Questions
The things people actually ask.
Including the awkward ones. If your question is not here, call and ask. We would rather answer it than have you guess.
Booking and scheduling
When should I book Christmas lights?
Earlier than feels natural. Installation runs on a schedule that fills from the top, so the most requested dates go first and the calendar is usually full well before December. A late-summer or early-fall conversation gets you the widest choice of dates.
How long does installation take?
Most residential installs are a single day. Larger properties, or packages with a lot of palm and landscape work, can run to two. We give you a date and a window rather than a vague week.
Do I need to be home?
Not for the install, as long as we have access to everything in the design and to an exterior outlet. We do want you there for the design consult, because that is the conversation that decides what the house looks like.
Can I add to my package after it is installed?
Usually yes, subject to how full the schedule is. Ask early in the season rather than in the middle of December.
Cost and what you get
How much does it cost?
It depends on the property, and anyone quoting you a figure without seeing the house is guessing. Price is driven by linear footage of roofline, how many palms and trees are in the design, how much landscape and path lighting is involved, and access. The design consult is free and ends with a fixed written price, with no obligation to proceed.
Why is it more than buying lights myself?
Because the price is not the lights. It covers the design, commercial-grade product cut to your house, installation by insured crews, maintenance for the whole season, takedown in January, and storage until next year. You are buying an outcome and never touching a ladder.
Is it cheaper the second year?
Ask us directly at your consult. Repeat pricing depends on the package, and we would rather tell you the real answer for your property than publish a number here that might not apply to you.
Do you require a deposit?
We will set out payment terms clearly in your written quote before anything is scheduled.
The lighting itself
Do I own the lights?
No, and that is what makes the rest of the service work. The product stays ours, which is why we can maintain it free during the season and store it for you afterwards. You are paying for the result on your house, not for a box of lights in your garage.
Can you use my existing lights?
Generally no. We install our own commercial-grade product because we stand behind the result, and we cannot warrant material we did not supply or inspect.
Warm white or color?
Both are available. Warm white is the most requested by some distance and tends to suit Florida architecture, but color done well looks superb, particularly on palms. We will show you options at the consult.
Will it increase my electricity bill much?
Modern commercial LED product draws very little. It is a real cost but a small one, and far lower than older incandescent lighting people remember.
Installation, safety and insurance
Are you insured?
Yes. Our crews are trained and insured, and we will provide certificates of insurance on request. That is standard practice for our commercial and HOA clients, and available to any homeowner who wants to see them.
Will the install damage my roof or gutters?
No. We use fitted clips designed for the purpose rather than staples or nails, and our crews are trained on proper ladder and roof practice. Nothing is fastened in a way that leaves a mark.
What if something stops working in December?
Call us and we come back out. In-season maintenance is included, not billed as a service call. This is the single biggest practical difference between hiring us and doing it yourself.
What happens if there is a storm?
Contact us and we will assess it. How repairs are handled after severe weather is set out in your agreement, and we will walk you through that before you sign.
Takedown and storage
When do the lights come down?
January, on a scheduled date. You do not need to chase us. Removal is part of the package and already in the calendar.
Where is everything stored?
With us, at our warehouse. Nothing goes into your garage rafters or your attic. It comes back out next season inspected and ready.
Do you leave clips on the house?
We remove the installation completely. Anything that would be visible after takedown comes off with it.
Permanent lighting
What is permanent LED lighting?
A discreet channel of individually addressable LEDs fitted permanently into the roofline and eaves. Nearly invisible by day, controlled from an app, and able to run quiet warm white year-round or full color for a holiday.
Is it worth it compared to seasonal lighting?
It comes down to how many years you plan to stay. Permanent is a larger one-off investment against an annual seasonal cost, and there is a break-even point. We will do that arithmetic with you honestly rather than steer you.
Does permanent lighting replace everything?
For rooflines, largely. For palms, garland, wreaths and landscape, no. Those are still installed by hand each season. A lot of customers run permanent on the roof and seasonal on everything else.
Service area and commercial
Do you serve my town?
We cover Charlotte and Lee County and the surrounding area. If you are near the edge of that, call and ask. We would rather tell you straight away than have you wonder.
Do you work with HOAs and businesses?
Yes, and it is a significant part of what we do. Commercial work runs on written scopes, agreed dates, service agreements and certificates of insurance.
Are you a national company or a local one?
Both, usefully. We are locally owned and operated, based in Punta Gorda, and we are a franchise of Christmas Decor, a national brand that has been doing this since 1986. You get local accountability with national systems and product behind it.
Still unsure
Ask us the question you have not seen answered.
No sales script. If the honest answer is that we are not the right fit for your property, we will tell you that too.