Book by October for first pick of install dates
Christmas Light Installation in Chicago’s North Shore
Lights, install, takedown, storage and in-season repair included.
No surcharge for two- or three-story homes.
See Your House Lit Before You Book
Upload a straight-on photo of your home, set the scale with your garage or front door, then tap along your roofline. C9 bulbs light up as you trace, and the footage and price update live. Most people have a number in about a minute, and nobody has to come out to your house. Your photo never leaves your device.
Set the scale, two quick steps
Typical Prices by Home Size
| Home | Roofline | First season |
|---|---|---|
| Ranch, roofline only | ~90 ft | ~$810 |
| Two-story colonial | ~150 ft | ~$1,350 |
| Larger home, multiple gables | ~220 ft | ~$1,980 |
Roofline C9 at $9 per linear foot for a first season. Returning customers pay $8 per foot.
How You Get Your Price
Most customers never need us at the house. Trace your roofline above and send us the design, by text or email, whichever you prefer, and we’ll reply with a rendering of your home lit up alongside a firm seasonal price, usually the same day. If anything looks off, we adjust it and send it back. When you’re happy with it, we lock in your installation date. If you’d rather not trace it yourself, text or email us a photo of your home and we will put the design together for you. We only come out for unusual rooflines or complicated projects, and that visit is free. Either way, nothing is installed and nothing is charged until you’ve seen exactly what you’re getting and what it costs.
Two jobs, priced in full
What a real invoice looks like
128 feet of warm white, plus four shrubs
A single-story home with a long front elevation. Warm white C9 ran across the full roofline and the garage return, with mini lights on four foundation shrubs.
| Roofline, 128 ft at $9 | $1,152 |
|---|---|
| Shrub wrap, 4 at $60 | $240 |
| Season total | $1,392 |
Everything came down in January and went into storage. The same display goes back up this season at $8 a foot.
180 feet, four columns of garland, and the gutters done the same day
A two-story colonial with a front gable, a covered porch and an entry portico. Warm white C9 ran across the main roofline, the porch roof and both gable faces. Lit garland wrapped four porch columns, and a lit wreath went on the front gable.
| Roofline, 180 ft at $9 | $1,620 |
|---|---|
| Lit garland, 4 columns at $110 | $440 |
| Lit wreath | $90 |
| Gutter cleaning, same visit ($195 less the $50 bundle) | $145 |
| Visit total | $2,295 |
Mark V. and Ivan P. handled both jobs on one visit. Gutter cleaning is the most common thing customers add. The crew is on a ladder at your roofline either way.
Booked Early, Lit by Thanksgiving
Booking early, in September or October, gives you first pick of installation dates before the season fills up. Most homes are estimated from a photo, with no on-site visit needed. Installation is scheduled for late November, so everything is lit and ready for the holidays.
We supply warm white, multicolor, or red and white LEDs: C9 bulbs for rooflines, mini lights for trees and shrubs, and pathway stakes for walkways. After the season, we take everything down and store it. The same layout goes back up next year, or you can change it.
“Responsive, quality work and great communication all-around.”
Recent Installations
Real homes we lit last season across Chicagoland.
Who does the work
Our own crews, insured, on ladders we own
Sparkle Service has been cleaning windows, gutters and rooflines across the North Shore since 2015, out of our facility on Woodhead Drive in Northbrook, with additional offices in Libertyville and Chicago. Holiday lighting runs on the same crews and the same ladders that are on your roofline the rest of the year. That is why we can clean your gutters and hang your lights on the same visit, and why we know what your roof edge will take.
Every technician is background-checked and works for us. We do not subcontract holiday lighting. We carry general liability insurance and workers’ compensation. Certificates are available on request, and we will send one before install day if you would like it on file.
Why Professional Installation Matters
Festive Curb Appeal
Roofline outlining, wrapped trees, and lit pathways create a cohesive display that looks intentional, not tangled.
No Storage Hassle
After the season, we take everything down and store the lights. No attic boxes, no garage clutter, no untangling next year.
Safe Rooftop Work
Ladder work in cold, wet weather is risky. Our crew handles heights, wiring, and secure mounting so you stay on the ground.
Lit All Season
Commercial-grade LEDs with in-season service included. If a bulb or section goes out, we fix it within 48 hours at no charge.
How It Works
Design It and Send It
Trace your roofline in the designer above and send it to us by text or email. Would you rather not trace it? Send us a picture and we will put the design together for you, or enter your footage instead.
Get Your Price
We reply with a rendering of your home lit up and a firm seasonal price. If anything looks off, we adjust it and send it back. When you approve it, we lock in your installation date.
We Install and Maintain
Our team installs the display and keeps it running all season. If anything goes out, we fix it within 48 hours.
We Take It Down and Store It
In January, we remove everything, inspect it, and store it until next season. Nothing goes in your attic.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Christmas light installation cost?
Roofline C9 lighting is $9 per linear foot for your first season. Lights, professional installation, January takedown, and off-season storage are all included. Returning customers pay $8 per foot every season after, with the same display going back up each year. Most homes fall between $800 and $2,000 for the season. Garland, wreaths, trees, and pathway lighting are quoted with your design. Use the designer above to get your roofline number in about a minute.
What types of bulbs and colors are available?
We supply warm white, multicolor, and red and white LEDs. C9 bulbs are standard for rooflines, mini lights for tree and shrub wrapping, and pathway stakes for walkways. All lights are commercial-grade LED. You can preview all three color options in the designer above.
What happens to the lights after the holidays?
We take everything down, inspect it, and store it for you until next season. The same layout goes back up the following year, or you can change it. No attic boxes or tangled strands on your end.
Can you add lights to trees, bushes, and pathways in addition to the roofline?
Tree wrapping, shrub netting, pathway stakes, and window outlines are all part of the design options. We plan the layout from your photo so everything is proportional and cohesive, and we confirm the details with you before installation day.
Is installation safe for my roof and gutters?
Lights are secured with clips designed for rooflines and gutters. No nails, no staples, no adhesive. The clips hold firmly through winter weather and are removed without leaving marks.
What if a bulb or section goes out during the season?
We fix it. If any part of your display stops working, we return within 48 hours and repair it at no charge. In-season service is included with every installation.
What is included in the estimate?
Everything. All materials, bulbs, timers, professional installation, January removal, and off-season storage. There are no separate charges for takedown or storage. The price you see is the full seasonal price.
Can you install lights we already own?
Yes. Installation of customer-owned lights is $250 per hour for a two-person crew, with a two-hour minimum. You provide everything, including lights, clips, extension cords, and timers. Our rent-to-install pricing usually works out simpler since materials, removal, and storage are included.
If lights go up in October, is it still safe to clean the gutters in November?
Yes. Our clips attach without blocking the gutter channel, and our crews install the lights, so they know exactly how to clean around them. Many customers schedule a final gutter cleaning in November after peak leaf drop, with the lights already up.
Do you offer a discount for combining services?
Yes. Booking Christmas lights together with window cleaning or gutter cleaning earns a discount on the combined visit. The crew is already at your home, and you save on both. Ask about the bundle when you book.
Do I own the lights, or are they yours?
The lights stay ours. Your seasonal price covers commercial-grade C9 LEDs cut to fit your roofline, installation, January takedown, off-season storage, and in-season service. There is nothing for you to buy, replace, or store. If you’d rather own your display permanently, ask about permanent holiday lighting.
Does my display renew automatically each year?
No. Each October we reach out to confirm whether you’d like the same display next season. Nothing is scheduled and nothing is charged until you confirm.
What if it snows on my installation day?
We install through normal Chicago winter conditions. If weather makes roof work genuinely unsafe (ice, high wind, active heavy snow), we reschedule to the next available day and tell you in advance. Your date moves, your price doesn’t.
How do the lights turn on and off?
Every display includes a timer, set by default to dusk. Tell us the schedule you want and we’ll program it at installation.
Are there homes or trees you can’t light?
A few. We work from ladders and do not use lift equipment, so any job that requires a lift is one we turn down. We install up to three stories. Anything taller is outside what we do.
Trees are the most common limit. We can wrap up to about 20 feet, which covers most ornamental and mid-size trees. A mature oak or a tall spruce is beyond our reach.
What does it cost to run all season?
Very little. We use commercial-grade LED C9s, so most displays land in single-digit dollars per month on your electric bill. The timer runs them only during the hours you choose.
When do I pay, and is there a deposit?
A $100 deposit holds your installation date. It comes off your total, so it is not an extra charge. The balance is due once the job is complete.
The deposit is non-refundable if you cancel, since it reserves a slot in a season that fills. If we reschedule for weather, your deposit and your price both stand.
Returning customers do not pay a deposit. Each October we confirm the display you want, and we go from there.
Commercial Holiday Lighting
We also light storefronts, office buildings, restaurants, and HOA common areas across the North Shore and Chicagoland. W-9s, certificates of insurance, and commercial references are available on request. Multi-property scheduling is available for management companies.
Christmas Lights Across the North Shore
We install holiday lighting throughout the North Shore, the Northwest suburbs, and Chicago’s North Side.