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Guide

The best time to install permanent lighting: why fall books out and January through March is the deal

By David Bogdanov, owner and lead installer · Published September 8, 2026

Everyone decides they want permanent lighting in the same six weeks, between the first cold night in October and Thanksgiving. What that does to the calendar, what the weather does to the install, and when the smart money books:

September and early October: the sweet spot before the rush

Measures within three days, installs within two weeks, HOA approvals back before the holidays, and fascia that's dry and warm for the tape. If you want lights for this season without a scramble, this is the window, and booking by October 31 locks a pre-Thanksgiving install date.

November: real slot dates, not promises

By the first week of November we're quoting specific install days rather than lead times. Rain becomes the constraint; VHB needs a dry surface above about 50°F, so bonding happens on dry mornings and a job sometimes splits into two short visits. It still gets done before Thanksgiving if it's booked in time.

Seasonal C9 service exists for exactly this month. If the permanent calendar is full, $11 per foot gets the house lit for the season and the payment is credited toward a permanent install next year.

December: lit by the parade

The Christmas Ships pass the Vancouver waterfront on December 3, 11 and 16 this year and Camas and Washougal on December 5; Camas Hometown Holidays is December 4 and Battle Ground's tree lighting the same night. Installs continue through mid-December as weather allows; after that we're into off-season work.

January through March: the deal

The calendar is open, the crew wants the days, and dry, cold mornings above 50°F are common enough to bond on. It is the easiest time of year to get the exact day you want, and the best time to ask for a sharper number on a large job. It's also when HOA committees have the shortest queue.

The lights are on the house for Valentine's, St. Patrick's, Easter and the Fourth, and a full year of warm white before next Christmas.

Spring and summer: architectural lighting season

Owners who buy in spring usually aren't thinking about Christmas at all. They want the warm-white eave line for patio season and the game-day scenes for fall. Fascia is dry, days are long, and the install is at its easiest. Trees are wrapped in full leaf, which is a nicer way to see the result than a bare maple in November.

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Questions this guide gets

Can you install in the rain?
Lighting and controller work, yes. Channel bonding needs a dry surface above about 50°F, so we schedule it for dry hours and sometimes split a winter install into two visits at no extra cost.
Is there really an off-season price?
January through March is when we have the most room on large jobs. Ask for the off-season number when you book; we'll put it on the quote.
How late can I book for Christmas?
Book by October 31 for a guaranteed pre-Thanksgiving install. After that we quote the next open date, which most years runs into the first half of December.

Get the exact number

A free 20-minute measure, a written quote by package, price locked for 30 days. Book by Oct 31 for a pre-Thanksgiving install.

Call (360) 555-0100Book a measure
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Price it before you call

Pick a package, set your roofline feet, read the range. The free measure makes it exact, and if the measure comes in under your estimate you pay the lower number.

Track packages from $32 per foot with the controller included · $2,500 minimum on permanent, $1,000 on seasonal · the full price list · financing

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What will permanent lighting cost on my house?

Pick a package, set your roofline feet, see the range and the monthly figure. Exact price follows a free measure.

Ranch front + garage ≈ 120–160 ft · Two-story with gables ≈ 200–260 ft · Full wrap ≈ 300+ ft
How to measure your roofline in Google Maps
  1. Open Google Maps, search your address, switch to satellite view.
  2. Right-click on a roof corner and choose Measure distance.
  3. Click each corner along the roof edges you want lit. The total in feet shows at the bottom.
  4. Add about 15% for gables you can't see from above. That is your number.
$4,400 – $5,200estimated range
Pebble Track · $32 per ft · control system included · 150 ft
≈ $413/mofinancing example, 12 months
half a daytypical install, app setup included
Book by Oct 31 for a pre-Thanksgiving install. Minimum $2,500. Exact price needs a measure; call to lock this number.
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Or text a photo of your house and we'll reply with a quote within the hour during business hours.