How to start a holiday light installation business
Season: October to January · Typical startup: $70 to $500
Holiday light installation is a short, busy season that pays well: homeowners want the best house on the block without climbing a ladder in the cold, and they pay again in January to take everything down. Most customers buy their own lights, so your startup is a ladder, clips and timers. Here is the gear, pricing, and how to book November.
$70 to $500To get started
$300Typical single-story roofline
October to JanuarySeason
The gear and what it costs
LadderMany families have one. For a business, a sturdy extension ladder you trust.
$0–300
Clips and timersAll-purpose clips for gutters and shingles; outdoor timers so the lights run themselves.
$50–150
Light testerFinds the dead bulb in a strand in minutes instead of an hour.
$20–40
What established pros charge
| Installation, national average · HomeAdvisor | $444 |
| Typical range · HomeAdvisor | $220–$684 |
National figures from published cost guides, checked November 8, 2026. Local prices vary.
Starting rates for a new business
| Bushes and porch (ground level) | $150 |
| Single-story roofline | $300 |
| Takedown and storage | $100 |
| Tree wrap, per tree | $75+ |
Our suggested starting point for a new business. Price per house by roofline length. Always quote takedown with the install. Compare with the pro figures above, and raise your rates once you have reviews and a full week.
How to find your first customers
- Start in mid-October. Post photos of a lit house in your town groups: "Booking November installs."
- Offer install plus January takedown as one price. Customers love not thinking about it again.
- Small restaurants and shops on a main street want lights too, and they book every year.
- Leave a card with every customer for next year. Rebooking is most of this business.
Rules to check before you start
- Use lights and cords rated for outdoor use, and plug them into GFCI outlets.
- Roofs are the risk in this trade. Never work on a wet or icy roof, and keep three points of contact on the ladder.
- Some cities and counties require a business license, even for a small service business. Check your city or county website before you take payment.
- Once you make $400 or more in profit in a year, you owe self-employment tax and need to file a return (IRS). Keep every receipt for gas and gear.
- Card payouts need a Stripe account. Stripe requires the account holder to be 18 or older for this kind of account, so a parent or guardian sets it up if you are under 18 (Stripe). Cash works from day one. Venmo, Zelle and Cash App need your own account, and under-18s need a parent to set one up.
Stay busy all year
Add gutter cleaning in the fall while you are already on the ladder, and snow removal for the same customers in winter.
Build your holiday lights plan free
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Questions
How much does holiday light installation cost?
HomeAdvisor's 2025 guide puts the average at about $444, with most jobs between $220 and $684. Multi-story homes can reach $1,300.
Who supplies the lights?
Either works. Starting out, have customers buy their own lights so you only sell labor. Later you can sell or rent lights as a package.
When should I start booking?
October. Most installs happen in November, and good installers are fully booked by Thanksgiving.
Can a teenager start a holiday lights business?
Start with ground-level work (bushes, porches, trees) and single-story rooflines with an adult nearby. Leave two-story roofs for later. On Launchpad, 13 to 17 year olds sign up with a parent or guardian's agreement.
Sources
Checked November 8, 2026.
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