San Antonio
– Carol Bolling just moved into a new home and couldn’t wait to get into the Christmas spirit. She hired Mike Chapeau to install lights outside her home.
“I can’t get up on a ladder anymore, and neither can my husband. So we decided to go with Mike,” she said.
The decision was easy for her. Chapeau also works in her yard, so she trusted him and didn’t have to put any money down.
“And it was a very reasonable quote,” she said.
Chapeau tells others interested in hiring someone to do their lighting to be careful and watch out for crooks.
“Make sure you’re, if you’re doing it yourself, that you do it correctly. And if you’re not doing it yourself, make sure that you’re hiring somebody that’s going to do the job right,” he said.
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Chapeau says, first off, hire a legitimate registered business.
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Then, make sure that you do some vetting on the companies you will hire and get at least three quotes for the job.
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Make sure that the company you choose is insured. If someone falls on your property, you will be protected from a lawsuit.
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Work with a bonded company. These companies can buy materials for the job without prior payment. Don’t give any payment ahead of the job being done.
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Make sure there’s a contract for the job that was agreed on and the price. Get a copy of that contract.
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Do a walkthrough of the job before you pay the company.
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Don’t forget to ask if there’s an extra fee or if the takedown of the lights is included in the price.
If you are doing the job yourself, here are Chapeau’s tips.
Measure the area where the lights will be installed so that you know how many feet of lights you will need.
Compare prices and buy the lights and materials.
Do some of the prep work to get started on installing, including finding the best outlets and testing the lights that you purchased before you begin installing them.
Be safe by working with a safe, sturdy ladder.
Double-check and secure the clips you used to put up the lights.