Holiday decorating costs depend on your project and location. Check with a local pro for your specific job.
Christmas light installation pros in Columbus typically charge a flat rate for their services, ranging from $184 to $727, depending on service level and home size.
The cost to decorate a one-story home ranges from $250 to $600, while two-story homes range from $400 to $1,800 or more.
For add-ons, such as inflatables and lawn ornaments, you can spend anywhere from $10 to $2,000, depending on the scope of the project.
Ohio's capital is home to a broad mix of housing styles, each with unique holiday decorating challenges. Many Columbus homeowners choose not to spend the time and effort of hanging lights in the cold, opting instead to pay an average of $425 in professional Christmas decorating service costs. Totals typically range from $184 to $727, depending on factors such as home size and project scope.
Many factors contribute to the total cost of hiring someone to decorate your house for Christmas in Columbus, Ohio. These include the size of your home, the location of your lights, and more.
You’ll pay anywhere from $2.50 to $7 per linear foot to have a professional install Christmas lights on your property. This total accounts for the materials, which cost around $0.50 to $2 per linear foot, and the installation itself, which ranges from $2 to $5 per linear foot.
| Square Footage | Home Size | Average Cost in Columbus, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000–2,000 | One-story | $250–$600 |
| 2,000–3,500 | One-story | $300–$750 |
| 1,500–2,000 | Two-story | $400–$1,000 |
| 2,500–3,500 | Two-story | $500–$1,200 |
| 2,500–4,000 | Three-story | $700–$1,800 |
| 4,000+ | Multi-story | $500–$1,800+ |
Decades of development have led to a wide variety of home styles and property layouts throughout Columbus, which impacts the cost to hang Christmas lights in different areas.
| Project | Average Cost in Columbus, OH |
|---|---|
| Roof lighting | $150–$1,200 |
| Driveway lighting | $60–$180 |
| Tree lighting | $75–$1,500 per tree |
| Shrub and bush lighting | $10–$20 per bush or shrub |
Installing Christmas lights on your roof can cost between $150 and $1,200. Costs can increase by 20% for more dangerous jobs because they require special equipment such as an extended-height ladder or scaffolding.
You’ll pay around $60 to $180 to install lights around your driveway. Adding lights to a driveway is a subtle but effective way to enhance your pathway without breaking the budget.
The cost to wrap lights around a tree is between $75 and $1,500 per tree on average. Small trees cost up to $200, while trees that are 30 feet or more in height could cost upward of $1,500.
You can expect to pay between $10 and $20 to wrap each shrub or bush in your yard. You’ll need five to 10 strands of lights per bush. With shrubs and bushes, you can choose small, cone lights or larger, brighter bulbs—whatever fits your overall design aesthetic.
Christmas lights can cost between $5 and $70 per 25-foot strand if you buy them yourself, and $0.40 to $2 per linear foot if you purchase them through an installation company. There are three major types of lights available for professional Christmas light installations, and most people find themselves comparing LED versus incandescent Christmas lights.
| Holiday Lights Type | Average Cost in Columbus, OH | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED | $13–$20 | High efficiency Durability in the cold | High up-front cost Bright bulbs increase light pollution |
| Incandescent | $5–$39 | Low up-front cost Warm, traditional look | Low efficiency Potential fire hazard |
| C9 | $15–70 | High outdoor visibility Available as LEDs | High up-front cost Complex installation |
Don’t forget to budget for additional holiday set-ups, such as house projections or inflatables.
Christmas light projectors run the gamut from $15 to $150, depending on the intricacy of the display—some cover a portion of the home, and others showcase a whole-home LED snowscape display.
Light-up novelty decor has always been a favorite for the Christmas season, and you can expect to pay between $20 and $300 for festive lawn decorations, with an additional $35 per piece installation cost.
| Type of Outdoor Decor | Average Cost in Columbus, OH |
|---|---|
| Plug-in inflatables | $10–$600 |
| Lawn ornaments | $10–$2,000 |
| Light-up reindeer | $50–$300+ |
| LED nativity scene | $100–$550 |
Installing a light timer costs between $10 and $50. Your installer may not charge extra to add the timer to the installation, but you can often do the installation yourself.
Smart lights cost between $35 and $50 per 25 linear feet. The type of bulb shape you choose impacts the total cost, and bundling a higher number of lights per package can lower the price per foot toward the lower end of this price range. Smart lights are perfect for homeowners who want to customize the colors, effects, and brightness of their Christmas lights with the simple press of a button on their smartphones.
Expect to pay between $3,500 and $10,000 for a permanent Christmas light installation. This high up-front price could save you money in the long run, especially if you typically hire a professional installer to set up, remove, and store your Christmas lights every year. Permanent lights use LED bulbs and can last six to 10 years.
While removing holiday lights is often part of the installation package, the cost for removal alone falls between $100 and $400 on average, or $0.50 per linear foot.
Some homeowners detest storing Christmas lights or don’t have the space for them once the holiday season ends. One way to avoid untangling strands is to rent lights from the installation company. On average, Christmas light rental costs range from $250 to $600.
Holiday decorators in Columbus, Ohio, charge less for professional Christmas light installation than in the rest of the country. This is due in part to the city’s relatively low cost of living, which is about 5% below the national average.
Professional contractors charge between $2 and $5 per linear foot for Christmas light installation, not including materials. This price range covers removal and sometimes maintenance during the agreed-upon display time frame.
Your contractor will determine the cost of your project by measuring and estimating the linear footage of your home, accounting for rooftops, roof edges, trees, yards, and extra features. Contractors may charge more or less per foot depending on how difficult the area is to access.
If your home needs new electrical wiring before you can install lights, you’ll spend around $50 to $100 per hour to hire a local electrician to do the job. This service is unlikely to be included in your Christmas light installer’s services, as most installers aren’t qualified to do electrical work. However, your pro may provide you with extension cords if needed.
No license or permit is required for Christmas light installation in Columbus, as they are considered temporary decor. However, any electrician that you hire will need to be licensed in the state of Ohio.
You might be wondering, do you tip Christmas light installers? The answer is yes, it’s customary to tip holiday light installers for a job well done. If you’re happy with the service and love your professional Christmas light installation, tipping between 10% and 20% of the total bill is appropriate.
Christmas light installation will not directly increase home value in Columbus, Ohio. Christmas lights are temporary decor that don’t permanently impact the look or function of a home.
Hanging Christmas lights can give a home the appearance of being safe and well-cared for, though. If multiple homes in the same neighborhood hang Christmas lights, it could make those homes more appealing to potential homebuyers.
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This company was great to work with from beginning to end. The custom design process was great and we were included every step of the way. They replaced our old worn out deck area with decorative concrete and we added a bar, kitchen area and outdoor lighting. The owner personally selected all...
Inspired Design & ContractingWe chose JNG Painting and Decorating after receiving a recommendation from a long-time friend who had previously used their services. Joe the owner and his crew came highly recommended. Joe, Tom and Cory were extremely careful. What impressed me was the level of detail and the extent...
JNG Painting & Decorating LLCGreat attitude and great service right before the holiday :)
Finished just before the holidays. Job well done.
GM RenovationsExcellent work, even during the holiday weekend. Would not hesitate to contact again. Thank you so much. Merry Christmas!
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water CleanupThey came out same day on a holiday and were very kind and courteous
This was the worst experience I could imagine with a landscaping company. Their crew came in with weed whips and instead of trimming around garden beds, went into the bricked off, raised garden beds and leveled a vegetable garden, flowers in full bloom, and destroyed all of the decorations...
We had three rooms that had very aged paint and paper. Sue has a wonderful eye for decorating and helped select the colors to be used when the rooms were finished. Steve and Kaitlyn were the very pleasant workers on the project and they worked carefully and neatly, doing a terrific job. They...
Creative Touch Painting & Decorating LLCDiane was fabulous! In one hour she completely enabled me to take my home decor to a new level! Her suggestions were creative, and did not entail spending lots of money. In addition, by explaining what she was doing, she gave me the tools to continue the decorating process on my own. I...
Ready Set RedesignI was very pleased. I picked out the wrong shade of brown for the trim and the owner himself came out and got a different paint and redid all of it, which was great. The price was very reasonable and they even worked on the Memorial Day holiday. I very definitely would use them again.
Country PaintingFrom average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
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