The process
How the install works
Six stages, and the two columns that matter: what we do, and what you decide. Nobody enjoys the version of this where a trade turns up and the price has moved.
Quick Answer
What happens during an outdoor lighting installation?
An outdoor lighting installation runs in six stages: an on-site measure, a written fixed-price quote, booking, the installation itself, scene setup and handover, then aftercare. The measure is free and done in person, because roofline length, soffit depth, height and access are what determine both the price and what the house can actually carry. The quote names the fixture manufacturer and their published specifications, so it can be compared like-for-like against other installers. Buzz Lighting installs permanent LED lighting year-round and seasonal Christmas lighting from October to early December across the Greater Toronto Area.
Step by step
Start to finish
The right-hand note on each step is the part you own. It is short on purpose — this should not be hard work for you.
- 01
The on-site measure
Alex comes out and measures the actual roofline rather than estimating it off a satellite photo. He looks at soffit depth, fascia condition, where the power is, how the ladder work will go, and which runs are genuinely worth lighting. This is free and there is no deposit.
Your part
You point out what bothers you about the house after dark. That is genuinely the most useful thing you can do.
- 02
The written quote
You get the run layout, the fixture manufacturer and product line named, their published specifications and warranty terms, our workmanship warranty, and a fixed price. Not a range, and not a number that moves on install day.
Your part
You compare it against anyone else, on like-for-like terms. We would rather you did.
- 03
Booking the date
Permanent installs run year-round. Christmas installs run October to early December and the queue fills in booking order from September. If you are doing both, the permanent install almost always wants to happen first.
Your part
You pick the date. For seasonal work you also pick the switch-on date, which is a separate thing from the install date.
- 04
Install day
The channel is fastened along the eave, penetrations are sealed, the controller is mounted somewhere dry and sensible, and the run is tested end to end before anyone packs up. Ladders leave no marks, and the site is left clean.
Your part
You do not need to be home for most of it, but you do need to be home at the end.
- 05
Scenes and handover
We do not hand you a login and drive away. Your everyday warm white gets dialled in on your house — the colour temperature that looks right on your brick is not the one that looks right on the neighbour’s stone. We build your first few scenes with you and you drive it before we go.
Your part
You tell us what looks wrong. It is much easier to fix while the van is still outside.
- 06
After
For permanent lighting: it is yours, and the warranty terms on your quote are what apply. For Christmas lighting: we maintain it through the season, take it down in January, and store it until next year.
Your part
You call the person who quoted the job. There is no ticket queue.
Do I need to be home for the estimate?
Yes, for the useful version of it. We can measure a roofline without you, but the decisions that matter — which runs to light, how bright, what colour the channel should match — are much better made standing in your driveway together.
Does the price change on install day?
No. The quote is fixed against the layout on it. If you change the layout after the fact the price changes with it, and we will tell you before we do anything, not after.
How long does an install take?
It depends entirely on roofline length, height and access, which is why we measure before quoting rather than publishing an average that would be wrong for most houses. Your quote states the expected duration for your property.
Do you need a permit?
For a standard low-voltage residential installation, generally not. Where a property has an HOA, a heritage designation or a condo board with rules about exterior alterations, that is worth checking before install day — we will flag it if we spot it, but the agreement is between you and them.