The forgotten half
Holiday lighting conversations happen in October and November and stop at the install date. Which makes sense, because that is the part you are excited about. But the season ends, and everything that went up has to come down. The people who thought about that in October are the ones not on a ladder in the cold.And that is unfortunate, because the second half is the one that costs you if it is not covered. Anybody can put a display up. The real question is about February. That question is worth asking before you book, not the one you have in January.
Doing it yourself, honestly
The takedown is worse. Cold, dark by five, and nothing to look forward to. Whatever goes into that box comes out worse eleven months later.
Takedown as part of the job
Takedown belongs in the original agreement. When the season ends, a crew comes back and removes everything. Everything gets labeled and put away properly, rather than crushed into a bin in your garage. You never handle any of it.
Why storage matters more than it sounds
Three things come out of somebody else storing it. Space is reclaimed. Condition holds, which is why so many strands die between seasons. Labeling is why year two looks like year one.
If you would rather not repeat this
The other option makes January irrelevant. A permanent LED system goes up once and stays, so there is nothing to take down and nothing to store, ever. It costs more up front and it makes sense for households that never skip a season. But if the takedown conversation is what is bothering you, it is a fair question to raise.
What happens if something goes dark on the twentieth
Over a full season, something will eventually need a look. What matters is whether anybody comes out. Service during the season is either included or it is not, and the quote should say which. Ask while you are still comparing companies, not on the twenty second of December.
Year two is much shorter
The first season takes real work. Once a display is designed and stored, repeating it is administrative. Next season is a call, a date and the same display back on the house. Changes start from what is already there, rather than starting over.
What to ask before you book
Ask if January is in the price. Ask who owns the materials, since that determines who stores them. Ask how the takedown gets scheduled. EverCrest Lighting
https://evercrestlighting.com/contact/ handles takedown and off season storage on holiday lighting, and installs permanent LED systems for anyone finished with the yearly cycle, for homes and businesses across Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina, based in Greenville. The consultation is free. Reach them at (864) 252-1732 or
[email protected].