Lighting character houses and Vancouver Specials
Vancouver's older character houses have steep gables, dormers and deep porches. Those take careful measuring before a single clip goes on. We plan the run around the peaks so the lights follow the shape of the house. If your house has lots of peaks and you have no idea what will look right, we will talk it through with you first.
Vancouver Specials are simpler. The long, flat front roofline and the balcony make clean, even runs. They suit icicle lights or a straight roofline strand.
Many lots in Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Dunbar and Hastings-Sunrise are 33 feet wide. The side yard leaves little room to stand a ladder. We work around that, so you do not have to go up there yourself.
Rain, moss and wet roofs in a Vancouver fall
Most of Vancouver's rain falls from October to April. Mature street trees on the west side, in areas like Kerrisdale, Dunbar and Point Grey, keep roofs shaded and dripping. Rooflines stay wet and mossy through winter.
That is why a fall install on a dry day goes best. Lights can go up in October or November and stay off until you want them on. The calendar gets tight by December, so earlier is easier.
If the roof is slick or the wind is up, we move the roof work to another day. A wet roof is not worth the risk. Light rain does not stop ground-level work.
Frost is rare here. Wet connections are the most common reason lights go out, so we check each strand before it goes up and run everything to a timer.
What the job includes and what the price depends on
We hang rooflines, gutters, peaks, dormers, railings, pillars, icicle lights and pathway lights. We also do wreaths and garland. Everything is clipped. Plastic clips hook onto the gutter edge or slip under the shingle edge, and they come off with the lights.
If you have bins of lights in the garage, we check them first. Working, outdoor-rated strands get hung. If a strand is not worth hanging again, we tell you plainly. You don't need to buy new lights to book us.
The price depends on the size of the house, how high and steep the roofline is, how many peaks there are, how much needs hanging, and whether we supply the lights. We explain that before you book. Most houses take a few hours in one visit. Large or steep houses can take longer.
Condos, townhouses and storefronts
A big share of Vancouver households live in strata buildings, and strata rules on townhouse and condo exteriors decide what can go where. We also work with stratas, low-rise condos and storefronts. If your building has rules, check them first and tell us what applies. We will plan the lights around them.
Install, repair and removal can each be booked alone. That includes lights someone else hung, so you can call us just for a strand that stopped working or for January takedown.
