Editorial team

The traditional switch-on, when installers book up, and how long to leave them up – with a 2026 calendar.

LED or incandescent, worked out at 2026 electricity prices – with a formula you can use on your own display.

Eaves, gables and peaks measured from the ground – with a roof-pitch table and a worked example.

Where your HOA’s rules are, what they usually cover, and how to ask for approval – with a letter you can copy.

The two classic roofline bulbs compared – size, base, wattage, and where each one looks best.

How warm and cool whites differ, what the Kelvin numbers mean, and when multicolour is the better call.

The right clip for gutters, shingles, ridges and brick, what never to do, and how to set up the ladder.

The electrical, ladder and seasonal checks that matter, from certified lights and GFCI outlets to timers.

What leasing and buying each include, how to compare them over three seasons, and what to ask an installer.

A timeline, what a proposal should include, and what drives the price – for storefronts, offices and HOAs.