Christmas Light Installation Cost

Price by roofline length

Roofline length is the biggest number on any quote. The table shows our low-to-high range for lights supplied by the installer, C9 LED bulbs, a medium pitch, takedown and storage included, in an average-cost area and with no extras.

A typical house has more roofline than people expect. A 2,000 sq ft two-story home has a footprint of about 1,000 sq ft, and the eaves and gables add up to roughly 140 ft. If you do not want to measure, the calculator can estimate it from square footage.

What changes the price

Stories. Work on a second or third story needs taller ladders, lifts or roof anchors, and the rate per foot rises with it: $2.60, $3.60 and $5.40 in our model for one, two and three stories.

Roof pitch. Low roofs are the baseline. A medium pitch adds 12% and a steep one 30% to the roofline price, because crews need harnesses and slower footing.

Type of light. C9 LED bulbs are the usual choice for rooflines. Mini lights come out about 12% cheaper per foot, and icicle lights about 10% more.

Region. The same job costs about 20% less in a lower-cost area and 30% more in a higher-cost one.

Takedown and storage. In our model takedown adds 18% and off-season storage 6% to the install price. Many installers fold both into one figure, so compare totals, not line items.

Minimum charge. Small jobs hit a floor. We use $350 for an average-cost area.

Trees, bushes and extras

Extras are priced by the piece. Trees rise quickly with height because a tall tree needs a lift or long pole work and many more lights.

As an example, the same 150 ft house with two 8 ft trees, six bushes and ten walkway stakes comes to about $1,124, range $899 to $1,461.

Your own lights or theirs

When the installer supplies the lights, the price includes the lights, which they own, store and replace when bulbs fail. If you supply them, the model keeps 65% of the price, the labor share, and drops the storage line. Many installers decline customer lights, charge a higher labor rate for them or do not repair them mid-season, so ask first.

Hiring versus doing it yourself

Buying everything for 150 ft of C9 LED roofline costs about $189, and electricity for the season about $1. That is much less than the $600 to $975 an installer would charge, but you take on the ladder work, the January takedown and the storage. The Christmas lights calculator gives the full shopping list. If a second story, a steep roof or a crowded schedule makes you hesitate, the installer price is paying for safety and time.

How to compare quotes

1. Ask every installer for the same scope: roofline feet, trees, bushes, light type and color, takedown date and storage.
2. Write the totals side by side. The Lighting Plan PDF includes a worksheet for three installers if you want one printed.
3. Divide each quote by your roofline feet. A price per foot far under the range above usually means smaller scope, cheaper lights or no takedown.
4. Check what happens when a strand fails. A repair visit in December is worth a lot.
5. Book early. Good installers fill their calendars in the fall, and a deposit often holds your date.

Questions to ask installers

• Are you licensed and insured, and can you send proof?
• Who owns the lights, and what happens to them in January?
• Is takedown included, and when does it happen?
• What is included if bulbs or strands fail during the season?
• What is the deposit, and what is your cancellation and weather policy?
• Which date window will you install in, and how do I power the lights: timers, outlets, extension cords?

What this guide cannot tell you

These figures come from our own estimate model of typical 2025-2026 US ranges. They are not a price list from any installer, not a quote, and not a guarantee of what a company near you charges. We are not a contractor, we do not install lights and we do not refer jobs. Use the numbers to plan a budget and to notice when a quote looks unusual, then get quotes in writing.