Why Richmond lights come down loose or late
Richmond is flat, open and close to the water. Winter brings wind off the Strait of Georgia more often than it brings snow, and that wind tests every clip on an exposed roofline. By January, some strands in Steveston, Seafair or East Richmond have worked loose and hang off the eaves.
Larger newer homes in Steveston and Terra Nova have long rooflines and several gables. That makes a ladder job longer than it looks from the driveway. The high water table also keeps the ground damp through the wet season, so cords and connections on the lawn are often wet when it is time to unplug them.
If you have bins of lights in the garage and no wish to climb a wet roof in January, this is the job to hand off.
What a removal visit includes
We take the lights down and leave the house as it was before they went up.
- Lights come off rooflines, gutters, trees and shrubs.
- Clips come off with the lights, unless you ask us to leave them on for next year.
- Strands are coiled and labelled by area.
- Lights are left where you choose, or stored if you ask when you book.
We use clips only, never nails or staples, so there is nothing to pull out of the fascia afterwards. Removal is usually quicker than the install. For a typical house, it is often an hour or two.
Labelled strands matter more than they sound. When next December comes, you or we can see which strand goes on the front gable and which goes on the back fence.
Booking removal on its own
You do not need to have hired us for the install. We take down lights we hung, lights you hung yourself, and lights from an installer you can no longer reach. Send a photo and tell us how high the lights are, so we know what is up there.
There is no program and no yearly plan. You hire us for this one job. If you want a specific date, book it when the lights go up. Otherwise most removals happen in January.
The price depends on the job itself, such as how long the roofline is, how high it sits and how many trees and shrubs are wrapped. We explain that when we quote. If the roof is slick or the wind is up, we move the roof work to a safer day.
We also take down lights at stratas, low-rise condos and storefronts. At townhouse complexes, the strata decides what goes on the exterior, so tell us if there are rules about timing or access.
