What a holiday lighting estimate is for
Holiday lighting customers picture the finished house, not the feet of roofline and the second trip in January. An estimate that lists the roofline in feet, each tree and bush, the timer, takedown and storage shows what the price covers, and says whether they are leasing your lights or buying their own.
What to put on a holiday lighting estimate
- Roofline and ridge in feet.
- Trees, bushes and wreaths counted.
- Leased or owner's lights.
- Timer and cords on existing outlets.
- Takedown and storage.
- Service calls during the season.
A worked example
A one-story house with 150 feet of roofline, two front trees and a door wreath. Roofline and takedown use the calculator's typical prices.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofline lights, lights supplied * | 150 | ft | $3.75 | $562.50 |
| Takedown after the season * | 150 | ft | $0.57 | $85.50 |
| Tree wrap, trunk and branches | 2 | each | Your price | |
| Wreath with lights | 1 | each | Your price | |
| Timer and outdoor cords | 1 | set | Your price |
Put takedown on the estimate even though it happens in January. It is part of the job, and owners appreciate knowing it is handled.
* Typical price from our free christmas light installation cost calculator, which lists its sources. Your own costs and market come first.
Line items holiday lighting installers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Roofline lights, installed | ft | Bulb type and color; lights leased or sold. |
| Ridge line lights | ft | Higher work; second story or steep roof. |
| Tree wrap, trunk and branches | each | Tree height and wrap style. |
| Bush and shrub lights | each | Net or string lights per bush. |
| Wreath with lights | each | Size and placement. |
| Garland on railing or door | ft | Lit or unlit. |
| Ground stakes and pathway lights | each | Spacing along the walk. |
| Timer and outdoor cords | set | Outdoor-rated, on existing outlets. |
| Takedown after the season | ft | Lights removed, tested and boxed. |
| Storage until next season | set | Labeled for this house. |
| Mid-season service call | visit | Fix outages during the season. |
Terms and deposit language for holiday lighting
- Deposit. A deposit at booking holds the install date in a short season and covers lights ordered for this house. Follow your state's deposit rules.
- Payment. Balance due on install day after the owner sees the lights on.
- Warranty. Lights that fail during the season are fixed on a service call within the days stated. Damage from storms, animals or people unplugging the timer is not a lighting defect.
- Lights stay the property of the installer when leased, and are stored for next season.
- Lights plug into existing outdoor outlets; new outlets need an electrician.
- Install and takedown dates depend on weather; roofs are not walked when wet or icy.
How to fill it in
- Put in your business details once; this browser keeps them for every template.
- Fill in the customer and the job.
- Change the line items to fit this job and add your prices.
- Set tax, the deposit and the good-until date.
- Print to PDF, download Word or CSV, or send it from Koira.
Free tools for holiday lighting
- Christmas light installation cost calculator
- Roof measurement tool
- Labor rate calculator
- Estimate generator
The same estimate for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpentry, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, deck, drywall, duct cleaning, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, glass, gutter, handyman, home inspection, hood cleaning, hvac, insulation, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, masonry, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, property maintenance, remodeling, restoration, roofing, security system, septic, siding, snow removal, solar, tile, tree service, water treatment, waterproofing, window cleaning, window and door.
More for holiday lighting installers: how holiday lighting installers run on Koira.