Every year the phone does the same thing. October is quiet. The first week of November picks up. Then the Monday after Thanksgiving it rings almost nonstop, and nearly every caller says some version of the same sentence: “I know it’s late, but is there any way you can get us up before the party on the 14th?”
Sometimes we can. A lot of the time we can’t, and that’s the part nobody enjoys. So if you’re planning Christmas light installation in Houston this year, here’s the honest version of how the season works and when you should actually pick up the phone.
The short answer: book in October or early November
If you want a specific install date, book in October. If you’re flexible, the first two weeks of November are still comfortable. After Thanksgiving you’re competing with everyone who waited, and the calendar fills fast.
That doesn’t mean the lights go up in October. Most of our clients book early and then schedule the install for early or mid-November, so everything is glowing by the time the neighborhood starts decorating. Booking and installing are two different dates, and that’s the detail most people miss.
Why the calendar gets so tight
A professional install isn’t a quick job. A two-story home with a full roofline, a couple of wrapped trees and some shrubs can take a crew most of a day once you count the design check, the ladder work, clipping every bulb and testing each run. Bigger properties take longer.
So each crew can only do so many homes per week. And almost everyone wants their lights up during the same few weeks. Put those two facts together and you get a schedule that’s wide open in early November and packed solid by the first week of December.
Weather plays a part too. Houston doesn’t get much snow, but it does get rain and wind, and we don’t put crews on wet roofs. A rainy week in late November pushes every job back a few days, and the people who booked late feel it the most.
What happens when you book early
Booking early isn’t just about grabbing a date. It changes how the whole project goes.
You get a real design conversation. Our designers visit, walk the property with you and talk through what you want. In October there’s time to go back and forth on colors, decide whether the big oak out front gets wrapped, or try a warm white roofline with multicolor trees. In December that conversation gets squeezed.
You pick the date, not us. Hosting a party? Family flying in? Early bookings let you plan the install around your calendar.
Your lights are up for the whole season. It sounds obvious, but it matters. If you’re paying for a professional display, you want to enjoy it for six or seven weeks, not ten days.
What a late booking usually looks like
Here’s a pattern we see every season. Someone calls in early December because family is visiting and they want the house to look special. If there’s a cancellation, we can sometimes fit them in, but they spend the week waiting by the phone hoping a slot opens up. The same family books in October the next year, and their lights are up before Thanksgiving. Same house, same lights, a lot less stress.
Late bookings sometimes work out. Early ones almost always do.
What to have ready when you call
You don’t need a plan, but a few details help us give you an accurate quote faster:
- Your address and the type of home (single story, two story, any steep or high sections)
- What you’d like lit: roofline only, or trees, shrubs, windows and walkways too
- Color preference: warm white, cool white or multicolor (it’s fine to be undecided)
- Any date you need the lights up by, like a party or visit
- Photos of the front of the house, if it’s easy to send them
From there, a designer will set up a free consultation, look at the property in person and send a clear quote.
Does booking early cost more?
No. The price of an installation depends on the size of the display, the height and pitch of the roof, how many trees and shrubs are involved and the type of lighting. It doesn’t go up because you called in October. If anything, booking early gives you more time to adjust the design to fit your budget before the season gets busy.
What about takedown?
This is the other half of the season people forget about. We take lights down after the holidays, usually in January, and store everything for free so it’s ready for next year. If you keep warm white tree wraps up into the new year, just tell us and we’ll schedule the takedown later.
Clients who use us year after year often book next season’s install during takedown. It’s the easiest way to lock in your preferred date.
An honest caveat
If you only want a simple roofline and you’re flexible on timing, you can sometimes get in later in the season, especially on weekdays. Smaller jobs are easier to fit around bigger ones. But if you have a specific date in mind or a larger design, waiting is a gamble.
The bottom line
Think of Christmas lights the way you’d think of booking a holiday flight. You can wait, and you might get lucky, but the people who planned ahead get the best choice and the least stress. If you’re in the Houston area and want your home lit this season, request a free quote or call us at 832-356-6005. If you’re near Austin, call 512-657-7441.