Angie's List: How to hire a professional to hang holiday decorations

CLEVELAND - Decking the halls for the holiday season is a long-standing tradition honored by most people, but often a hectic family schedule leaves no time to decorate the home.

There are companies that offer this service seasonally – such as landscapers, roofers, and handymen – and other companies that specialize in holiday decorating. When you hire help, the company can design the display, sort through decorations, hang lights and decorations -- and best of all, take it all down after the holidays.

Some companies will even store the decorations for you. Exterior decorations left out too long after the holiday season will not only annoy your neighbors, but can pose a fire hazard. Holiday lights are seasonal and should only be up for a limited time.

Here are Angie's List 8 do's of decorating:

1. Why hire help? Every year the holiday decorations get more extravagant and houses these days have more difficult roof lines so it's challenging to hang the lights and decorations yourself.

2. Check rules and regulations: If you belong to a homeowner's association, ask what decorations are allowed to be added to your home's exterior before you hire.

3. Call early in the season to get scheduled: Meet in person and share ideas so no one is surprised or disappointed by the final design. Ask to see photos of other homes they've decorated to make sure their designs are in line with the style you want. How creative do you want to get? Do you want a theme with your decorations or remain traditional?

4. Is the company qualified? The holiday decorating company will likely access your roof to hang lights -- check that the decorator is insured to protect against any falls or accidents -- otherwise it falls back on the homeowner.

5. Ask about costs: How do they determine the price - by square foot or by the hour? Don't forget to ask about the cost of materials- are you required to purchase the company's lights/decorations -- or will they hang your pre-existing decorations?

6. Installation process: Ask if you'll be required to be home during installation. Generally, the company will need access to your home's power sources. Check if your display will be on an automatic timer, or if you'll have to manually plug in the display.

7. What is your timeline? Figure out when you'd like the house decorated by and for how long? Some people want to flip the switch right after Thanksgiving and keep the lights up through January; others are just looking for a couple weeks.

8. What's their maintenance policy? If a bulb or timer goes out, do they have staff available to return to your home and fix/repair the decorations?