How Much Do Permanent Outdoor Lights Cost in Colorado?
Permanent outdoor lights are priced by the linear feet of roofline they light, not by the size of your house. Stories, gables, light quality, zones, and electrical setup move the total up or down, so similar homes can receive different estimates. Moments Landscaping gives Parker, Highlands Ranch, and South Denver homeowners a free estimate from a photo.
Question | Short answer |
How is it priced? | By the linear feet of roofline, plus design, equipment, and labor |
What raises the price? | More footage, more stories and gables, brighter bulbs, more zones, longer power runs |
What does a quote include? | Design, track, lights, controller, installation, app setup, and a written warranty |
How long do the lights last? | Rated for about 50,000 hours (manufacturer rating) |
Is it cheaper than seasonal lights? | In most cases no, so the value comes from convenience, year-round use, and curb appeal. |
How do I get a price for my home? | Send a photo for a free roofline estimate. |
Want a number for your home? Get my free roofline estimate. Send a photo of the front of your house, and we will reply with a preliminary project range. Then we visit, measure, and give you a written proposal before any work begins.
What Are Permanent Outdoor Lights?
Permanent outdoor lights, also called permanent roofline lighting or permanent exterior lighting, are LED lights mounted in a low-profile track along your roofline, eaves, or soffits. The track stays up all year. You switch between warm white and any color from your phone, so the same system covers everyday evenings, holidays, and game days. Homeowners often call them permanent holiday lights or permanent Christmas lights, because that is where most of them start.
Part | What it does |
Track | Holds the lights and hides the wiring along the eave, fascia, or gable |
LED bulbs | Produce white light and color; output is measured in lumens per bulb. |
Controller and power supply | Run the lights at low voltage and connect them to the app. |
App | Sets colors, patterns, schedules, and separate zones, and uses geofencing to respond when you arrive home |
How Much Does It Cost to Put Up Permanent Outdoor Lights?
Installers measure the roofline, trim, or eave, and plan to light and price the work from that length. A 2,400-square-foot ranch with one long roofline can need less track than a 2,400-square-foot two-story with four gables. That is why house size tells you very little about the final number and why the question "How much do permanent outdoor lighting cost?" has no honest one-line answer?
If you are comparing quotes for permanent outdoor lighting installation in Parker, Highlands Ranch, or anywhere in South Denver, these sections show what you pay for and what to ask before you sign.
What a Complete Installation Includes
A full quote for permanent outdoor lighting should list these items:
Measurements and a custom design for your roofline
Track, lights, wiring, controller, and power supply
Installation by a trained crew
App setup, lighting zones, and a walkthrough of how to use them
A written warranty
Ask every installer to put these in writing. A low quote that leaves out the controller, app setup, or warranty doesn't compare with a quote that includes them.
What Increases the Price of Permanent Outdoor Lights?
Five factors set your price:
Factor | How it changes the price | What you can decide |
Linear feet of roofline | More roofline means more track, more lights, and more labor. | Light the front only or the full perimeter. |
Stories and roofline complexity | Gables, dormers, peaks, and tall or hard-to-reach edges add time and equipment. | Choose which gables and peaks matter most |
Light quality and output | Brighter bulbs, a dedicated white LED, and more LEDs per bulb raise material costs. | Compare output and bulb spacing, not only the price per foot. |
Controller, zones, and smart features | More zones and features mean more equipment and setup time. | Decide whether you want separate control of different rooflines. |
Electrical setup and site conditions | Distance to a power source and access to your property affect the work. | Share photos of your panel or outlets during the consultation. |
Light output varies more than most buyers expect. The cost guide HomeGuide reports that systems with one white LED per bulb produce about 7.5 lumens, while RGB bulbs reach about 23. Bosso Smart Lighting, the system at Moments Landscaping installs, rates each bulb at about 72 lumens, with three LEDs per bulb and a dedicated white. A brighter bulb gives you a fuller look at the same spacing, so compare output as well as price.
Timing matters too. Permanent lighting can go in at any time of year. HomeGuide notes that installers are busiest in fall and early winter, so request your estimate early if you want Christmas colors on your roofline.
Ready to see how these factors apply to your home? Request a free roofline estimate. It takes a few minutes and a single photo.
How Many Linear Feet Do You Need?
You can get a rough idea before anyone visits:
Decide which areas you want lit: the front only or every side.
List the edges involved: eaves, fascia, gables, dormers, and garage peaks.
Measure each edge with a tape on a ground-level section, or use a measuring tool on a satellite map.
Add the lengths together and send us a photo so we can confirm on site.
Industry guides commonly describe these ranges. Your home may differ, which is why we measure.
Home type | Typical roofline footage |
Single-story ranch, front only | About 60 to 100 feet |
Two-story home, front roofline | About 100 to 150 feet |
Larger home, full perimeter | About 200 to 300 feet |
How Footage and Complexity Change an Estimate
These three examples show the logic. They illustrate how an estimate moves, and they are not quotes.
Scenario | What changes | Effect on the estimate |
Ranch, front roofline only | Short run, one story, easy access | Smallest scope |
Two-story with several gables | More footage, more peaks, taller edges | Mid-range scope with extra labor for height |
Large custom home, full perimeter, several zones | Long runs, many rooflines, more controller capacity and power planning | Largest scope |
How Does the Cost Compare With Hanging Lights Every Year?
In most cases, no. A homeowner who hangs or pays someone to hang lights each December spends less per season than a permanent system costs, although the right choice depends on how often you use holiday lighting and whether you want year-round accent lighting. Our permanent vs. seasonal Christmas lights comparison breaks down the real cost difference over several seasons.
The payoff for permanent lights comes from other places: no ladders, no storage bins, lights you can use on any night of the year, and a home that looks finished after dark. If you pay a company to hang and remove lights every holiday season, the math gets closer—especially if you also want warm white accent lighting during the rest of the year.
Is Professional Installation Worth It Compared With DIY Permanent Light Kits?
DIY kits cost less upfront, and some homeowners install them well. The real difference shows up in the work you take on. For a fuller comparison, see our look at DIY LED strips and permanent lighting.
| DIY kit | Professional installation | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher |
| Who works on the roof? | You | Our crew |
| Layout and power planning | You | Included in the design |
| Wiring and track | You install and hide them. | Our crew installs the track and positions the wiring |
| App and zone setup | You | We configure it and teach you |
| Workmanship warranty | No installer behind the work | Written 5-year warranty on workmanship and hardware |
If you are comfortable on a roof, have time to plan the layout and can run power safely, a kit can make sense. If you want the lights to look like part of the house and a local team to stand behind the work, hire an installer.
What Are the Best Affordable Permanent Outdoor Lights?
Affordable does not mean cheapest. The best value is the system that looks good in daylight, stays reliable, and costs you little after the install. Compare these six points across every quote:
- Light output and spacing. Ask for the lumens per bulb and the distance between bulbs.
- A dedicated white LED. It gives you a clean, warm white for everyday evenings, not only color.
- App cost. Ask whether the app charges a monthly fee. The Bosso app is free, with no subscription.
- Zone control. Separate zones let you light the garage, the front gable or the whole roofline on their own.
- Safety certification. HomeGuide advises looking for UL, ETL, or CSA certification, which means independent safety testing. Bosso lists its components as UL rated.
- Warranty and service. Check the length, what it covers, and who comes back when something needs attention.
Get every estimate in writing, and read the questions to ask an installer before you choose. You can also learn more about how Bosso Smart Lighting works and what the app can do.
Brand and System Differences
Permanent lighting systems fall into two groups. Consumer kits, such as Govee and Eufy, ship to your door, and you install them yourself. Professional systems, such as Bosso, JellyFish, and Trimlight, are sold and installed through dealers or company crews. Four differences affect both price and daily use:
- Light output per bulb
- A dedicated white LED or white mixed from RGB
- Whether the app charges a fee
- Who services the warranty
Moments installs Bosso Smart Lighting because each bulb carries three LEDs with a dedicated white, the app is free, and our own crew backs the work. If you are weighing specific brands, our side-by-side guide to JellyFish lights vs. Bosso covers the details.
Ready to See What Your Roofline Would Cost?
Request a free roofline estimate in Parker, Highlands Ranch, or South Denver. We review a photo of your home, explain your options, and put a written proposal in your hands before any work begins. Send a photo for your free estimate, message us, or call (720) 403-2684.
About Moments Landscaping
Moments Landscaping is a local, family-owned, licensed and insured company serving the South Denver metro area. We design and build outdoor living spaces and install permanent outdoor lighting for homes, HOAs and businesses. Our own crew handles every installation, with no subcontractors.