By story and complexity. A simple single-story run goes for $2–3.50 per foot; add peaks, a steep pitch or a second story and it's $3.50–5; difficult two-to-three-story work runs $4–6.50 or more. That's Strandr's 2026 installer breakdown, and it sits inside the $2–6 per foot band christmaslights.io reports for the national market. If you supply the lights rather than just labor, Ware Landscaping pegs the rate at $10+ per foot — the lights are the margin.
Two ways, and pick one before the season: per tree — $50–200 for a small tree, $400–1,200 for a tall canopy (Thumbtack and MyQuoteIQ 2026 data; christmaslights.io puts big trees at $75–1,500) — or per strand: $25–35 per strand for trunk wraps and $30–50 for taller trees, per the ChristmasLightsHQ pro guide. Per-strand is easier to defend on odd-shaped trees; per-tree is faster to quote.
The average 2026 installation lands near $432, with most jobs between $219 and $673 (christmaslights.io). MyQuoteIQ's calculator puts most homeowners at $300–900. If your quote for a normal single-story home is far below that band, you're underpricing the ladder time.
Takedown in January, timer setup and mid-season maintenance visits are real costs — price them into the job or list them as line items, and put the policy in writing before the first install. There's no reliable national benchmark for these fees, so set them deliberately instead of absorbing them. Upsell context: HomeGuide pegs permanent holiday lighting at $20–40 per foot for clients who want a year-round system.
| Quote model | Typical US range (2026) |
|---|---|
| Roofline — single story, simple | $2.00 – $3.50 / ft |
| Roofline — peaks or two story | $3.50 – $5.00 / ft |
| Roofline — 2–3 stories, difficult | $4.00 – $6.50 / ft |
| Tree wrap — small | $50 – $200 per tree |
| Tree wrap — large | $400 – $1,200 per tree |
| Typical finished job | $219 – $673 |
Keep going with these tools — they build on this calculation: Snow Removal Pricing Calculator, Leaf Removal Cost Calculator and Contractor Hourly Rate Calculator.
When your prices look right, print the menu with the Menu Maker — free templates, PDF & PNG. Want us to set the whole system up for you? Ask about concierge setup.
Labor-only installation runs $2–6.50 per linear foot in 2026: $2–3.50 for a simple single-story run, $3.50–5 with peaks or on a two-story, and $4–6.50 for difficult multi-story work (Strandr breakdown, inside the $2–6 band christmaslights.io reports). Installers who supply the lights charge $10+/ft (Ware Landscaping).
About $50–200 for a small tree and $400–1,200 for a large one (Thumbtack and MyQuoteIQ 2026 data; christmaslights.io puts big trees at $75–1,500). Many pros quote trunks by the strand instead: $25–50 per strand (ChristmasLightsHQ).
Roughly $432 on average, with most jobs between $219 and $673 (christmaslights.io 2026). MyQuoteIQ lands most homeowners at $300–900 for a typical display.
Yes — decide the policy before you quote. Takedown in spring, timer setup and mid-season bulb swaps are real costs with no reliable national benchmark; build them into the job price or list them as add-on line items in writing. For clients who re-enlist every year, a seasonal contract with both visits included is the cleaner model.