Permanent vs Plug-In Christmas Lights: An Installer's Buying Guide
Plug-in C9 or mini LED strings are still the cheapest way to light a roofline for one season and come down in January, which matters if your HOA limits holiday lighting to a few weeks. Permanent track lights cost more up front but stay on the fascia all year, change color from an app, and pay off if you would otherwise hire someone to hang and remove lights every year. Measure your roofline first, find an outdoor outlet near the eave, and check your HOA rules before you buy either one. Zomg hangs plug-in lights from $157.50 for a one-story home up to 150 feet.
Why listen to us: Zomg The Handyman crews have done more than 10,000 jobs across all of California since 2009, and every winter the calls change: lights on rooflines in November, cold rooms and dead water heaters in December and January, then leaks, clogged gutters and drafty doors once the storms arrive. This guide is what our installers tell customers before they buy, so the thing you order is the thing that fits your house. We hang and take down holiday lights on every kind of California roof, from flat-roof stucco in the desert to tile roofs on the coast, and we install the outdoor outlets that both kinds of lights need.
Quick Comparison
| Pick | Best For | Price Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Best Permanent Kit | Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights (RGBIC track, app control) | Premium tier |
| Permanent Alternative | eufy or Lumary Permanent Outdoor Lights | Premium tier |
| Best Classic Roofline | C9 LED Christmas Lights, Warm White, Commercial Grade | Mid tier |
| Best Budget | LED Mini String Lights, Outdoor Rated, Connectable | Value tier |
| Must-Have Hardware | All-in-One Light Clips (Gutter and Shingle) | Hardware |
Our Picks
The Short Answer
Pick plug-in lights if you only want lights from Thanksgiving to New Year's, if your HOA limits holiday lighting to a season, or if you rent. Pick permanent lights if you want lights for several holidays a year (Halloween, Fourth of July, game days), if you would otherwise pay someone to hang and remove lights every year, or if climbing a ladder in December is the part you hate.
| Question | Plug-in strings | Permanent track |
|---|---|---|
| Up front cost | Low | High (kit plus install) |
| Every year after | Hang and remove again | Nothing to hang |
| Look in daylight | Cords and clips visible | Thin channel under the eave |
| Colors | What you bought | Any color or pattern from an app |
| Power | One outdoor outlet, extension cords | Outlet near the eave for each controller |
| HOA risk | Low (seasonal) | Ask first; some HOAs treat it as a permanent fixture |
What Goes Wrong on Real Rooflines
- Tile roofs. Clay and concrete tile cracks if you walk on it or pry clips under it. On tile we hang from the gutter or the fascia, never from the tiles. Permanent tracks go on the fascia board, which suits tile homes well.
- No gutter, stucco fascia. Plenty of California homes have no gutter and a stucco or thin wood fascia. Clips need something to grab; adhesive clips let go in the first warm afternoon. Permanent channel screws into the fascia, so check that it is solid wood before you order.
- No outlet near the roof. The most common problem by far. An extension cord run across a driveway and up a downspout works for a month, not a year. A permanent kit really wants a weatherproof outlet near the eave or in the garage close to where the lights start.
- Runs that are too long. Every brand lists a maximum length per controller (permanent) or a maximum number of connected strings (plug-in). Go over it and the far end dims, flickers or the fuse in the plug blows.
- Wet connections. When the first storm hits, a connection lying in a puddle trips the GFCI and the whole house goes dark. Our holiday light power guide covers cords, covers and timers.
How to Measure Before You Order
Walk the house with a tape or a measuring wheel and write down each straight run of roofline you want lit, plus the distance from the start of each run to the nearest outlet. Add 10 percent. For plug-in lights that tells you how many strings to buy and where the cords go. For a permanent kit it tells you which length to buy and how many controllers you need, because each controller needs power. Our pricing is by the same number: a one-story home up to 150 feet, a one- or two-story home from 150 to 300 feet, and larger homes above that.
Warm White, Cool White or Color
Warm white (around 2700K to 3000K) looks like the classic incandescent glow and blends with porch lights. Cool or pure white reads blue on stucco and is the one people most often return. Multicolor C9s are the nostalgic look. Permanent RGB lights do all of these, but their warm white is the setting to check in person or in daylight photos, because cheaper LEDs make it slightly pink or green. If you are mixing old and new strings, buy all of one white from one brand so the color matches along the roof.
Buy It, Then Let Zomg Install It
Our crews install what you buy, from Amazon, Costco, Home Depot or Lowe's, anywhere in California. What it costs on our booking page:
- Christmas light installation (you supply the lights): $157.50 for a one-story home up to 150 feet, $292.50 for 150 to 300 feet, $517.50 for two-story homes over 300 feet.
- Install plus takedown in January for a medium home: $427.50. Takedown only: $175.50.
- A weatherproof outdoor GFCI outlet for the lights: from $193.50; a new outlet location is $274.50.
- Permanent track lights: we install customer-bought kits on solid fascia. Send photos of the roofline and your outlet through a quote request so the price covers the right number of controllers.
Prices are from our booking page in November 2026 and are what you pay for the work; the booking page always shows the current price and every option before you confirm.
More: holiday light installation in California, best permanent Christmas lights, best C9 LED lights and LED vs incandescent.
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Book Holiday Light Installation →Frequently Asked Questions
Are permanent Christmas lights worth it?
They are worth it if you would hang lights every year anyway, especially if you pay someone to do it, or if you want lights for more than one holiday. For one month a year in a home you might sell soon, plug-in LED strings cost far less.
Do permanent lights need an outlet on the roof?
They need an outlet near where each controller sits, usually under an eave or in the garage near the start of the run. Many homes do not have one, so plan for an outdoor GFCI outlet before you buy the kit.
Can you put permanent lights on a tile roof?
Yes, because the track mounts to the fascia board, not the tiles. Check that the fascia is solid wood. On stucco or rotted fascia, fix the board first.
How much does Zomg charge to hang Christmas lights?
With your lights, $157.50 for a one-story home up to 150 feet and $292.50 for 150 to 300 feet. Install plus January takedown on a medium home is $427.50.
Do HOAs in California allow permanent lights?
Many do, some treat them as an exterior change that needs approval, and some limit how long holiday lighting can be on. Ask your HOA before buying a permanent kit; plug-in lights that come down in January rarely need approval.
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