Once the weather turns, most homeowners either spend a weekend on a ladder untangling last year's strands or skip holiday lights altogether. Professional installation solves both problems, and it costs less than most people expect once you factor in the ladder, the time, and the inevitable trip to replace a burnt-out string. Here's what it actually runs in St. Louis, what's included, and how to think about the DIY comparison.
What it costs
Most St. Louis homes land somewhere between $400 and $1,200 for a full season of professional holiday lighting, covering design, installation, in-season maintenance, and takedown. Where you fall in that range depends mostly on roofline length, the number of trees or shrubs being wrapped, and whether you're supplying your own lights or renting commercial-grade ones for the season. Larger homes with multiple rooflines, peaks, and mature landscaping run higher; a straightforward single-story home with a simple roofline runs toward the lower end. Every property gets an actual quote after a quick walkthrough, not a guess over the phone.
What's included in a full-service install
A professional installation isn't just clipping lights to the gutter. It typically covers three parts of the season:
- Custom installation — roofline, eaves, trees, shrubs, and walkways, designed to fit your home and installed with commercial-grade lights and clips that won't damage shingles, siding, or gutters.
- Seasonal maintenance — a burnt-out bulb or a clip loosened by wind and freezing rain gets fixed before you notice it's out, not left dark for the rest of the season.
- Takedown and storage-ready packing — everything comes down once the season's over, and gets packed up so next year doesn't start with an hour of untangling in the garage.
Professional installation vs. DIY
DIY has a lower up-front cost if you already own lights, but it also means your own ladder time on a roofline in December weather, storing everything yourself in January, and troubleshooting outages mid-season without anyone to call. Commercial-grade lights and clips also tend to hold up better than store-bought sets, which cuts down on the mid-season failures that leave one dark section on an otherwise-lit house. For a lot of homeowners, the time and safety factor alone make professional installation worth the cost, especially on two-story homes or steep rooflines.
When to book
Booking early, ideally in September or October, gets you first pick of installation dates and means your lights are up well before Thanksgiving. Slots get tighter through November and into December as the season fills up, so waiting until after the first cold snap usually means a longer wait for an install date. See what's included in our holiday lighting service or get a free estimate to get on the schedule.