Everybody plans the install. Nobody plans the takedown
The whole discussion points at one day in November. Which makes sense, because that is the visible part. Then it is January, and the lights are still on the house. The people who thought about that in October are the ones not on a ladder in the cold.Which is a shame, because January is where the difference between companies actually shows. Anybody can put a display up. The real question is about February. That question belongs in the first conversation, not the one you have in January.
What a January ladder day involves
The takedown is worse. The weather is worse. The motivation is gone. And at the end of it you are holding several tangled strands. Whatever goes into that box
https://daltonivqy428.capitaljays.com/posts/temporary-event-lighting-what-temporary-displays-involve-planning-event-lighting-what-you-need-to-know-lighting-an-outdoor-event is in worse shape next season.
How it should work when it is part of the service
On a properly structured holiday lighting service, takedown is not an add on. At the end of the season somebody returns and it comes off the house. Everything gets labeled and put away properly, rather than crushed into a bin in your garage. You never handle any of it.
The case for off site storage
Three things come out of somebody else storing it. Space is reclaimed. Condition holds, which is why so many strands die between seasons. Labeling means the display repeats accurately.
The other route
There is a version of this where January stops being a thing at all. Permanent lighting does not have a takedown. It costs more up front and it makes sense for households that never skip a season. But if the takedown conversation is the part you dread, it is worth asking about once.
What happens if something goes dark on the twentieth
Over a full season, something will eventually need a look. The question is what happens then. Service during the season belongs on the quote, and you should know before December. Ask while you are still comparing companies, rather than the week you need it.
What next season looks like
Year one has all the decisions in it. After that, everything is on record. Next season comes down to picking a day. Changes start from what is already there, rather than starting over.
Nail this down first
Get it in writing: is the takedown part of this number. Ask who owns the materials, since that determines who stores them. Ask how the takedown gets scheduled. EverCrest Lighting handles takedown and off season storage on holiday lighting, and installs permanent lighting for people who would rather stop repeating it, for homes and businesses across Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina, from Greenville. Consultations are free. Call (864) 252-1732 or email
[email protected].