How much does a Christmas decorating service cost? Turn your home into a winter wonderland this year—here are holiday decorating service prices.
How Much Does Professional Christmas Light Installation Cost in Seattle? [2026 Data]
Normal Range: $255 - $564
Holiday decorating costs depend on your project and location. Check with a local pro for your specific job.
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Cost Insights
Booking late in the season can be more expensive, as installation crews must juggle tight holiday schedules.
Installing Christmas lights on a two-story, 1,500-square-foot home in Seattle costs between $360 and $900.
Labor costs increase by 20% for homes with taller or steeper roofs due to extra equipment and safety requirements.
Adding trees, shrubs, or pathway lighting can increase your total cost by $67 to $1,345 per feature.
Homeowners can expect to pay an additional $538 for bonus features, such as an LED nativity scene or a plug-in inflatable.
Professional Christmas light installation in Seattle, WA, costs around $396 and ranges from $255 to $564, depending on the size of your dwelling and the scope of the project. As the season rolls in, crews earn their wings climbing slick roofs and untangling lights that somehow get knotted in storage. Prices rise with roof height and ambition, especially for those chasing festive lighting visible from space. Here’s what you need to know to plan your Yuletide decorating budget.
Christmas Light Installation Cost Factors
In Seattle, WA, holiday light displays are as much about endurance as they are about sparkle. Between the drizzle, seemingly endless strands, and sharply pitched roofs, hiring a pro can turn a soggy weekend project into a dazzling, stress-free setup for homeowners.
Home Size
You’ll pay anywhere from $2.25 to $6.30 per linear foot to have a professional install Christmas lights on your property. This total accounts for the materials, which cost around $0.45 to $1.80 per linear foot, and the installation itself, which ranges from $1.80 to $4.50 per linear foot.
| Square Footage | Home Size | Average Cost in Seattle, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000–2,000 | One-story | $225–$540 |
| 2,000–3,500 | One-story | $270–$670 |
| 1,500–2,000 | Two-story | $360–$900 |
| 2,500–3,500 | Two-story | $450–$1,075 |
| 2,500–4,000 | Three-story | $630–$1,615 |
| 4,000+ | Multi-story | $440–$1,615+ |
Project Scope
The Coffee Capital of the World is famous for its Craftsman-style homes nestled among evergreens and misty skies. The cost of a dazzling Christmas light installation here can vary widely depending on what you’re lighting up and the city’s damp winter conditions.
| Project | Average Cost in Seattle, WA |
|---|---|
| Roof lighting | $135–$1,075 |
| Driveway lighting | $55–$160 |
| Tree lighting | $67–$1,345 |
| Shrub and bush lighting | $10–$20 per bush or shrub |
Roofs
Installing Christmas lights on your roof can cost between $135 and $1,075. Costs can increase by 20% for more dangerous jobs because they require special equipment such as an extended-height ladder or scaffolding.
Driveways
You’ll pay around $55 to $161 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.
Trees
The cost to wrap lights around a tree is between $68 and $1,345 per tree on average. Small trees cost up to $180, while trees that are 30 feet or more in height could cost upward of $1,345
Shrubs and Bushes
You can expect to pay between $9 and $18 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 Light Type
Christmas lights can cost between $4.50 and $63 per 25-foot strand if you buy them yourself, and $0.36 to $1.80 per linear foot if you purchase them through an installation company. There are four major types of lights available for professional Christmas light installations.
| Holiday Lights Type | Average Cost in Seattle, WA | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dome | $5.40–$13.45 | Soft glow in drizzle | Dims in fog |
| LED | $11.65–$17.90 | Handles wet well | Cold light vibe |
| Incandescent | $4.50–$34.94 | Warm on gray days | Does not save energy |
| C9 | $13.45–$62.70 | Shines bright | Bulky, traps moss |
Christmas Light Installation Add-ons
Don’t forget to budget for additional holiday set-ups, such as house projections or inflatables.
Projections
Christmas light projectors run the gamut from $13.45 to $134.40, depending on the intricacy of the display—some cover a portion of the home, while others showcase a whole-home LED snowscape display.
Additional Outdoor Decorations
Light-up novelty decor has always been a favorite for the Christmas season, and you can expect to pay between $17.90 and $269 for festive lawn decorations, with an additional $31.40 per piece installation cost.
| Type of Outdoor Decor | Average Cost in Seattle, WA |
|---|---|
| Plug-in inflatables | $9–$538 |
| Lawn ornaments | $9–$1,792 |
| Light-up reindeer | $44–$269+ |
| LED nativity scene | $90–$493 |
Timers
Installing a light timer costs between $9 and $45. Your installer may not charge extra to add the timer to the installation, but you can often do the installation yourself.
Smart Lights
Smart lights cost between $31.40 and $45 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.
Permanent Installation
Expect to pay around $3,136 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.
Christmas Lights Removal Costs
While removing holiday lights is often part of the installation package, the cost for removal alone falls between $90 and $359 on average, or $0.45 per linear foot
Christmas Light Rental Costs
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 $224 to $538.
Christmas Light Installation Pro Costs
Before your abode joins the twinkle parade, it’s worth knowing how Seattle’s cost of living, taxes, and local regulations can influence what you’ll pay. For help finding trusted pros, check out top-rated holiday decorators in Seattle, WA.
Cost of Living
Seattle’s cost of living runs 45% higher than the national average, which means labor prices tend to reflect the city’s elevated housing and service costs. Add the 10.35% combined sales tax, among the highest in the country, and holiday projects can quickly get spendy. FYI, by state law, Washington requires sales tax on both materials and labor for outdoor Christmas light installation.
Local Labor Rates
Depending on the project, professional installers in Seattle typically charge $1.60 to $4 per linear foot, which may cover setup and removal costs. The actual amount you will pay depends on your home’s design, roofline accessibility, and any extras, such as lighting up trees or pathways. Because Seattle homes often feature multi-level layouts and tall evergreens, installers may charge a premium for hard-to-reach spots.
Permits and Licenses
Homeowners won’t need a city permit for standard Christmas light installations as long as no new permanent electrical wiring is added. However, your installer must hold a valid Seattle business license and be a licensed electrical contractor if wiring or electrical work is involved. If you hire an electrician to install an outdoor outlet, expect to pay an average of $225 per fixture.
Tipping
Seattle’s service pros appreciate a little extra gratitude, especially during the holidays. If your display elevates your Christmas joy, it’s customary to tip 20% to 25% of the total cost.
Does Christmas Light Installation Increase Home Value?
The ROI of professional Christmas light installation isn’t measured in resale value so much as in comfort, safety, and curb appeal during the city’s long, gray winters.
Professionally installed lights add instant warmth and visibility, turning dark, rain-soaked streets into something festive, while sparing homeowners the risk of climbing ladders.
Energy-efficient LED systems also make a difference in a city that values sustainability and has above-average utility rates. LEDs can cut seasonal electricity use by up to 70%. Rolling in smart timers and app-based controls further improves efficiency and accessibility.
Ultimately, professionally designed displays can significantly enhance a home’s character. In neighborhoods that pride themselves on community spirit, a well-lit home contributes to the collective ambiance and can even improve short-term rental appeal during the holiday season.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We survey real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
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