Rent, buy, or keep
Rent or buy Christmas lights?
Every season, Grants Pass homeowners weigh three routes: rent a display, buy retail strands and climb the ladder yourself, or pay once for a package you keep. The answer depends on how many seasons you plan to light the house, how much ladder work you want, and where you will store everything in July. This guide compares the three, with our local package pricing and a clearly labeled three-year example.
Three ways to get lights on the house
Rental: you pay for the season, then the lights go back
A rental display is installed by the rental company, usually with the lights, cords, and timer included. You pay for one season of use. In January, the company takes the display down and hauls it away. The appeal is obvious: no storage bin, no bulb box, no ladder in your garage. The catch is that nothing is yours. If you want the same look next year, you pay again. Ask what the total includes, whether takedown is a separate line item, and what happens if a section fails in December. A per-foot rate is not the same as an all-in price.
Retail: you buy the lights and own the work
Retail strands are sold at a consumer price. You can buy C9 or mini LEDs, clips, a timer, and cords, then install everything yourself. The first-year cash outlay is lower than a full-service package in many cases. The trade-offs are time, ladder work, and storage. Consumer strings may not last as long, and a failed section can mean replacing a whole strand. You also own every trip up the ladder, including the one after a windstorm.
Buy and keep: one package, then the lights are yours
Our packages are built around warm white commercial C9 LEDs cut to your roofline. The price includes removable clips, a timer, installation, a storage box, and January takedown. The early-bird Essential is $399 for a one-story front up to 90 ft; regular is $499. Signature covers up to 145 ft and up to two peaks. Estate covers two-story, steep, or long roofs up to 200 ft. After final payment, the lights are yours. There is no rental fee and no obligation to book again.
A three-year example, with assumptions
Here is one way to compare the three options over three seasons. The numbers are an illustration, not a quote from us or from any rental company. They assume an 80 ft one-story front, a standard roofline, no add-ons, and prices before tax. The rental and retail figures are round planning assumptions. No rental quote was collected. Our figure uses the published 2026 early-bird Essential price.
Three seasons at an assumed $550 per season, with installation and takedown included. The lights go back each year.
About $240 in year one for strands, clips, timer, cords, and a bin. About $45 in each of years two and three for replacements.
$399 early-bird in year one, then $0 if you rehang the lights or labor-only service from $249 per season.
Rental: three seasons at an assumed $550 per season comes to $1,650. The lights go back each year, so there is nothing to store and no replacement cost to you beyond whatever the rental agreement covers.
DIY retail: about $240 in year one for 100 ft of retail C9 LED, clips, a timer, cords, and a bin. Then about $45 in each of years two and three for replacement bulbs or a failed strand. That totals about $330. Your time is not in the total, and neither is the ladder you may need to buy or borrow.
Buy and keep: $399 in year one at the early-bird price. In years two and three, you can rehang the lights yourself at no additional cost, or book labor-only service from $249 per season. That gives a three-year range of $399 to $897 using the starting labor-only rate. The lights, timer, and storage box are yours either way.
Example, not a quote. The rental and retail numbers are assumptions for comparison, not local market averages. The package price is our published early-bird Essential rate through November 7, 2026. Your roofline, access, and add-ons can change the total. Text your address for an exact price.
Storage, time, replacement, and fit
Storage
Rental wins on storage because there is none. Retail and bought lights need a dry place. A garage shelf works if the box stays off a damp floor. A shed with a leak does not. Store strands by run, label the box, and keep spare bulbs with the set. Our packages include a storage box sized for the lights.
Time
A rental and a full-service package both remove the ladder work. DIY adds shopping, testing, untangling, hanging, troubleshooting, and packing. A simple one-story front can take an afternoon. A two-story front, a steep pitch, or a long run takes longer and raises the risk. If you are not comfortable on a ladder, or the shingles are wet or brittle, hire the work. A fall is not worth the savings.
Replacement
With a rental, call the company when a section goes dark. With retail, keep spares and expect to replace a strand every season or two. With a bought package, the commercial C9 strands are yours, and individual bulbs can be replaced. Keep the spares and note any section that failed so the next install goes faster. We do not promise free replacements in future seasons.
Which option fits
- Rent if you want lights for one season, are renting the house, have no storage, or would rather not own a display.
- Buy retail if you are comfortable on a ladder, have a one-story front, have dry storage, and want the lowest cash outlay.
- Choose the buy-and-keep package if you plan to stay for several seasons, want commercial C9s, want installation and takedown handled, and want to own the lights.
A one-story front up to 90 ft fits Essential. A 91 to 100 ft front adds $60. Wider fronts with up to two peaks fit Signature at up to 145 ft. Two-story, steep, or long roofs fit Estate at up to 200 ft. If you already own outdoor-rated lights, labor-only starts at $249 and includes January takedown.
Local installs run from Grants Pass into Merlin and Colonial Valley, Rogue River, Three Pines, Redwood, and Fruitdale. If your gutters need attention while we are on the ladder, adding cleaning is $129 with lights instead of $199 standalone.
Payment, cancellation, and the damage-report process are covered in the service terms. Read them before you book so the deposit and weather rules are clear.
Rent versus buy questions
Is renting Christmas lights cheaper than buying them?
Sometimes, especially for one season. In the three-year example on this page, rental costs more in total because you pay every season and never own the display. Rental can still make sense for a temporary home, a one-time event, or a household with no storage.
Do I keep the lights with your package?
Yes. After the job is paid in full, the lights, timer, and storage box are yours. There is no rental fee and no obligation to book again. The strands are cut for your roofline, so they may need adjustment if you move or change the layout.
Can you hang lights I already own?
Yes, if they are outdoor-rated and pass a test before installation. Labor-only starts at $249 and includes January takedown. Worn cords, damaged sockets, or a tangled set can change the quote, and we will tell you before we start.
What happens if a strand fails in a later season?
You own the lights, so you handle replacement or book labor-only service. C9 bulbs are replaceable, and keeping the spares from your set makes a failed bulb a quick fix. We do not promise free replacements in future seasons.
Does the three-year example include tax and add-ons?
No. The example uses round assumptions and the early-bird Essential price before tax. Gutter cleaning, moss removal, extra frontage, and custom rooflines are not included. It is a planning tool, not a quote.
Should I store the lights in the box they came in?
Yes. Keep the labeled box in a dry spot off a damp floor. Coil each run loosely, keep the clips with the set, and add a note about any failed section. Good storage is the main reason a set lasts more than a few seasons.
Get a price for your roofline
Text your address to (541) 862-1050 or send the quote form. We will confirm the roofline, the package, and the install date before anything is booked. Early-bird pricing ends November 7, 2026.
Read next: installation costs in Grants Pass, DIY versus professional installation, C9 versus mini lights, and the guide hub. Service area details are on the service areas page.