Christmas Light Installation Cost Calculator
Enter your roofline and a few details to see what professional installation is likely to cost: a low, typical and high price, with every line shown. Prefer to hang them yourself? Switch to Do it yourself for a shopping list and the electricity bill.
Your estimate appears here
Enter your roofline in feet to see an installed price range with every line shown. No account, no email.
Not sure of your roofline? Open “Estimate from house size”, or .
What the estimate is based on
The price is the roofline length multiplied by a per-foot rate that depends on the number of stories, the roof pitch and the type of light, then adjusted for where you live. Trees, bushes, walkway stakes and wreaths are added by the piece. Takedown and storage come after, and a minimum service charge applies if the job is small.
For example, 150 ft of roofline on a two-story house with a medium pitch, C9 LED bulbs and takedown included comes to about $750, with a range of $600 to $975. Every rate we use is listed in the table below, and the page for installation cost explains how to read quotes against it.
See every rate we use
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| Roofline, one story | $2.60 per ft |
| Roofline, two stories | $3.60 per ft |
| Roofline, three stories or more | $5.40 per ft |
| Pitch: low pitch | x 1 |
| Pitch: medium pitch | x 1.12 |
| Pitch: steep pitch | x 1.3 |
| Lights: c9 led bulbs | x 1 |
| Lights: mini led lights | x 0.88 |
| Lights: icicle led lights | x 1.1 |
| Lower-cost area | x 0.8 |
| Average-cost area | x 1 |
| Higher-cost area | x 1.3 |
| Tree up to 6 ft | $40 each |
| Tree up to 10 ft | $85 each |
| Tree up to 15 ft | $150 each |
| Tree up to 20 ft | $240 each |
| Tree up to 40 ft | $380 each |
| Bush | $12 each |
| Walkway stake | $6 each |
| Wreath or window | $22 each |
| Your own lights (labor only) | 65% of the price |
| Takedown | 18% of the install price |
| Off-season storage, installer lights | 6% of the install price |
| Minimum service charge | $350 before the region multiplier |
| Range around the typical price | 80% to 130% |
What moves the price most
- Stories. A third story adds ladder, lift and safety time: about $5.40 per foot against $2.60 for one story in an average-cost area.
- Roof pitch. A steep roof can add 30% to the roofline price because of the extra safety setup.
- Whose lights. If the installer owns the lights, you pay for the lights as part of the job and they store them afterwards.
- Takedown. Most installers include January takedown in the quote; ask, because a separate fee is common.
- Where you live. Labor rates differ across the country, so the model has three cost tiers.
Hire an installer or do it yourself?
The same 150 ft house costs about $189 in materials if you buy and hang the lights yourself, plus about $1 of electricity for 35 nights at 6 hours with LEDs. That is not the whole comparison: you also pay with a weekend of ladder work, a January takedown and a closet to store the lights. Switch the calculator to Do it yourself to see strands, clips, cords and timers for your own house.
More tools
- Christmas lights calculator for strands, clips, cords and the electricity cost.
- How many lights for a tree, by height and fullness.
- Christmas tree size chart: which tree fits under your ceiling.
Questions
How accurate is this estimate?
It is a model built on typical 2025-2026 US price ranges, so treat it as a planning number, not a quote. Real prices depend on the installer, how hard your roof is to work on, the lights, and your local market. Get at least three quotes and use the range here to spot offers that are far off.
How much does Christmas light installation cost?
For a 150 ft roofline on a two-story house, our model gives about $600 to $975 with takedown included. One-story homes cost less per foot and three-story homes more. Add trees, bushes and extras on top, and expect a minimum charge of about $350 for very small jobs.
What if I use my own lights?
The estimate drops to 65% of the price for the labor-only share and removes the storage line. Many installers do not hang customer-supplied lights, or will not guarantee them, so ask before you count on it.
Does where I live change the price?
Yes. The model multiplies by 0.8 for lower-cost areas and 1.3 for higher-cost areas. Large metro areas and places with short daylight and snow usually cost more.
Is the calculator free?
Yes. Every estimate, the line-by-line breakdown, the DIY shopping list on screen and the tree light calculator are free, with no account. A free one-page summary PDF is included. The Lighting Plan PDF ($2.99, one time) adds the house layout by zones, a shopping list PDF, a quote comparison worksheet and an electricity budget.
Do you install Christmas lights?
No. We are not a contractor and do not take bookings or refer jobs. The site only helps you estimate what installation should cost and what you need to buy if you hang the lights yourself.