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AI tools for holiday lighting installers (2026)

Updated Oct 17, 2026 · Prices as of Oct 2026 · Some links may be affiliate links (disclosure)

Holiday lighting is a ten-week business that needs a full year of planning. The phone rings in October, every customer wants their install before Thanksgiving, and in January you have to get it all down again. The crews that make money are the ones that book early and schedule tight.

Book the repeats in September

Your best customers are last year's. Text them in September with last year's price and a link to rebook. ChatGPT (Free; Go $8/mo; Plus $20/mo) can draft it: "Hi [name], we're scheduling installs for this season. Same design as last year at $___? Reply YES to hold a November slot." Send from a business line on Quo (Starter $15/user/mo annually ($19 monthly), plus a one-time $19.50 texting registration fee) so replies come into one inbox your office can work.

A 70% renewal rate on 150 customers is 105 jobs before you spend anything on ads. Those numbers are an example, but repeat customers are the core of this business.

Quoting from a photo and a measure

Price roofline by the foot, then add trees by height, wreaths, garland and ground lighting as separate items. A Google Earth or satellite measure gets you close. Ask for a front photo by text and quote a range, then confirm on install day.

Set your price book in Jobber (Core $29/mo billed annually ($49 month to month); Connect $99/mo annually; Grow $149/mo annually) or Housecall Pro (Basic $59/mo billed annually ($79 monthly); Essentials $149/mo annually for 5 users; MAX $299/mo annually). Both handle optional line items, so customers can tick "add the two front trees" right on the quote.

Two jobs per customer

Every install is also a takedown. Schedule both when the job is booked: install date, a service visit if a strand fails, and a January takedown window. Field apps can create the takedown as a linked visit. If you charge storage, invoice it with the takedown so it doesn't get forgotten.

Label every customer's lights. Bins with a job number and a photo of the layout taped inside make next year's install twice as fast.

Deposits and cash flow

You buy lights and clips in September and get paid in November. A deposit at booking, often 50%, fixes that. Take it online through your field app so the customer can pay from the quote. A crew doing $90,000 in a season with 50% deposits has $45,000 in hand before the first ladder goes up.

Safety and weather

Roof work in November means wet shingles, early dark and wind. Build weather days into the schedule and text customers the night before when you're rescheduling. Write the reschedule text once and keep it ready. Use fall protection, and check your insurance covers roof work, since some general liability policies don't.

Limits to keep in mind

Satellite measures miss gutters with odd returns and second stories set back from the front. LED strands from different batches can have slightly different color temperatures; buy per job, not per box. And a slow takedown season costs you, since every day in January a crew is on a roof is a day it isn't doing other work.

FAQ

When do holiday lighting companies start booking?

Most start contacting past customers in August or September and install from late October through early December. Takedowns usually run in January. Booking early lets you plan crews and order lights before suppliers run short.

How do holiday lighting installers price jobs?

Commonly by the linear foot of roofline plus separate prices for trees, wreaths, garland and ground stakes. Many include takedown and charge a separate storage fee for customer-owned or leased lights.

Should I lease or sell the lights?

Many companies lease: the price includes the lights, install, service calls and takedown, and the company stores them. It brings customers back every year. Selling lights is simpler but gives the customer less reason to return.