Outdoor & Christmas lighting in Houston

Rough cost ranges in Houston

A cost guide that adjusts national pricing for the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land area (updated April 2026) puts a typical outdoor lighting project at about $1,475–$4,925, averaging around $2,950, or about $150–$500 per installed fixture.^[1] It lists:

• Low-voltage LED path lights: about $100–$250 each
• Low-voltage spot or uplights: about $125–$300 each
• Deck and step lights: about $75–$200 each
• Permanent string lights: about $200–$600
• A new outdoor circuit, if there’s no outlet: about $200–$500
• Full-property designs: up to about $9,850

These are rough planning ranges pulled from published Houston-area cost guides and contractor websites, not quotes and not HTX Backyard prices. Your price depends on size, materials, access and site conditions.

Low-voltage vs. line-voltage, and who can install it

• Most landscape lighting is low-voltage (12V): a transformer plugs into an outdoor outlet and feeds fixtures through buried cable.^[1]
• Texas electrician licensing has an exemption for landscapers installing or maintaining low-voltage exterior lighting, but it excludes the power source.^[2] New outlets, circuits and any 120V fixtures such as security floodlights or post lights are work for a licensed electrician.
• Lights in or near a pool or spa have their own electrical safety rules. Use a licensed electrician and your pool builder.

Houston-specific tips

• Ask for brass, copper or other corrosion-resistant fixtures. Humidity and sprinklers are hard on cheap housings.
• Plan cable runs before new pavers, turf or concrete go in. Trenching through finished hardscape costs more.
• Use a photocell or smart timer so the lights run only when needed.
• Be a good neighbor: aim uplights and floods so they don’t shine into the neighbors’ windows.

Seasonal: Christmas & holiday light installation

Don’t want to spend a weekend on a ladder? We also match Houston-area homeowners with pros who install holiday and Christmas lights. A typical full-service job covers:

• Design and install. Roofline and gutter lines, windows, trees, shrubs, wreaths and garland, usually with commercial-grade LED lights.
• Timers and service calls. Lights on a timer or smart plug, and a visit if a strand goes out during the season.
• Takedown and storage. The crew comes back after the holidays to take everything down, and many companies will label and store your lights until next year.

Some companies supply the lights as part of the price (often leased for the season), while others will hang lights you already own. Ask which model you’re being quoted, because it changes the price and who owns the lights afterward.

Holiday light tips for Houston homes

• Book early. Installers’ calendars fill up as the season gets closer, so ask for a quote in the fall if you want lights up by Thanksgiving or early December.
• No nails or staples. Ask how lights attach. Clips on gutters and shingles avoid holes in trim and roofing.
• Circuits and outlets. Outdoor lights should plug into GFCI-protected outdoor outlets. If you don’t have enough outlets, adding a circuit is work for a licensed electrician.
• Wind and rain. Ask how displays are secured and whether service calls after a storm are included.
• HOA rules. Some HOAs set dates for when holiday decorations can go up and must come down. Check your deed restrictions.

Want both? Permanent outdoor lighting and seasonal holiday lights are often handled by the same company. Mention both on the request form (choose “Outdoor / Christmas lighting”).

Questions to ask before you sign

• How many fixtures, which brand, and what warranty on fixtures and transformer?
• Do I need a new outdoor circuit, and who’s the licensed electrician for that part?
• How deep is the cable buried, and how are connections waterproofed?
• Can you show me a night-time demo before final placement?
• Is there an annual service plan, and what does it cost?

How we make money: HTX Backyard is free for homeowners. Participating builders pay HTX Backyard a fee when we introduce them to a homeowner. We are a matching service, not a contractor, and we do not perform, supervise or guarantee any work.