Hiring someone to put up your Christmas lights? Read this first

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- If you have not yet put your Christmas lights on your home, maybe this is the year to let someone else take care of the hassle. But before you do, there are some things to find out before paying anyone to make your holiday brighter.

When it comes to hiring a Christmas light company, Suzanna Griffin got lucky. She was in Home Depot trying to hire someone else, but...

"The guy at the time, I don't think he was interested in hanging them and then I met John and he said, 'I will hang your lights," Griffin said.

Emanuel with No Fuss Lights has been lighting up the Griffin's yard for the last six years. While the Griffin's are satisfied customers, Emanuel says at this time of year a lot of people hire lighting companies and then regret it.

"There's a lot of guys that are calling themselves Christmas light hangers," he said.

Emanuel says before you hire a light hanger, make sure they use UL listed light strands, and never pay in full up front. Instead you should have a balance that's due after the lights come down.

"Our company, for instance, we are 75 percent deposit down and a 25 percent final balance," Emanuel said.

And like any other service, you get what you pay for. Some elaborate displays can cost thousands. Keep that in mind if a quote comes in for only a few hundred dollars.

Light companies that do not live up to their commitments pop up in our area every year.

"There are definitely some very reputable companies out there offering their services but we also have received complaints in the past," said Monica Russo with the Houston Better Business Bureau.

Russo says last Christmas seven people were left with lights that never came down or never went up in the first place.

"Do a lot of research, go on line look the company up, see if they have a record of complaints, go to the BBB web site, see if the company has a record of complaints and check to see how they resolved them," Russo said.

Also, if the company has already installed lights near you, go to the home and look at the work your self.