to be loosely wrapped, it may only take five to six strands. On the other hand, that same sized tree could take 15 to 20 strands of lights if you want it to be tight wrapped.
Shrubs or Bushes
You can also illuminate any greenery you have around your home with lights.
It costs about $12 per strand of lights for shrubs and bushes, and depending on the size of the plants, it’ll take two to three strands for each one.
Adding Final Touches
Add some color and texture with wreaths and garland. These can go on windows, doors, railings or peaks in your home.
The first year to purchase a 48-inch LED wreath with a red bow and have it installed on your house will run about $375. That includes installing a secure hook for easy future installation.
Just remember: If we have to use a man lift to install and take down the wreaths (or any other lighting feature), that will increase the cost.
How to Save Money on Holiday Decorating
While you might could wait until Christmas Eve to buy some last-minute gifts, you shouldn’t delay getting your holiday lights installed. Beyond having more time to enjoy them, getting them installed earlier will also save you money.
The temperatures are going to continue to drop as we near the holidays, meaning more chances for ice and snow. That poses safety issues for lighting crews, making the job more difficult and expensive.
So, scheduling your holiday lighting installation earlier (before Thanksgiving) is going to help save you money.
If your lights are installed before you want to celebrate the holidays, just leave the timer off until you’re ready to turn them on.
Get in the Holiday Spirit
Find out exactly how much your holiday lighting project will cost by talking with Outback Landscape.
We can outline your roof, create a gingerbread style, custom wrap your trees and add stunning lights around your entire property. If you want to make your home the talk of the neighborhood, ask us about our computerized, interactive light displays.
Our experienced team will create a truly unique and festive lighting design for you and your family. We will also keep the lights maintained throughout the season. If a light goes out or there’s a problem, we will be at your site within 24 hours to fix it.
Outback Landscape is located in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and we serve residential and commercial properties in Idaho Falls, Rexburg and Pocatello — along with Bonneville, Madison and Bannock counties.
We typically price our lighting installations on site, so you don’t have to wait to hear back.
Call us at 208-656-3220, or contact us online to schedule a free holiday lighting consultation!
