It appears easy to put up your own lights until you are half way up a ladder with a knotty rope and no real idea. That kind of thing happened to me, cold hands, clips that are too big, I stepped back and saw that one side was a lot lighter than the other. It is about that time they begin to think of professional Christmas lighting installation – go here to get most interesting topics!
The disparity is evident immediately. Lines are straight, spacing deliberate and nothing sags following a few windy nights. It is not a question of having more lights but where they are employed. Rooflines are cleanly defined, windows are not crammed together and everything is in place where your eyes think it should be.
It also brings a certain peace of mind to letting somebody else do it. No guessing, no revisions to the shop on a second occasion due to a strand breaking off half-way through. It is done in a single stroke, and you see it is done–as you intended it should be all along.
The use of lighting is more important than one might assume. Warm white will not overpower the house, but rather provide that homely appearance. Coloured lights can also be used, but some restraint is required. I have observed arrangements where all the colors are vying to be noticed and it becomes chaotic. A professional tends to balance that more without losing character in tidying up things.
The thing which surprised me was that it becomes much cleaner during the daytime. When installed properly, wires are concealed, clips are hardly noticeable and nothing is hanging loosely. You do not get that transient impression. It simply dissolves into the house till night sets in.
Another silent win is on durability. The weather is not kind outdoors, it can be raining, hot, or some wind blows. A quick installation would only take a few weeks, but an appropriately installed system would maintain its design throughout the season. Decreased outages, reduced changes, reduced frustrations.
I believed that the primary advantage of it was the time savings. Part of that, all right. However, it is more regarding the outcome. The house is different when all is in tune and unshaken. A trifle sharper, a little more hospitable. You can tell when the lighting has been done carefully or hastily even when looking at the street.
The after-effect is also there. You do not use December to mend parts or change bulbs every few days. The lights simply remain on and silently do their job. And that continuity–better than anything–alters the feel of the entire season.