Permanent Christmas Lights

14,919 Views | 59 Replies | Last: 29 days ago by aggiecody06
62strat
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Rule Number 32 said:

I've been kicking around the idea of installing the govee elite lights they have at Costco, but I calculated it out today and I think I have about 175 feet in the front, and that pack is only 150. From what I've read they are not compatible to splice with the other kits

I thought about buying the pro 200 kit and hiring a company to come install for us. Dont really want to get on a 30 foot ladder. It's not worth the possible hospital bill. I have no idea what a company would charge to install them though.
I just got a quote for trimlight install.
Controller is $675. Lights are $20/lf and install is $6/lf.
Then sales tax on materials only.

This is a pretty technical install though, with the lights being in a sealed channel. They aren't just stickied or stapled to the eve.
Rule Number 32
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Thanks for the info. That isn't bad at all.
62strat
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Rule Number 32 said:

Thanks for the info. That isn't bad at all.

Also, full lifetime warranty on all materials.

https://trimlight.com/


They have installer contractors throughout the US. I found an installer that was basically already and existing electrical sub contractor in residential and commercial, and he created a subsidiary of sorts to install these.
Mostly Peaceful
How long do you want to ignore this user?
We got Trimlight and overall have been very happy with it. My two complaints - the app is pretty terrible. I keep thinking they'll roll something out that is more user friendly, but we've had it a couple years now and there's been no change.

Also, lightning knocked our power out a couple times and fried our controller. Each time it took several requests to get someone to come fix it (they don't seem to be great on the customer service end), but they did replace the controller free of charge. The second time I was told the equipment had been updated to better handle lightning strikes and so far so good.
62strat
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Mostly Peaceful said:

We got Trimlight and overall have been very happy with it. My two complaints - the app is pretty terrible. I keep thinking they'll roll something out that is more user friendly, but we've had it a couple years now and there's been no change.


What is terrible specifically? Isn't this kind of 'set it and forget it'?
Mostly Peaceful
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Yes, you can just set and forget which is what we've done, but it requires some guess work to get to that point. We had to redo it when our controllers went out which is part of the frustration. Full disclosure, I'm fairly technologically challenged, but there isn't even a simple on/off button within the app, or a timer where you could say run for 4 hours.

I believe there is also the ability customize the lights beyond the default patterns, but there isn't any instruction within the app on how to do that.

All that said, we don't regret the decision in the least.
The Pilot
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Going on year 2 of Govee. I just added Govee strip lights to my louvered pergola. The app works great. When these go out, I might look into the channel ones but the price comparison is night/day.
maverick2076
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I just put up a set of ASAHOM permanent lights. Comparable to Govee, but higher lumens, can do longer installs, and a better app (IMO). DIY install wasn't terrible, and I'm really impressed with them.
FightinTAC08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I just approved a quote from Astoria lighting with each led fully customizable. This is with color matched track to house the led's.

$2,500 first 100 feet. $20/ft after that.
Rule Number 32
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Well the lights I was looking at from Costco are now out of stock.

I do have Astoria and trim light coming to give quotes though. I do like the idea of govee vs having a proprietary app, but having it all done in one day would be pretty nice.

I think we have right at 175 feet in the front and another 100 or so if we do the sides (one is two levels)
62strat
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I have a question for maybe those who have installed this..

I'm looking at a random gallery of a product,
https://www.shinehomelights.com/gallery


and some pics show houses that have a major semicircle thing going on with the lights, while other pictures don't.
is this a setting or something?

For instance this



vs this



or this vs this


I am not a fan of the semi circle look. I like it to just look like xmas lights, like the bottom right pic here.

But these are from a gallery of the same company, so I'm curious as to what gives it the circle look vs not.
maverick2076
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I can't believe some of the prices I'm seeing for permanent home installs. Even with tracks, it's not that hard or expensive to DIY. 200 feet of lights is $500. 200 feet of track is about the same.
62strat
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
maverick2076 said:

I can't believe some of the prices I'm seeing for permanent home installs. Even with tracks, it's not that hard or expensive to DIY. 200 feet of lights is $500. 200 feet of track is about the same.

If only every roof line was at 10'!
You want to come do my house?

My front



And the back is only about 30' high.



My life is worth more than the $1k-$2k or whatever I'll spend on labor.

I get it, if you're just doing the eve of your garage, that's a few hours on a saturday. But I have multiple breaks, high peaks, and not always safe/flat areas to put the ladder. This is relatively cheap home improvement project, I'll hire someone all day.
Rule Number 32
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
62strat said:

Mostly Peaceful said:

We got Trimlight and overall have been very happy with it. My two complaints - the app is pretty terrible. I keep thinking they'll roll something out that is more user friendly, but we've had it a couple years now and there's been no change.


What is terrible specifically? Isn't this kind of 'set it and forget it'?


Definitely interested in an answer to this as well. Just got a quote from trimlight today and may go that way.
FightinTAC08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
62strat said:

maverick2076 said:

I can't believe some of the prices I'm seeing for permanent home installs. Even with tracks, it's not that hard or expensive to DIY. 200 feet of lights is $500. 200 feet of track is about the same.

If only every roof line was at 10'!
You want to come do my house?



And the back is only about 30' high.

My life is worth more than the $1k-$2k or whatever I'll spend on labor.

I get it, if you're just doing the eve of your garage, that's a few hours on a saturday. But I have multiple breaks, high peaks, and not always safe/flat areas to put the ladder. This is relatively cheap home improvement project, I'll hire someone all day.


I am in a similar position on the height and the peaks. add in the cost to rent or buy an appropriate sized ladder, the safety considerations, the 10% annual increase in hanging regular lights, it was time for us. plus the advantage of all the other holidays
htxag09
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I don't have permanent lights but did a decent amount of research 2 years ago when we were considering.

My understanding is that semi circle look vs not having it comes from how close or far the lights are from the house.
maverick2076
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Not a 10' high roof. Highest peak over my front door is about 30 feet. I did about 220' of lights to do the front of our house, all of one side, and part of the other. Still have to do the back and the shop, but those should be comparatively simple. I'm not paying $5000+ for $600 worth of lights and 8 hours of labor. It's not exactly skilled work.
maverick2076
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Some of it is the lights they install, and some of it is distance from the walls that they are installing them.
aggiepaintrain
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
are y'all seeing lower quotes since there is a lot more competition?
62strat
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
maverick2076 said:

Not a 10' high roof. Highest peak over my front door is about 30 feet. I did about 220' of lights to do the front of our house, all of one side, and part of the other. Still have to do the back and the shop, but those should be comparatively simple. I'm not paying $5000+ for $600 worth of lights and 8 hours of labor. It's not exactly skilled work.

that's great, go for it. But it shouldn't be hard to understand why some people don't want to work up at heights, or simply don't have the capability to do so.

I've seen my good friend fall off a ladder and be in a wheel chair for 6 months (coincidentally, about a month before he had a kid)

That is not a risk worth it for me for a few grand. That's chump change for a home improvement project. If we're talking tens of thousands, might be a different story.

I've done a full electrical build out of 1000sf basement, built an 8x8 shed, built a few decks.. I know when to pay someone and when to DIY, and you have your criteria.. why do you think we all have to be the same?
Rule Number 32
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
aggiepaintrain said:

are y'all seeing lower quotes since there is a lot more competition?


I just got quotes from trimlight and Astoria. About 275 feet, both came out right about 6k. We have two very high peaks that I have zero interest in reaching myself

After seeing trimlights in person, they are different. They look much more like Christmas lights and don't put near as much light on the house. I liked them a lot.

Not sure if we are going to pull the trigger this year as my wife wants a golf cart so we may do that instead
aggiecody06
How long do you want to ignore this user?
As expected if you wait till after holidays you can save prob close to a grand since it's not peak season. Right now is worst time to shop them.
62strat
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG

aggiecody06 said:

As expected if you wait till after holidays you can save prob close to a grand since it's not peak season. Right now is worst time to shop them.

Yeh my guy was pretty open about this, saying summer time has good discounts. Certainly not a secret.
I'm going to do my whole house in 3-4 phases, so I'll likely do future work in the summer. Need to get it started though.
Rule Number 32
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yeah we may wait a little while, but neither company I talked to said anything about it being cheaper. We just may wait to get away from all the expenses of Christmas. I figured both quotes were pretty decent and about what I was expecting
aggiecody06
How long do you want to ignore this user?
When I was shopping around I wanna say it was a good $4/ln ft cheaper to wait for nonpeak season.
Refresh
Page 2 of 2
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.