Nine Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Christmas Light Installer
Updated July 2026
Holiday lighting has a low barrier to entry. A truck, some ladders, and a Facebook page is enough to start taking deposits in October. Most of these operators are honest people looking for winter work. Some are not, and a few are genuinely unsafe.
These nine questions sort them out in about five minutes on the phone.
1. Are the lights included, and who owns them after?
Why it matters: This is the single biggest driver of price confusion. Full-service companies supply commercial-grade lights, custom-cut to your house, and keep them. Labor-only companies hang lights you bought.
Worrying answer: Anything vague. “We’ll take care of it” is not an answer.
2. Can you send me a certificate of insurance?
Why it matters: Crews work at height on your property. Without general liability coverage, an injured worker or a damaged roof becomes your problem and potentially your homeowner’s claim.
Worrying answer: “We’re covered, don’t worry about it.” A real company emails the certificate the same day, without being asked twice.
3. Is takedown included, and in what date window?
Why it matters: Some quotes are install-only, with takedown billed separately in January at whatever the company feels like charging.
Worrying answer: No specific window. “Sometime after the holidays” is how lights end up on a house in March.
4. What happens if a section goes out in December?
Why it matters: Strands fail. Established companies include mid-season service and will be back within a few days.
Worrying answer: A trip charge, or a shrug.
5. How do you attach lights to my roof?
Why it matters: Proper installation uses plastic clips designed for shingles and gutters. Staples, nails, and screws cause leaks that show up as water damage a year later.
Worrying answer: Any mention of staples or nails into the roof. On tile, slate, or copper, ask specifically what they use — the wrong method leaves permanent marks.
6. Have you worked on a house like mine?
Why it matters: A crew that’s great on single-story ranches may be out of its depth on a steep three-story with a wraparound porch.
Worrying answer: No photos of comparable work.
7. Are you using LED or incandescent?
Why it matters: LEDs draw roughly 80–90% less power, run cooler, and fail less often mid-season. Incandescent C9s in 2026 usually means old inventory.
Worrying answer: They don’t know.
8. What’s the deposit, and what’s the refund policy?
Why it matters: A deposit is normal — often 25–50%. A demand for full payment up front in September is not.
Worrying answer: Cash only, full payment before any work. This is the most common pattern in seasonal-contractor complaints.
9. Will I get this in writing?
Why it matters: The estimate should itemize what’s being lit, the total price, the install window, the takedown window, and what’s included in service.
Worrying answer: A verbal number and a handshake.
Reading the reviews
One more thing worth doing: when you look at a company’s Google reviews, sort by newest and read the January and February ones specifically. Installation reviews are written in a moment of holiday goodwill. Takedown reviews are written by people finding out whether the company still answers the phone once it has their money.
That’s where the real information is.