Christmas light installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering christmas light installation

Holiday light installation is a seasonal job where the clips, the test and the take-down plan decide whether the display looks clean and comes down without damage. Your win is a clear layout, a safe install and a take-down the homeowner can rely on next year.

What customers ask

  • Will the clips damage my gutters or shingles?
  • Can you hang lights on the tall trees and the roof?
  • Will you take the lights down and store them?
  • Can you use my lights or do I need new ones?
  • How do you keep the lights from failing in the middle of the season?
  • Will the lights stay on with the timer I have?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask for the home's height, the roof pitch, the trees to be lit and the date the display should be up and down, so you plan the crew and the lift.
  • Bring a sample clip and a light string to the visit, and show the homeowner how the clip attaches to the gutter or roof edge.
  • Walk the layout on the site visit, photographing each roofline and tree, and mark the outlet and the cord route on a sketch.
  • Put the areas lit, the string count, the clip type, the timer and the take-down in the quote as separate lines.
  • Test every string before hanging and tell the homeowner in writing which strings failed and what was replaced.
  • Explain how you will reach the upper roofline and the trees, and show the safety equipment the crew uses.
  • Send a closeout note with the layout sketch, the timer settings and the storage plan for next year.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of finished displays that show the roofline, the trees and the clip detail at the gutter
  • Light types and clips you use, and whether you supply lights or install the homeowner's own
  • Whether you offer take-down and storage in the same contract
  • Service area and the dates you book for install and take-down

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a take-down and storage visit after the season, booked when the homeowner signs the install.
  • Suggest a permanent holiday lighting review if the homeowner wants lights up year-round.
  • Recommend a check of the outlet and cords before the next season, since weather can damage them.

Licenses and permits

Holiday light installation is commonly offered by general home service and exterior companies, and licensing rules vary by place. Wiring to an outdoor circuit or fixed electrical box should go to a licensed electrician, so check your state and local licensing requirements.

Questions

Should I do electrical connections myself?

No. Plug-in connections to rated outdoor outlets are part of the install. Any fixed wiring, new outlets or circuit changes should go to a licensed electrician.

What if a customer's old lights are unsafe?

Test them, remove any string with damaged cords or hot sockets, and explain the reason in the quote. Offer new strings as a separate line, and do not hang anything you would not use yourself.

How do I handle damage to the gutter or roof edge from the clips?

Stop, photograph the damage, and tell the homeowner. Repair it through the gutter or roofing process, and list the repair as its own line in the closeout.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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