Why people stop doing it themselves
The job seems small in the driveway, then it takes a Saturday. Between the height, the weather, and the strand that dies the day after you finish, plenty of homeowners hand it off.
The parts of the job
The job has four parts, and the last one is the one people forget. It starts with a design for the house: what gets outlined, which trees get wrapped, how it looks from the road. Then the install, handled by people who do this all season. Then maintenance during the season, since something always needs a look. And then takedown in January and storage until next year, so nothing comes back into your garage.
What happens in January
Everybody thinks about the install. Fewer people think about the takedown. Takedown and off season storage are part of how they work, which means nothing lives in your attic between seasons.
Residential and commercial Christmas lighting
At a house, the design is the roof edge, the entry and whatever is worth lighting in the yard. Commercial holiday lighting has a different point: a business wants
https://brookswddx265.rivetgarden.com/posts/holiday-lights-that-stay-up-one-install-every-holiday-should-you-install-permanent-holiday-lights-an-honest-look to look open and be noticed in December. The install schedule is the part that takes planning, since most businesses want the ladders gone before the doors open.
Worth putting in writing
Be clear about which parts of the property are included, since a general description leaves room for surprise. Agree on whether the materials are yours or theirs, since that decides where they live after the season. And agree on takedown and storage before anything goes up.
What should be on the page
A quote with one number and no detail is not enough to compare. It should say what gets lit in specific terms: rooflines, entries, trees, walkways. Material ownership should be in writing. Takedown and off season storage need to be on the quote, not left to a handshake. And it should say who to call during the season if a section goes dark.The realistic version is short. A crew shows up on a scheduled day, the display goes in, and you were at work. In January the same thing happens in reverse.
The other option: a permanent system
If you are booking this every December, it is worth asking about permanent lighting once. Permanent lighting is one install that covers the holidays and the rest of the calendar too. EverCrest Lighting does both. The consultation is free. They serve Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina from Greenville. Reach them at (864) 252-1732 or
[email protected].