Should I hire the same company to take down my Christmas lights?
Usually yes, if the company installed the display, the agreement covers takedown and its work was good. It knows how everything is fixed and what it owns. Get the takedown date and price in writing, and compare at least two other quotes if takedown was not part of the original contract or the lights are yours.
Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.
By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished
Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.
Step by step
Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.
Step 1: Reread the original agreement
Look for takedown, storage, repairs and who owns the lights. If takedown is already included, you may not need a second quote at all.
Step 2: Ask the company for a takedown date and price
Ask for both in writing, with a date range, whether the lights are boxed and stored, and what happens if the weather delays the work.
Step 3: Get two more quotes if takedown is separate
Ask for "at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications".[1] Tell each company the same thing about the job.
Step 4: Compare what each quote covers
Check the total price, the payment timing, the cancellation terms, storage, haul-away and who is responsible for damage to gutters or trim.
Step 5: Check the company before you pay
If a company gives a license number, look it up with DPOR. A number in an advertisement does not by itself show a valid license.[1]
Step 6: Sign only a complete agreement
Do not sign anything blank or partly blank, and keep a copy once it is signed.[1]
Usually yes, if the company installed the display, takedown is part of the agreement and the work was good. The company already knows how every clip and cord is fixed, who owns the lights and where the problem spots are. The cases where you should look around are when takedown was never in the deal, the lights are yours, or the first job left you unhappy.
When the same company is the right call
It is already in the contract. Many installation agreements include takedown, and some include storage and a mid-season repair visit. If so, you are paying for it already. Confirm the date.
The company owns the lights. Rental displays have to go back to the company. Asking someone else to remove them creates a problem about who is responsible.
They hung them somewhere hard to reach. A company that put lights on a second-storey eave or a roof peak has the ladders and training for the same spot. Taking those down is not a job to bargain over.
You liked the work. Showing up when promised, leaving no damaged gutters and answering calls are all reasons to rebook.
When to compare quotes
Takedown is a separate charge. If the first bid covered installation only, treat takedown as a new job and ask for other quotes. The Virginia Board for Contractors advises getting "at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications".[1]
The lights are yours. If you own the lights and they were hung by a company, anyone with a ladder and some care can take them down. Many companies quote it as a small job.
The price seems high. The same guide warns: "Beware of any bid substantially lower than the others."[1] The reverse also holds. A quote far above the others is worth asking about, since it may include storage or work you do not need.
Service was poor. Missed dates, bulbs that failed and were not fixed, and damage to the house are good reasons to take your business elsewhere. Reread the original agreement before you do, in case it offers a remedy.
What to put in writing
Whoever you choose, ask for the details before the work, not after. The Board for Contractors advises putting every promise in writing, to "include start and finish dates, and spell out exactly what the contractor will and will not do".[1] For takedown that means:
- the date or date range, and what happens if rain, ice or wind delays the work
- which parts of the house are included
- whether the lights are coiled, boxed and labeled, stored or returned
- whether damaged strings are thrown out or kept
- the price, when it is due and any cancellation terms
The board's advice on blank paperwork is blunt: "Never sign a blank or partially blank contract."[1]
Check who you are hiring
Look up any license number a company gives you with DPOR's license lookup.[2] A number on a card or in an advertisement "does not necessarily mean the contractor" has a valid license, so check it yourself.[1]
Stop and call a pro if
- The lights are near overhead lines. Virginia law bars work that puts a ladder or equipment "within 10 feet (3.1 meters) of any overhead high voltage line" unless the danger has been guarded against as the law provides.[3] Leave this to a company that works around lines.
- Part of the display is on a second storey or a roof. Do not climb up to take it down because the price seems high. Get a quote for that part only.
- A cord, plug or outlet looks scorched, cracked or wet. Leave it unplugged and have an electrician check the outlet.
Getting started
For the low parts you can do yourself and what that does to the quote, see how much takedown costs. If you are still weighing the original hire, read whether it is worth paying someone to hang lights. Browse holiday lighting services or more snow and seasonal answers.
When you know the scope, describe the job and local businesses quote it.
Common questions
- Do I have to use the company that installed my lights?
- No. If the lights are yours and nothing in your agreement requires the company to take them down, you can hire anyone. If the company owns the lights, it will almost certainly want to collect them itself.
- What if the original company did a poor job?
- Then get other quotes. Reread the agreement first, since a missed date or unfixed failures may be grounds to raise the issue before you pay for takedown.
- Is it a red flag if a company will not put the takedown date in writing?
- It is a reason to be careful. The Board for Contractors says to get oral promises in writing and to include start and finish dates, so ask for a date range even for a short job.
- Can a different company take down lights it did not hang?
- Often, but some will not, and some will charge more because they have to work out how the lights are fixed. Ask when you request the quote.
- Should the lights be stored by the company?
- Only if the quote says so and you are comfortable with who owns them afterward. If you store them yourself, ask the company to coil and box them rather than leave them in a heap.
Sources
- [1] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, DPOR. Checked October 27, 2026.
- [2] License Lookup, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Checked October 27, 2026.
- [3] Va. Code § 59.1-408, Prohibited activities (Overhead High Voltage Line Safety Act), Code of Virginia, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 27, 2026.
Want a pro to handle it?
Describe the job once. Licensed local businesses send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.
Get a quote from a local pro