Permanent lighting is a several-thousand-dollar decision that stays on your house for years. It deserves the same scrutiny you'd give a roof or a furnace.
The problem is that most homeowners have never bought one before, so they don't know what to ask. Here's the list we'd want a family member to use — including the questions that are inconvenient for us.
If the answer is "we have white, black, and bronze," that's a stock lineup, and there's a real chance none of them match your trim. Ask specifically whether they can match by RAL code.
You want a specific number. IP65, IP67, and IP68 are all different levels of sealing. Ours is IP68. If someone says "it's weatherproof" without a rating, push harder.
This matters more than it sounds. Lower voltage systems can suffer voltage drop on long runs, which shows up as the far end of your roofline being dimmer than the near end. Our system runs at 48V specifically to avoid that on longer runs.
Ask for both ends of the range, not just cold. Ours is rated −40°F to 140°F. Dark fascia in direct summer sun gets hotter than people expect.
Ask this one directly and get a clear answer. Some systems tie features to an ongoing fee. Ours doesn't — the app is free and stays free.
"Five year warranty" can mean very different things. Ask them to split it. Ours is one year of full coverage on both hardware and installation workmanship, then four more years covering hardware only.
You want a clear chain. With us, you call whoever installed it, they diagnose it and come to us, and we supply the parts.
The system should stay with the home and so should the remaining warranty. Ours does — the new owner gets the lights and full app control.
Nobody covers damage caused by other trades, us included. But a good company will tell you that upfront and explain how removal and reinstall works if you're getting a new roof.
The answer should be no. Track should mount to fascia or soffit. Nothing should go through shingles.
Usually no — these are low-voltage systems that run off an exterior outlet. But if you don't have an outlet within reach, ask whether that's included or an extra cost.
Ask whether it's the company's own crew or a subcontractor, and whether they've been trained on this specific system.
Most homes take one to three days depending on the build. Ask about cleanup and where crews will park and stage.
Photos are marketing. A lit demo board held against your actual fascia, in your actual light, is information. Any company that won't do this should make you wonder why.
Uncomfortable, and worth asking anyway. You want to know whether the product is proprietary to that installer or backed by a manufacturer who'll still supply parts. Ask who makes the hardware.
If a company pressures you to sign at the demo — discount expires tonight, crew is in the area tomorrow only — that's information too. Permanent lighting is not an emergency purchase. Anyone confident in their product will let you sleep on it.
We'll happily leave you with a written quote and no follow-up pressure. If we've done our job at the demo, you'll call us back.
Free demo, no obligation, no pressure to sign anything.