Who Can Put Up My Outdoor Christmas Lights?

If the thought of climbing a frosty ladder and wrestling with tangled light strands makes you want to skip decorating altogether, you are not alone. Outdoor Christmas lights look magical, but getting them safely and beautifully installed is a real project.

In this guide, we walk through who can actually put up your outdoor Christmas lights, what a professional service includes, how pricing usually works, and what to look for in the company you hire. If you live in Shorewood, Chanhassen, Minnetonka, or anywhere around the Minneapolis metro, this will help you decide when it is time to bring in a pro and what you should expect from a high quality holiday lighting company like ours.

What We’ll Cover

• Why Professional Installation Beats DIY For Outdoor Christmas Lights
• Types Of Professionals Who Hang Outdoor Christmas Lights
• What A Professional Outdoor Christmas Light Service Typically Includes
• How To Choose The Right Outdoor Christmas Light Installer
• Cost Of Hiring A Professional To Put Up Outdoor Christmas Lights
• Why Professional Christmas Light Installation Is A Smart Holiday Upgrade

Why Professional Installation Beats DIY For Outdoor Christmas Lights

Hanging outdoor Christmas lights sounds simple until you’re 18 feet up on an icy ladder with a half working strand in your hand.

Professional installation is not just about avoiding hassle. It is about safety, durability, and a result that actually lives up to the picture in your head.

At Lit Outdoor Lighting Company, we handle outdoor and holiday lighting across the Minneapolis metro, and we see the same patterns every year when people try to do it alone.

Common Risks Of Hanging Outdoor Lights Yourself

Here are a few of the most common issues we see with DIY outdoor Christmas lights:

• Ladder and roof accidents Slippery roofs, uneven ground, and awkward reaches are a bad mix, especially in Minnesota winters.
• Overloaded circuits and blown breakers Plugging too many strands into one outlet or using the wrong extension cords can create real electrical hazards.
• Damaged shingles, gutters, and siding Screw-in hooks, nails, and cheap clips often crack gutters or puncture roofing, which can cost far more than the lights themselves.
• Uneven, sagging, or flickering displays It is frustrating to spend hours outside only to realize the layout looks lopsided or part of the house is dark.

We also see a lot of mid season failures. Cords fill with moisture, cheap light strings burn out, or GFCI outlets trip repeatedly because the system was not planned for real winter conditions.

Key Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Light Installer

When you work with a professional outdoor Christmas light installer, you are paying for a complete service, not just someone to clip lights along the roofline.

The main benefits:

• Safety first Trained crews, proper ladders, and fall protection dramatically reduce risk to you and your property.
• Clean, symmetrical design Pros design for balance, sightlines from the street, and how your home sits on the lot.
• Correct electrical setup Dedicated circuits when needed, weather rated components, and thoughtful load balancing keep your lights running.
• Commercial grade materials Higher quality LEDs and pro grade wires hold up better in snow, ice, and wind.
• No stress You stay warm inside while everything from layout to takedown is handled for you.

A professional installation usually means your lights turn on when they should, look just as good in January as they did in early December, and do not leave you with repairs in the spring.

Types Of Professionals Who Hang Outdoor Christmas Lights

If you are asking “Who can put up my outdoor Christmas lights?“ you actually have a few different categories of pros to choose from. They are not all equal.

Dedicated Holiday Lighting Installation Companies

Specialized holiday lighting companies focus mainly on seasonal decor. They usually offer:

• Custom design and layout
• Professional installation
• In season service calls
• Takedown and storage

Our own holiday lighting services at Lit Outdoor Lighting Company fall into this category. We design, install, remove, and can even store your lights for you so you are not climbing into the attic every November.

The advantage of hiring a dedicated holiday lighting installer is experience. When a team does hundreds of homes each season, they know what works on different rooflines, trees, and architectural styles.

Landscape And Exterior Lighting Specialists

Landscape lighting companies, like our team at Lit Outdoor Lighting Company, work with low voltage lighting systems year round. Many, including us, also offer full service Christmas light installation.

Why that matters for you:

• We already understand your property’s wiring, transformers, and outdoor power.
• We bring a design eye from everyday outdoor lighting projects, not just seasonal installs.
• We think long term, so holiday lighting can complement your permanent landscape lights instead of fighting them.

If you love the look of a professionally lit home and also want better path, entry, or deck lighting, it often makes sense to use one partner for both.

Electricians And When You Might Need One

People sometimes ask, “Should I just call an electrician to put up my Christmas lights?“

Most residential outdoor Christmas light installations do not require a licensed electrician. Professional holiday lighting teams are trained to build safe systems that plug into existing outdoor outlets and use low voltage components.

You might need to involve an electrician if:

• You do not have any outdoor GFCI outlets.
• Your current circuits are already heavily loaded.
• You are planning a large commercial display.

We cover this in more detail in our guide on whether electricians install Christmas lights. In many cases, a good holiday lighting company can assess your setup and tell you if an electrician is necessary.

Handypeople And General Contractors For Simple Setups

Some homeowners consider hiring a neighborhood handyman or general contractor for light hanging.

This can work for very simple displays, but there are a few tradeoffs to keep in mind:

• They may not use commercial grade lights.
• They typically do not provide design services.
• Takedown and storage are rarely included.
• If something fails mid season, they may not have capacity to troubleshoot.

If you want a polished, professional, worry free display, a company that specializes in outdoor or holiday lighting is almost always the better fit.

What A Professional Outdoor Christmas Light Service Typically Includes

Not all services are the same, but a legitimate outdoor Christmas light installation company should give you far more than someone just hanging strings along the gutters.

Here is what we include in our custom holiday lighting services around Minneapolis.

Design Consultation And Custom Layout

Every property is different, so we always start with a quick design consultation.

We walk the property with you, talk about your style, and suggest options like:

• Roofline outlines and peaks
• Lit wreaths and garlands
• Tree and shrub wraps
• Entry and walkway accents
• Special features like gables, dormers, or columns

From there, we put together a custom layout that fits your budget and matches how you actually use your home during the holidays.

Professional Installation And Safe Electrical Setup

On installation day, our crew arrives with everything needed: commercial grade LED lights, clips, timers, extension cords, and specialized equipment for higher or tricky roof areas.

A professional install should always include:

• Safe ladder and roof practices
• Weather rated cords and connections
• Proper load balancing across circuits
• Neat, hidden wiring whenever possible

Because we also provide outdoor walkway lighting and other year round systems, we take electrical safety very seriously. The goal is a clean, reliable setup that looks great and performs consistently all season.

Maintenance, Mid Season Support, And Takedown

One of the biggest advantages of hiring a professional is what happens after install.

A true full service holiday lighting company should offer:

• In season service calls If a bulb goes out or a strand is damaged by a branch, we come back to fix it.
• Timer adjustments We can tweak on off schedules if your needs change.
• Takedown and packing After the holidays, we remove everything, organize it, and prepare it for next year.

For many of our residential clients who use our Christmas light rental and installation in Minnesota, we even handle storage so the lights never clutter your basement or garage.

How To Choose The Right Outdoor Christmas Light Installer

Once you decide to hire a pro, the next question is who to trust with your home.

Here is how we recommend comparing outdoor Christmas light installers in the Minneapolis area.

Credentials, Insurance, And Safety Training

Start with the basics. Any company working on ladders, roofs, and electrical components should have:

• General liability insurance
• Workers compensation coverage
• Documented safety training for staff

Do not be shy about asking for proof. At Lit Outdoor Lighting Company, we are fully insured, and safety is baked into how we train our crews. This protects you and us.

You can also look at online feedback. Our clients often mention our care and professionalism in their reviews, which you can find through our about us page.

Portfolio, Design Style, And Quality Of Materials

Holiday lighting is part art, part science. You want a team whose design style fits your taste.

Ask to see:

• Before and after photos
• Past projects on homes similar to yours
• Examples of both classic and more playful displays

Our holiday lighting gallery shows a range of projects around Shorewood, Chanhassen, Minnetonka, and nearby cities. Look closely at the details: clean lines, consistent color temperature, and how the lights highlight the home’s best features.

Also ask what type of lights and hardware they use. Professional grade LEDs burn brighter, last longer, and use far less energy than big box store strands.

Pricing Structure, Contracts, And Scheduling

A trustworthy company should explain how pricing works upfront.

Key questions to ask:

• Is pricing all inclusive of lights, installation, service, takedown, and storage?
• Are you buying the lights or renting them each year?
• How do they handle weather delays?
• What happens if part of the display stops working mid season?

We keep our pricing transparent and easy to understand. Many clients use our holiday lighting installation services year after year because they know exactly what is included and when we will be there.

One tip: book early. The best holiday lighting installers fill their schedules quickly once fall hits, especially in the Minneapolis metro where daylight gets short fast.

Cost Of Hiring A Professional To Put Up Outdoor Christmas Lights

So what will it actually cost to have someone put up your outdoor Christmas lights for you?

Prices vary, but we can walk through the main factors and typical ranges so you know what to expect when you request a quote.

Main Factors That Affect Pricing

Several things influence the cost of professional outdoor Christmas light installation:

• Size and complexity of your home Taller homes, steep roofs, and complex rooflines take more time and equipment.
• Scope of the design Simple roofline outlines cost less than full property designs with trees, shrubs, and architectural accents.
• Quality of lights and hardware Commercial grade LEDs and pro clips cost more upfront but last longer and use less energy.
• Service level All inclusive services that include design, install, maintenance, takedown, and storage are more comprehensive and typically priced accordingly.
• Residential vs commercial Larger commercial properties, like restaurants or retail spaces using our commercial Christmas light rental installation in Minnesota, naturally fall on the higher end.

When you contact us for a quote, we look at all these factors and give you a clear, itemized estimate.

What You Typically Get At Different Budget Levels

While exact numbers depend on your property and goals, here is a general idea of what different budget levels might cover.

• Entry level holiday display A clean, simple roofline outline with warm white LEDs and a few accents around the entry. Great for homeowners who want a polished upgrade from DIY but do not need a fully custom scene.
• Mid range display Roofline plus key architectural features, some tree or shrub wrapping, and perhaps lit wreaths or garlands. This is the most common range for families who want their home to really stand out on the block.
• Premium display Full property design with layered lighting on the house, trees, landscaping, and hardscapes. Often includes color changes, multiple zones, and more detailed elements. This is common for larger homes and commercial clients.

Regardless of budget, our goal is the same: a design that fits your home, looks beautiful, and feels worth every dollar you invested. If you are deciding between landscape lighting and holiday lighting, our blog on the top benefits of outdoor landscape lighting for your Minneapolis home can help you see how year round lighting might also fit into your plans.

Why Professional Christmas Light Installation Is A Smart Holiday Upgrade

Hiring a professional to put up your outdoor Christmas lights is not just about avoiding a cold afternoon on a ladder. It is about creating a warm, welcoming experience for your family, your guests, and your neighborhood all season long.

When you work with Lit Outdoor Lighting Company, you get:

• A custom design that fits your home and your style
• Safe, professional installation by a trained local team
• Reliable, energy efficient lights that handle Minnesota winter
• In season support if anything needs attention
• Hassle free takedown when the holidays are over

If you are ready to stop wrestling with tangled lights and start enjoying a beautiful, worry free holiday display, we are here to help.

You can explore our full range of holiday lighting services and see real projects in our outdoor lighting gallery. When you are ready for a personalized design and quote, reach out through our contact page or request a holiday lighting estimate.

If you would like to keep learning about outdoor and holiday lighting, our latest guides and tips are always available on the Lit Outdoor Lighting Company blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can put up my outdoor Christmas lights for me?

You can hire several types of professionals to put up your outdoor Christmas lights, including dedicated holiday lighting companies, landscape and exterior lighting specialists, some electricians for complex power needs, and handypeople for simple displays. For full-service design, installation, maintenance, and takedown, a specialized holiday lighting company is usually the best choice.

Is it better to DIY or hire a professional for outdoor Christmas light installation?

Hiring a professional is usually safer and more reliable than DIY. Pros use proper ladders and fall protection, design clean and balanced layouts, set up safe electrical loads, and use commercial-grade LEDs that handle winter weather. You also avoid ladder risks, damaged gutters or shingles, and mid-season failures.

What does a professional outdoor Christmas light service typically include?

A quality outdoor Christmas light service often includes design consultation, custom layout, professional installation with safe electrical setup, and weather-rated materials. Many companies also provide in-season service calls for repairs, timer adjustments, and complete takedown after the holidays, with optional storage so you don’t have to handle boxes of lights.

Can I hire someone to put up my outdoor Christmas lights using my existing light strands?

Some installers will work with customer-provided lights, but many professional Christmas light companies prefer to use their own commercial-grade LEDs and hardware. Their products are designed for durability, consistent color, and safe outdoor performance, and they can fully warranty the installation when they supply the lighting materials.

When should I schedule a professional to put up my outdoor Christmas lights?

It’s best to book outdoor Christmas light installation early in the fall, before schedules fill up and weather becomes more unpredictable. Many homeowners in colder climates aim for October or early November. Early booking gives you better date choices, time for design revisions, and helps avoid rushed, last-minute installs.