How much to charge for Christmas light installation
Updated 26 September 2026
Christmas light installers typically charge by the linear foot of roofline, plus a set price for each tree or shrub they wrap. Many include the lights, takedown after the season and storage in one price, with a minimum job price so small houses are worth the trip.
Example Christmas light installation prices
| Job | US | UK | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-storey house, 100 ft of roofline, lights supplied | $460 – $530 | £340 – £400 | A$680 – A$790 | CA$630 – CA$730 |
| Single-storey house, 120 ft of roofline and 4 shrubs, customer's own lights | $570 – $670 | £450 – £520 | A$860 – A$1,000 | CA$780 – CA$910 |
| Two-storey house, 150 ft of roofline and 2 trees, lights supplied | $1,030 – $1,190 | £780 – £910 | A$1,540 – A$1,780 | CA$1,400 – CA$1,630 |
Priced with the starting rates in our Christmas light installation template, in each country's currency. They're a starting point, not a survey of local rates, so set your own from what your jobs take and what others charge near you.
How holiday lighting installers set their prices
Per linear foot
A rate for every foot of roofline, eaves or ridge you light. It scales with the house, and customers can picture what they're paying for.
Packages
Set prices for common setups, like a single-storey roofline with two wrapped trees. They're easy to sell early in the season; add a per-foot rate for anything bigger.
Lease or sell the lights
Many installers supply commercial lights and keep them after takedown, so the customer is renting them for the season. Others sell the lights to the customer, which costs more in year one and less after that.
Sample Christmas light installation price list
The prices in our template, as a list you can adapt. Percentages change the price of the job; fixed-price extras are added on top.
| Item | US | UK | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofline to light, per linear ft | $4 | £3 | A$6 | CA$5.50 |
| Storeys: Two storeys | +25% | +25% | +25% | +25% |
| Trees & shrubs to wrap, per tree | $60 | £50 | A$90 | CA$80 |
| Lights: Use my own lights | Save 30% | Save 30% | Save 30% | Save 30% |
| Takedown & storage | +20% | +20% | +20% | +20% |
| Minimum job price | $300 | £240 | A$450 | CA$410 |
Put this price list on your website
Customers answer a few questions about the job, see the price and send you their details. This is our Christmas light installation quote form with the prices above. Try it as a customer would, then start from these prices and change any of them.
Merry & Bright Lighting
Holiday lighting estimate
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- Leaving takedown out of the price. Coming back in January is a second visit with the same ladders and crew. Our template adds 20% for takedown and storage and ticks it by default, so all three examples include it.
- Knocking too much off for customer-owned lights. You save the cost of the lights, but old strands fail and every one needs testing before it goes up. Our template takes 30% off, which leaves room for that extra work.
- Treating two-storey homes like bungalows. Taller ladders and a roofline two storeys up slow the whole crew down. Our template charges 25% more for two storeys.
- Taking bookings too late. The best install dates go first. Open bookings early, offer a small early-booking discount and set a cut-off date.
- Forgetting service calls. Bulbs fail and wind can pull strands loose halfway through the season. Include a set number of repair visits in the price, or charge for each one.
Not sure what your time is worth? Work out your hourly rate with the pricing calculator, then check your job prices cover it.
Questions
- Is per-foot pricing better than a price per house?
- Per foot of roofline is fairer, because houses vary so much. Keep a minimum, like the template's $300 in the US, so a small cottage still pays for the ladders and the crew.
- How do I charge for trees and shrubs?
- Per tree or shrub, with more for big ones, or by how many strands each one takes. Our template charges $60 in the US per tree or shrub; use that for small ones and charge more for tall trees and dense wraps.
- How do I price a house from a photo?
- Measure the roofline on a satellite map or ask the customer to pace it out, then count the storeys and the trees to wrap. The template's range is 5% under to 10% over, and you confirm the length on the day.
- Should returning customers pay less?
- A small discount keeps them coming back, and repeat installs are quicker once you know the house. Book them first, before new customers fill the season.
- How do I put Christmas light prices on my website?
- Ask for the roofline length first on a quote form, then storeys, trees and whose lights. Customers get a range, and you check the measurements when you visit.