Definitely a bummer.

Perhaps there are people out there able and willing to put that kind of money into holiday decorations. I don't happen to be one of them. I think I would probably top out at around $500.

If I were running the business it would be like this:

Two tiered options:

Option 1: Extensive decoration -- all out. Cost: $200 per hour (typical time 6 hours)

Option 2: Basic decoration - lights on trees, bushes, and along gutters. Cost: $120 per hour (typical time 4 hours)

So option 1 would be $1,200. Option 2 would be $480. I think $500 would be where I'd draw the line personally.

Guys who do this sort of thing "professionally" should be able to do it in 4 hours with 2 guys. That's 8 hours. This isn't rocket science so you'd get guys making let's say $40k per year after adding in liability insurance, health care, taxes, etc. That's $20 per hour each or $40 for the two combined.

So that's 4 hours with 2 guys at $20 per hour per guy = $160. + $100 overhead + $100 material depreciation cost. Let's say $400 is their "cost". That would be a $100 net.

Even if I'm off by a bit, that's still a far cry from $2000. There;s just no justification for that kind of cost.

I'm an optimist so, after blogging, getting over the initial shock, and reading your response, I decided to go on the internet and see if anyone else in the area does this service. I found 4 other places so am going to propose that our neighbor call 2 and I'll call 2 and see what their rates are. Do it myself as last resort

jeeeeze What ever happened to the old days when you pay the neighbors kids $20 to do it?

Ok well times are different, but I garuntee you'd find some neighborhood teenagers that would more than happen to spend an afternoon putting up x-mas lights and earning $50-$100.

Hey, great idea! Our neighborhood has its own website so maybe I can post and see if any teens are willing. This day and age I would probably have to have their parents sign a waiver so they couldn't sue me if the kid feel and hurt himself. That will be plan B after shopping around a little more.

Well, I called those 4 other places. 2 were all booked up and the other 2 said their average was $1200- $2000.

Draginol- your per man hour rate is way low. The minimum per hour rate is more like $45, so $90 for 2 men. Look at other hourly rates for construction type services

After having a local police officer fall to his death putting up lights, I decided to just put lights up in the landscaping (if at all).

I don't see how anyone should be paid $45/hr for putting up lights! That's insane!! Someone in our neighborhood shelled out the $1200-$2000 for the place to do their lights and I was thoroughly unimpressed. What a racket!

Not to be the "nay sayer," but you're forgetting a few important details about those light installers.

It AIN'T EASY!!!

I used to do it years ago. Lots of considerations. You need people. You need insurance coverage. Who among you would hire a bunch of guys to go tramping on someone else's house without adequate coverage if one of the guys slipped off the roof? Can you say "law suit"?

My last job required 10 people, all of whom it required be designers. It was on Thanksgiving eve. From Midnight to 6am. Any idea how much designer's charge for off hours work? And they were long time associates.....still cost me a small fortune. Installations was lighting and decorating 14 custom designed trees ranging from 10' to 15' in a upscale Atlanta Hotel. Hanging and lighting garland along the mezzanine, hundreds of yards of fabric and ribbon, lights, not to mention the custom made ornaments and the initital cost of industrial artificial Christmas trees was astounding. Absolutely exhausting.

We have a very short window of time to complete holiday decor. So when the average Joe wants his lights hung, the cost is the same for the same time frame. No one will do the job at a discounted rate for a residential customer when the commercial customer is standing there with check in hand at the full rate.

Suggestion: Have your holiday lights hung in October, right before Halloween. Then enjoy them the entire month of November and December. Your neighbors won't mind, Christmas is in the store by mid October anyway....maybe your neighbors will join you in the Holiday spirit. In October, you'll find that the installation rates are much less expensive too.

Happy Holidays Y'all.
Richard
www.FloralClasses.com
American Floral Arts, AIFA, Inc.

Richard, very well said. I couldn't agree with you more. Happy Holidays everyone.

What a bunch of spoiled babies!!! So you bought a big house and are now crying because it cost sooooo much to light it? I think it's time you grow up and step out of the me me me world! I used to work for a company that did professional lighting for the holidays. Those guys risk their lives everyday and night so that people like you could bitch and and enjoy lights on their million dollar homes. You make me sick... If you had any common sense, you would pay what they ask or grow some balls and do it yourself!