2026 Cost Guide · Muskoka

Christmas Light Installation Costs in Muskoka (2026)

Planning ranges for Christmas light installation and permanent lighting in Muskoka for 2026, and why a long cottage roofline at the end of a private road costs more than a town house in Bracebridge.

These are planning ranges, not prices. They describe what holiday lighting commonly costs on Muskoka homes and cottages so that you can judge a quote. The number for your property is written after a look at it, in person or from clear photos, because roofline length, height over the ground or rock, roof type, access and power all change it.

Planning ranges

• Seasonal roofline install, town house in Huntsville, Bracebridge or Gravenhurst: typically $450–$1,000 including lights supplied for the season, install, takedown and storage.
• Seasonal install, cottage or large lake house: typically $1,000–$3,000, depending on length of eave, gables to the water, height over rock and travel.
• Install only, using your own certified LED: typically $300–$900.
• Tree and landscape lighting: typically $150–$600 per large tree such as a shoreline pine; birch clumps, shrubs and paths typically $100–$350 each.
• Takedown and storage on its own: typically $200–$500, more where takedown has to wait for a second trip after a thaw.
• Permanent lighting: typically $40–$65 per linear foot installed, so a cottage lake side of 60 to 100 feet commonly lands around $3,000–$6,000, and a full perimeter more.
• Cottage check visits: typically $75–$175 per visit depending on distance, booked for the season or as needed.

All figures are before HST and assume working, GFCI-protected outdoor outlets. New outlets are a licensed electrician's work and priced by them.

What moves the price

• Travel and access. Distance from town, private or seasonal roads, and how the property is reached in November and January.
• Height. Lake-side eaves over rock or a slope can be far above three metres, which means fall protection and slower work.
• Roof type. Steel roofs push the lights to the fascia or soffit; cedar shake and log need care with clips.
• Length. Cottage eaves are long, and long runs are split into separate circuits.
• Timing. Late-October and early-November installs are easiest; December installs in snow, where possible at all, cost more.
• Controls. A simple timer costs little; a smart controller for remote use costs more.

What the lights cost to run

A typical LED roofline of 150 to 250 C9 bulbs draws somewhere around 75 to 250 watts. Run from dusk to eleven, about six hours a night, for 40 nights, that is roughly 18 to 60 kWh for the season. At the Ontario Energy Board's off-peak price of 9.1 ¢/kWh from 1 November 2026, that is about $2–$6 for the season before delivery charges. On the Ultra-Low Overnight plan, weekday hours from 4 to 9 p.m. cost 37.7 ¢/kWh, which could bring it to around $5–$18. Switching off at eleven, as Muskoka Lakes requires for festive lighting, keeps it at the low end.

What a quote should say

Which runs and trees are lit, whether the lights are supplied or yours, what the timer or controller is set to, whether takedown and storage are included and when takedown is expected, whether check visits are included, and how access is arranged.

Frequently asked questions

Price ranges above are typical the District of Muskoka figures for 2026 and are provided for planning only. Every job is quoted in writing after a site visit. Last updated October 27, 2026.