Getting Christmas lights put up: cost, safety and when to book
Roof-height Christmas lights are one of the few seasonal jobs where booking late costs real money, and one of the few where a fall from a ladder is the actual risk.
What it costs
| Job | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Indoor tree and interior decoration | £60 to £120 |
| Ground-floor exterior, front of a terraced house | £80 to £150 |
| Full front elevation including roofline, semi-detached | £150 to £300 |
| Large detached house or trees | £300 to £600 |
| Takedown in January | £50 to £150, often bundled |
Prices usually assume you own the lights. Supply-and-install services cost more but you keep the lights.
Book by mid-November
Demand rises sharply in the last two weeks of November, and installers with the right ladders and equipment get booked up going into December. Booking in October or early November gets you a better price and a choice of dates.
What to check
- Working at height. Anything above ground-floor gutter level needs the right ladder or tower and, ideally, someone who does this regularly. Ask what equipment they bring.
- Insurance. Public liability, and check the height limit on their policy. Many policies cap at three or four metres. On Taskerama, look for the Insured badge.
- Electrical safety. Outdoor lights need an IP-rated outdoor supply and an RCD. If a new outdoor socket is needed, that is notifiable electrical work and requires a registered electrician.
- Takedown. Agree it up front and get it in the same price. January takedown is the part people forget, and the part where lights get damaged.
Booking it on Taskerama
Post the job with photos of the front of the house, the height of the roofline, and whether you want takedown included. Taskers reply with a fixed price for the whole job, so put-up and takedown are agreed in one number.
Before you hire, ask questions in public or message taskers privately about their ladders and equipment. Every fee is shown before you accept. Your payment is held until you confirm the job is done, and if your plans change you can cancel before the task starts at no charge.
Practical tips
- Test every set before the installer arrives. A dead set is the most common reason for a callback.
- Buy timers. It cuts the running cost and stops the "who turns them off" argument.
- Photograph the layout before takedown so next year is quicker.
- Label the boxes by elevation.
Post your Christmas lights job free and book before the November rush.
Next steps
Related guides
- End of tenancy cleaning checklist (and what deposits actually get docked for)A room-by-room checklist for getting your deposit back, what letting agents actually check, and what a professional end-of-tenancy clean costs.
- Airtasker alternatives in the UK (2026): 7 options compared on feesThe UK alternatives to Airtasker compared on what posters pay, what taskers keep, and whether your payment is protected. Competitor fees verified September 2026.
- Is Bark worth it for tradespeople? The lead-fee maths (2026)Bark charges tradespeople per lead, win or lose. Here is the break-even maths, what pros report about lead quality, and a model where quoting is free.
- Airbnb turnover cleaning: what it costs and how to set it upChangeover cleaning rates for short lets in the UK, what should be in the scope, linen options, and how to rebook the same cleaner without paying commission every time.
Prices and rules change. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will fix it. How we research and check these guides.