Holiday lighting installs can add $8,000 to $25,000 in six weeks for a small electrical or handyman crew, and every customer pays you twice: once to hang the lights and again to take them down.
Late October is the moment the phones start. A homeowner looks at the roofline, remembers the extension cord nightmare from last year, and decides this is the year somebody else climbs the ladder. If you already own ladders, a truck, and the know how to keep an outdoor circuit from tripping, you are sitting on the most predictable seasonal revenue in the trades. The work is booked ahead, the customer is in a good mood, and the job repeats every single year if you run it like a route instead of a favor.
Why Holiday Lighting Installation Fits Electricians and Handymen
Most of the cost of a holiday lighting business is stuff you already paid for. The ladder, the van, the insurance you carry for your regular work, the drill, and the relationships with homeowners who already trust you inside their house. The missing pieces are a clear price sheet, a simple way to quote fast, and a calendar that can handle two visits per customer without anything falling through the cracks.
Electricians have the safety edge
Customers worry about overloaded outlets, wet connections, and the breaker that trips every time the inflatable reindeer kicks on. An electrician can add a dedicated outdoor circuit or a weatherproof outlet in the same visit, which turns a $600 lighting job into a $1,100 ticket. Point customers to the holiday safety guidance from the Consumer Product Safety Commission and you look like the careful choice.
Handymen have the volume edge
A handyman crew can run four to six homes a day on simple roofline and shrub packages. The work is repeatable, the clips and timers are cheap, and the same customers usually have a punch list of small fixes you can quote while you are already on the ladder.
How to Price Holiday Lighting Installation in 2026
Price by the linear foot for rooflines and by the piece for trees, shrubs, and wreaths. Customers understand both, and it keeps your quotes consistent from one driveway to the next. Here is a starting point many crews use, before adjusting for your market and roof pitch.
| Item | Typical price | Notes |
| Roofline, customer lights | $3 to $5 per foot | Single story, easy pitch |
| Roofline, you supply LEDs | $6 to $10 per foot | Lights rented or sold to the client |
| Tree wrap | $75 to $250 per tree | Price by height and trunk count |
| Shrubs and wreaths | $25 to $60 each | Easy add ons |
| Takedown and storage | 40 to 50 percent of install | Book it at signing |
Set a job minimum of $350 to $500 so small requests still pay for the drive and the ladder setup. Two story homes, steep pitches, and anything that needs a lift should carry a clear surcharge on the quote, not a surprise on the invoice.
Quote From the Driveway, Not From the Kitchen Table
The crew that sends a clean written quote first usually wins the job, because the homeowner is collecting two or three numbers and books the one that feels easiest. Measure the roofline, snap two photos, and send the price before you pull away from the curb.
- Save your lighting packages in your price book: roofline per foot, tree wrap, shrubs, takedown.
- Send the quote by text or email with photos attached so the spouse who was not home can see it.
- Ask for a deposit to lock the install date, since the first two weeks of December fill fast.
- Book the takedown on the same quote so January revenue is already on the calendar.
Turn One Season Into a Recurring Route
The real money in holiday lighting is year two. A customer who loved the result will book again, and if you stored their custom cut lights you are the only crew that can hang them without starting over. Set every lighting customer up as a recurring yearly service with an automatic reminder in early October, and your fall schedule starts half full before you spend a dollar on marketing.
Keep the crew safe and the schedule tight
Ladder falls are the biggest risk in this work, so review the OSHA ladder safety basics with every new helper. Then group installs by neighborhood, send on my way texts with a live ETA, and use a digital job checklist so nobody forgets the timer, the extension cord cover, or the photo of the finished house.
The Software Bill Should Not Eat Your Holiday Profit
Seasonal work means seasonal helpers, and that is where most field software gets expensive. Jobber runs $49 to $499 a month plus about $29 a month for each extra team member. Housecall Pro runs $79 to $329 a month and about $35 a month per extra member. Both add a card processing fee of 2.9 percent plus a 30 cent fee on top. Add three helpers for December and your software bill can jump by $100 before you hang a single strand. We broke the full comparison down in the scariest thing in your business is your software bill.
House Fly Pro starts at $19 a month on Silver with 3 team members included, and each extra member is under $5 a month. Gold is $49 a month with 20 team members included, live GPS dispatch, automatic review requests, and a booking form for your own website. Every feature is included, with no hidden add ons, and the whole app works in English or Spanish for bilingual crews.
Your lights season starts now. Save your lighting packages, send quotes from the driveway, collect deposits by card, Apple Pay or PayPal, and put every takedown on the calendar today. Start your 14 day free trial of House Fly Pro, no contracts, cancel anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I charge for holiday lighting installation?
Most crews charge $3 to $5 per linear foot of roofline when the customer supplies the lights and $6 to $10 per foot when you supply commercial LEDs. Trees run $75 to $250 each, and takedown is usually 40 to 50 percent of the install price. Set a job minimum of $350 to $500 to cover travel and setup.
When should I start booking holiday lighting jobs?
Start quoting in mid October. Homeowners begin planning right after Halloween, and the first two weeks of December fill first. Collect a deposit to hold each install date, book the January takedown on the same quote, and set a yearly reminder for early October so last season’s customers rebook before they shop around.
Is holiday lighting a good side business for electricians?
Yes. Electricians already own the ladders and understand outdoor circuits, so the startup cost is mostly clips, timers, and stock lights. Adding a weatherproof outlet or dedicated circuit during the visit raises the ticket, and customers who are happy with the result tend to rebook every year, which turns one season into a dependable route.
What software helps run a holiday lighting business?
You need quotes by text, deposits, a calendar that handles install and takedown visits, and room for seasonal helpers. House Fly Pro covers all of it from $19 a month with 3 team members included and under $5 per extra member, while Jobber and Housecall Pro charge $49 to $499 and $79 to $329 a month.
