Published: October 10, 2024
If you've been pricing out professional Christmas lights, you've probably noticed nobody wants to give you a straight number. We'll do better than that. Here's the honest answer, what actually drives the cost, and how to figure out what your own home would run — no runaround.
The short answer
For most Delaware homes, the cost of professional Christmas light installation depends on the home — roofline footage, the number of peaks and gables, tree wrapping, and how much of the property you want lit. At Christmas Bros, every display is custom-quoted and all-inclusive — and that's worth understanding before you compare it to a cheaper-looking quote, because the two usually aren't the same thing at all.
Here's why: our price covers the entire season — custom design, commercial-grade lights and materials we provide, professional installation, service calls if anything needs attention, takedown after the holidays, and storage until next year. A bargain quote is often just labor to hang lights you bought, with takedown billed separately and nobody coming back if a strand dies in December. Same category, very different deal.
What you're actually paying for
A real full-service program isn't someone hanging lights for an afternoon. It's a managed season. You pick the look; we handle design, install, maintenance, takedown, and storage, using commercial-grade lights that we own and provide. You're not paying to rent a ladder for a day — you're paying to never think about your holiday lights again. That's the value, and it's the thing to weigh when one quote looks lower than another.
What moves the price up or down
Five things decide where your home lands:
- The size and height of your home. This is the biggest factor. More roofline means more lights and more labor, and a two- or three-story home costs more than a single-story one, because the work takes longer and needs more equipment to do safely.
- How complex your roofline is. A long, straight run is quick. Steep pitches, tall peaks, dormers, and lots of angles take more time and more care, and that shows up in the price.
- Trees, bushes, and landscaping. Roofline lighting is the base. Wrapping trees, lighting shrubs, and adding pathway or column lighting are beautiful add-ons, but they add to the total. Tree wrapping especially varies with the size of the tree.
- The type of lighting. Commercial-grade LED costs a bit more up front than big-box strands, but it's brighter, more durable, and cheaper to run all season. It's what we use, because a display that half burns out by mid-December isn't worth the savings.
- When you book. This one you control. Booking early — think early fall — gets you better scheduling and the best of the season, because the calendar fills fast once it hits. Wait until late November and your options shrink.
There's no honest way to quote a home without seeing it, so we don't. The design visit is free, the quote is free, and where your number lands depends on the factors above. The only way to know it is a look at your actual house — which we'll do at no charge.
Seasonal lights vs. permanent lighting: the cost question
A lot of Delaware homeowners ask whether permanent lighting is worth it. Here's the straight math. A permanent system — installed once, controlled from an app, working for every holiday plus everyday accent lighting — costs more up front than a single season of traditional lights. But you never pay for installation and takedown again, year after year. For people who light their home every season anyway, permanent lighting often pays for itself in a handful of years, and after that it's just there whenever you want it. Ours is backed by a lifetime workmanship warranty, which changes the value equation quite a bit.
If you're weighing the two, that's exactly the kind of thing we'll walk through honestly during your quote.
Why the cheapest quote usually isn't the best deal
It's tempting to pick the lowest number. But holiday lighting is one of those things where cheap tends to cost more in the end — a sloppy install, a strand that dies mid-season with nobody coming to fix it, or you up a ladder in January because takedown wasn't included. Two questions actually matter: is the company insured, and what's included? A trained, insured installer carries the safety risk that sends people to the ER every December, and an all-inclusive program means you're never left holding the ladder. That's where the real value is, and it's how we run every job.
How to get an accurate number for your home
The only way to know what your home will cost is a real look at your home. Every roofline is different, and any honest company gives you a free quote rather than a guess over the phone. We serve homes across Delaware — Wilmington, Newark, Hockessin, Middletown, Greenville, and the surrounding areas, plus into Southern PA — and we're glad to come take a look and give you a free, no-pressure number.
Frequently asked questions
How much does professional Christmas light installation cost in Delaware?
It depends on the home — roofline footage, the number of peaks and gables, tree wrapping, and how much of the property you want lit. Every Christmas Bros display is custom-quoted and all-inclusive: design, commercial-grade lights, professional installation, season-long maintenance, takedown and storage in one price, with nothing added later. The design visit and quote are free.
Is permanent holiday lighting worth the cost?
Permanent lighting costs more upfront than a single season of traditional lights, but you never pay for installation and takedown again. For people who light their home every season, permanent lighting often pays for itself in a handful of years and is backed by a lifetime workmanship warranty.
Ready for an exact price for your home? Get a free quote today or call us at (302) 290-6508. Booking early gets you the best of the season's schedule.