What Should You Ask Before Hiring a Christmas Light Installer in Boise?
Ask nine things: are you insured, who comes to my house, are the lights included, how do they attach, will the strands fit, who fixes a dark strand, is takedown included, how fast is the quote, and what happens next year.
1. Are you insured?
Hanging lights is ladder and roofline work from start to finish, so ask this first. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says there are about 160 Christmas decorating injuries every day of the holiday season, and nearly half involve falls. Ask whether the company carries general liability insurance, and ask to see proof. A quick yes on the phone isn’t the same thing.
Our answer: Yes. We’re locally owned and carry general liability insurance, and proof is available on request. It’s in section 14 of our terms and conditions.
2. Who will be at my house?
An install puts people on your roof, in your yard and right outside your windows for a few hours. Ask whether the company sends its own techs, and whether they’re background-checked.
Our answer: Every Double Take tech is background-checked. Most homes are done in a few hours, and we walk the display with you before we leave.
3. Are the lights included, and whose are they?
Installers handle the lights in different ways. At some companies you buy the lights outright. At others the lights stay with the company from year to year. Ask, so you’re comparing the same thing.
Our answer: Yes, the lights are included: LED lights cut to fit, plus the clips and cords. After the season, the lights go into labeled bins in our storage unit. Ask us how ownership works when you get your quote. Here’s more on whether Christmas light installers provide the lights.
4. How will the lights attach to my roof?
Nails, screws and staples leave holes in shingles and trim that water can find. A strand pulled tight from corner to corner tugs on your gutters every time the wind blows or snow piles up. Ask what holds the lights up, and where.
Our answer: Roof-safe clips that grip your roofline with no nails, no screws and no sticky residue, and they never pull on your gutters. The clips come off right along with the lights at takedown. Here’s how to hang Christmas lights without damaging your roof or gutters, whether you hire it out or not.
Tip: clear your gutters first. Packed leaves hold water that can spill over and freeze along the roof edge. We do gutter cleaning too.
5. Will the strands fit my house?
Store-bought strands come in set lengths, and rooflines don’t. Hang whatever comes in the box and you can end up with extra bulbs bunched at a corner, or a run that stops short of the peak. Ask whether the installer measures first.
Our answer: We measure your roofline and peaks and custom-cut every strand, so there are no extra cords or lights hanging off your home. We use commercial-grade LED lights on a weather-ready install built for Idaho winters. Want more than the roofline? We also hang wreaths and garland and wrap trees and bushes.
6. What if a strand goes dark?
Lights that look perfect on install day still have weeks of weather ahead. Snow, freezing nights and wind are all part of the season here, and Boise’s first measurable snow comes around November 23 on average. Ask who fixes a dark strand in mid-December, how you reach them, and whether that’s part of the install.
Our answer: Mid-season fixes come with every install. We test every strand on install day, and if a strand goes dark or the weather knocks something loose, call us and we’ll come back to fix it. Lights already up and part of a strand is out? Here’s what to check when Christmas lights stop working.
7. Is takedown included?
Ask who takes the lights down, when, and whether that’s part of the price or a second bill. Ask what happens to the clips, too.
Our answer: Yes. Takedown and storage are free. On a date you pick, right after New Year’s or a few weeks later, we take everything down: lights, clips and extension cords. We pack it into labeled bins, keep it in our storage unit until next season, and leave your home just the way we found it. Here’s how Christmas light removal works.
8. How fast will I get a price?
Ask how long a quote takes, and what the price covers.
Our answer: Your quote is free. We answer every quote request within one business day, with clear pricing and zero pressure to book. Our quote form asks how much of the house you want lit: front only, front and sides, or front, sides and back. Here’s what changes the price of an install.
9. What happens next year?
Ask whether you start from scratch every fall, or whether the company keeps your home on its list.
Our answer: Every fall we text our returning customers to get their lights back on the schedule. Your strands were already cut to fit your house, so they’re ready to go back up.
Red flags when hiring a Christmas light installer
- No proof of insurance, or a vague answer when you ask for it.
- Nails, screws or staples in your roof, trim or gutters.
- No plan for takedown, or takedown that shows up later as a surprise bill.
- Nobody to call when a strand goes dark in December.
- Pressure to sign on the spot before you’ve seen a clear price.
Hanging them yourself instead?
Ask yourself the same questions. Do your strands fit your roofline? Are you using clips, not nails? Who climbs back up when a section goes dark, and who takes it all down in January? If you have an HOA, check its rules on holiday lights before anything goes up. Read doing it yourself vs. hiring a pro, ladder safety included.
Ask us all nine
We’re 5 stars on Google, and we hang lights on homes and businesses across the Treasure Valley, from Boise to Meridian, Eagle, Star, Nampa and Caldwell. Not sure what kind of company to call in the first place? Here’s who hangs Christmas lights in Boise.
Install calendars fill up as the holidays get closer, so ask early. Get your free lighting quote, or call or text (208) 418-7929, Monday through Saturday, 8am to 7pm. Want the glass behind the lights clean too? See exterior window cleaning.