Guide · updated 2026-10-10
How to Price Christmas Light Installation
The season is short, so pricing mistakes are expensive. Here's a simple way to set Christmas light installation prices that cover your crew, your lights and your risk.
Start with your cost per home
- Labor: crew hours for the install and the takedown, including setup and cleanup.
- Lights and materials: bulbs, clips, cords, timers, plus wear and replacement if you lease.
- Overhead: insurance, vehicle and fuel, storage, software and marketing, spread across the season's homes.
Add your profit margin on top. If a home takes two crew members four hours to install and two to take down, and your loaded labor cost is $35/hour per person, labor alone is $420 before lights or profit.
Common pricing structures
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Per linear foot | Measure the roofline and charge per foot | Rooflines, the core of most jobs |
| Per item | Flat price per tree, bush, wreath or garland run | Landscaping and accents |
| Package pricing | Good / better / best bundles | Faster quoting and upsells |
| Lease vs purchase | Customer rents lights each year, or buys them once | Leasing builds repeat revenue |
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| Item | Example price |
|---|---|
| Roofline C9 LED, installed (per linear foot) | $3–$6 |
| Tree wrap (per tree, by height) | $100–$300 |
| Bushes / hedges (each) | $40–$90 |
| Lit wreath (installed) | $75–$250 |
| Takedown and storage | Bundled, or 25–40% of install |
Example ranges for illustration only. Local markets vary widely.
Upsells that raise your average ticket
- Lit garland on porches, railings and mailboxes
- Smart timers and remote controls
- Mid-season service calls and bulb replacement plans
- Commercial and HOA entrance displays
Bill so you actually get paid
Take a deposit at booking, invoice the balance at install, and let homeowners pay online. Itemized invoices for roofline, trees and wreaths make your pricing easy to understand. Merry Manage does this on a free plan.
FAQ
How much do Christmas light installers charge?
Many U.S. installers charge somewhere around $2–$6 per linear foot of roofline including lights, with extra for trees, bushes, wreaths and garland. A typical home often lands between several hundred and a couple thousand dollars. Rates vary widely by market.
Should takedown be included in the price?
Most installers either bundle takedown into the install price or show it as a separate line item. Bundling is simpler for homeowners and guarantees you get paid for January's work.
Should I charge a deposit?
Many installers take a deposit at booking to hold the date and cover lights, with the balance due at install. Online invoicing makes deposits and balances easy to collect.
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