Aidan Bar-Lev-WisePermanent lights stay on your roofline all year and run from an app, so you stop paying someone to hang lights each fall. In Vancouver, the three companies that publish a per-foot figure put it at $20 to $35 a foot installed, or $2,000 to $3,500 on a 100-foot roofline. The biggest differences are how long the warranty runs and who pays for labour when something fails.
WashTech wrote this list and is on it, graded by the same written rules as every other company. In the balanced view, Festilight and WashTech sit 0.1 apart, 4.0 to 3.9 out of 5, and of the two, only WashTech prints a starting price, from $2,000. We did not hire any of these companies.
How we graded the 7 installers
On November 5, 2026, we read each company's own pages and took its Google rating from Google's map data. We opened or searched BBB, and we searched HomeStars. Each company gets 0 to 5 on 6 rules, written in the table below, and every score comes from a fact on this page. Press a button to change what counts most. The list re-sorts as you press.
- 1FestilightBest for the longest labour cover4.0
- 2WashTechBest for a published starting price and stated parts and labour cover3.9
- 3Vancouver GlowA local dealer with a stated Vancouver price range3.5
- 4Revive ServicesBest for Gemstone south of the Fraser3.4
- 5West Coast ServicesBest for a Gemstone quote with a published start2.9
- 6Santa's Little HelpersBest for long experience in seasonal and permanent lights2.0
- 7Northern LightsBest for a named Gemstone dealer, if you ask for the terms1.2
| Criterion | Weight | How the score is set |
|---|---|---|
| Price you can see | 25% | 5 = a published per-foot range that puts 100 feet at $2,000 to $2,500. 4 = a published per-foot figure above that, a published starting price with no per-foot figure, or a stated market range for the city. 1 = says how it quotes, with no figure. 0 = nothing on price. |
| Parts warranty | 25% | 5 = 10 years or longer with one clear answer. 4 = 10 years or longer, but the company's page or the brand's own page gives a different term. 3 = 5 years. 1 = a warranty is mentioned with no term. 0 = no warranty stated. |
| Labour cover | 15% | 5 = 4 years or more stated. 3 = 1 to 3 years stated. 0 = no labour term stated. |
| Insurance in writing | 10% | 5 = $5 million plus WorkSafeBC or WCB. 4 = $2 million plus WorkSafeBC. 3 = insured and names WorkSafeBC, no amount. 2 = insured, no amount and no mention of WorkSafeBC. 0 = not stated. |
| Outside record | 15% | 5 = 4.8 or higher on Google on a lighting company's listing, plus an A+ from BBB. 4 = 4.8 or higher on Google, plus one of those two. 3 = 4.8 or higher on Google with neither. |
| Lighting experience | 10% | 5 = lighting is the main business and the company states 10 or more years. 4 = lighting is the main business, with no stated 10 years. 3 = lighting is one service at a wider business that states 10 or more years. 2 = lighting is one service at a wider business with fewer years, or none stated. |
| Company | Price you can see | Parts warranty | Labour cover | Insurance in writing | Outside record | Lighting experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Festilight | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| WashTech | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Vancouver Glow | 4 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Revive Services | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| West Coast Services | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Santa's Little Helpers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Northern Lights | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Price and parts warranty carry the most weight in the balanced view, because cost per foot and warranty length keep coming up when buyers talk about permanent lights. Festilight and WashTech sit 0.1 apart, so small changes in weight move them. Treat them as close.
The grader has three limits. It grades what a company puts in writing, so a low score often means a website leaves something unsaid, and it says nothing about the quality of the work. "Not stated" means we did not find it on the pages we read. And it cannot show how a system looks on your home in daylight, so go see one before you sign.
The 7 installers at a glance
WashTech sits first in this table and the write-ups below because this is our site. The scores above set the real order, and the other companies follow them.
| Company | Best for | Starting price | Key difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WashTech | A starting price and stated parts and labour cover | From $2,000 | 10 years parts, 1 year labour, install in 1 to 3 days | 5.0 |
| Festilight | The longest labour cover | Custom quote | 10 years or 100,000 hours on product, 4 years labour | 4.8 |
| Vancouver Glow | A stated Vancouver range of $20 to $25 a foot | $2,000 to $5,000 for a front-only system | 10 years on the system, lifetime on LED bulbs | 5.0 |
| Revive Services | Gemstone south of the Fraser | $28 to $35 a foot | $5 million insurance, based in South Surrey | 4.9 |
| West Coast Services | A Gemstone quote with a published start | From $32 a foot | States a lifetime product warranty on lights | 5.0 |
| Santa's Little Helpers | Long experience | Quoted by the foot, no figure | Started in 2006, also installs seasonal lights | 4.9 |
| Northern Lights | A named Gemstone dealer | Not stated | Authorized dealer and certified installer | 4.8 |
- WashTech starting price$2,000
- Vancouver Glow$2,000 to $2,500
- Revive$2,800 to $3,500
- West Coast, starting figure$3,200
WashTech publishes a starting price and no per-foot figure, so its bar shows where a system starts and leaves out what 100 feet costs on your home. Festilight, Santa's Little Helpers and Northern Lights publish no figure. Slide the calculator below to see what your own roofline might cost at published per-foot prices, next to seasonal lights.
Seasonal range uses companies that publish a per-foot price with lights included, November 5, 2026. Permanent range uses Vancouver Glow, West Coast Services and Revive. Your quote can differ, and WashTech quotes each home.
What outside sources show
Company websites make their own case, so we checked three places the companies do not control. Each figure links to its source. "Not found" means we looked and saw nothing, and a search can miss a listing.
| Company | BBB | HomeStars | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WashTech | 5.0 | A+ | Not found |
| Festilight | 4.8 Vancouver, 4.8 North Shore and Tri-Cities | A+ | Not found |
| Vancouver Glow | 5.0 | Not found | Not found |
| Revive Services | 4.9 Langley, 4.9 Surrey | A+ | 5 of 5, newest January 2022 |
| West Coast Services | 5.0 | No exact match | Not found |
| Santa's Little Helpers | 4.9 | A+, 0 complaints in 3 years | Not found |
| Northern Lights | 4.8 | Not found | Not found |
A+ is BBB's letter grade. BBB accreditation is a separate program, and none of the companies with a BBB listing here has it. A Google rating covers everything a company does. WashTech, Revive and West Coast Services list cleaning as their main category on Google, so their ratings say little about lighting, and our "outside record" score reflects that. We also looked for awards and press on these companies and found nothing on permanent lighting we could open and read. Yelp blocked our checks, so we show no Yelp figures.
WashTech
Outside evidence: 5.0 on Google, on a listing whose main category is gutter cleaning. A+ from BBB. HomeStars: not found.
Price: from $2,000, including design, materials and installation. Patio lights, garage lights and extra zones are quoted before we start.
What's included: colour-matched tracks under your soffits, app control by zone, and a walkthrough of the app. Install takes 1 to 3 days. Parts carry 10 years of cover and labour carries 1 year. We state $2 million of liability insurance and are registered with WorkSafeBC.
Who it suits: people who want colour all year, want to stop paying each season, or want a high-end system for years. It also suits people who want one company for lights and exterior cleaning. See permanent LED lighting.
Weak points: our 1-year labour cover is shorter than Festilight's 4 years. We publish no per-foot price, so a bigger home needs a quote. Our pages do not name a system brand, so ask us which one we would fit before you compare warranties.
Festilight
Outside evidence: 4.8 on Google for Vancouver and 4.8 for the North Shore and Tri-Cities, both listed as lighting contractors. A+ from BBB. HomeStars: not found.
Price: a custom quote. It publishes no per-foot figure.
What's included: Chromaglow Pro with app control and schedules. Its warranty is the most detailed we read: 10 years or 100,000 operating hours on the product, limited, with 4 years of diagnostic, workmanship and repair labour. It states $5 million of liability cover, WCB for its staff, and a 2011 founding.
Who it suits: people who care most about who pays for labour if something fails in year three. Labour cover and its outside record are why it leads our balanced view. Compare WashTech and Festilight.
Weak point: you can't see a price before you ask, so you can't compare it with the per-foot companies until you get a quote.
Vancouver Glow
Outside evidence: 5.0 on Google, listed as a lighting contractor. BBB: not found. HomeStars: not found.
Price: Vancouver Glow says most systems in Vancouver cost $20 to $25 a foot installed, and a front-only system on a typical home runs $2,000 to $5,000. Ask it for its own price per foot.
What's included: Prairie Lighting Pro Pixels, an app for iOS and Android, a 10-year warranty on the system and a lifetime warranty on the LED bulbs. It says it is fully insured and names WorkSafeBC.
Who it suits: people who want a per-foot price and a long warranty before they call anyone.
Weak points: it states no insurance amount and no separate labour term, and we found no BBB or HomeStars listing. Ask who pays for labour on a warranty claim.
Revive Services
Outside evidence: 4.9 on Google for Langley and 4.9 for Surrey, both listed as pressure washing. A+ from BBB. HomeStars shows 5 out of 5, with the newest review from January 2022. That is the only HomeStars score on this list.
Price: $28 to $35 a foot, or $2,800 to $3,500 on 100 feet.
What's included: Gemstone Lights with full app control. It states $5 million of liability insurance and WorkSafeBC for all its staff, and a 2016 founding.
Who it suits: people south of the Fraser who want Gemstone from a company with ratings on Google, BBB and HomeStars.
Weak points: the same page gives a 10-year manufacturer warranty and a lifetime product warranty, so ask which applies. It is based in South Surrey and its service-area list does not name Vancouver, though its pages also say "all across Metro Vancouver". Its FAQ says it serves areas slightly outside its region per job, so check it will come to you. It states no labour term.
West Coast Services
Outside evidence: 5.0 on Google, on a listing whose main category is gutter cleaning, with no address shown. BBB: no exact match in the first 15 of 117 results. HomeStars: not found. We have no clean screenshot of its site to show here.
Price: from $32 a foot, or $3,200 and up on 100 feet.
What's included: app-controlled Gemstone Lights from an authorized dealer in the Greater Vancouver area. It states a lifetime product warranty on the lights and says it is fully insured.
Who it suits: people who have settled on Gemstone and want a second quote with a published start.
Weak points: Gemstone's own Vancouver page says 5 years on parts, so ask which term you get, in writing. It states no insurance amount, WorkSafeBC or labour term, and we could not confirm an address.
Santa's Little Helpers
Outside evidence: 4.9 on Google. A+ from BBB, with 0 complaints in 3 years. BBB dates its start to August 2007, and its own site says 2006. HomeStars: not found.
Price: quoted by the foot, with no figure on the page.
What's included: a system that connects to your Wi-Fi for app control and scheduling, which it says gives around 10 years of use. It states $5 million of insurance and full WCB coverage. It also installs seasonal lights.
Who it suits: people who want an established lighting company and may want seasonal displays too.
Weak points: the page names no system brand, price or warranty term. Around 10 years of use is a lifespan and carries no promise, so ask for the warranty in writing.
Northern Lights
Outside evidence: 4.8 on Google, listed as a lighting contractor. BBB: not found. HomeStars: not found. Gemstone's Vancouver page names it as a certified dealer.
Price: not stated on the pages we read.
What's included: Gemstone Lights with app controls, from an authorized dealer and certified installer. It also offers Christmas and event lighting.
Who it suits: people who have seen Gemstone on a neighbour's home and want a local dealer's quote.
Weak points: it mentions full warranty protection with no term, and the pages we read state no price or insurance. That is why it scores lowest. Its Google rating is strong, so ask for those terms in writing and judge again.
RainCity Lighting, and why we did not grade it
Gemstone's Vancouver page names RainCity as a certified dealer, and its site calls it the authorized Gemstone dealer in Greater Vancouver and states a 5-year warranty. But a business-data copy of its Google listing, updated October 26, 2026, marks its listing as closed, and a live map search near its location did not return it. We could not settle this from public pages, so we left it out of the scores. Call before you count on it.
Gemstone, and checking where an installer is based
Gemstone Lights is the permanent lighting brand Canadians search for most among those we measured, at about 3,700 searches a month (Mangools, November 2026). Dealers sell the same product, so two quotes are easy to compare. Warranty wording differs from site to site: 5 years on Gemstone's page, 10 years and lifetime on Revive's, and lifetime on West Coast's. Ask each one to confirm in writing.
"Vancouver" is also a city in Washington state. Vancouver Permanent Lighting ranks high for this search, but its site names no province and shows a 360 phone number, and Trimlight's dealer page lists it in Woodland, Washington. Trimlight also lists a separate Vancouver Trimlight in Delta, BC. Confirm a company's BC address and WorkSafeBC registration before you sign.
Does permanent pay off?
One homeowner on RedFlagDeals in 2021 summed up the reason people look: "I don't want to pay someone to install xmas lights every year". The calculator shows when a permanent system passes the total you would spend on seasonal lights.
Seasonal lights, total spentPermanent systemSeasons 1 to 10
A $3,000 system passes seasonal lights in season 4.
The seasonal line uses WashTech's first-year prices, then about half each year. The permanent line is one payment with no yearly fee, and leaves out repairs after the labour cover ends. Illustrative figures.
A $2,000 system comes out lower by the end of season 2, against a $1,400 seasonal display. A $3,000 system passes it during season 4, and a $3,500 system matches it at the end of season 4. Read permanent vs seasonal lights for the full comparison.
How to choose
- Labour cover matters most: Festilight states 4 years, and WashTech states 1. No one else on this list states a term.
- You want a price before you call: Vancouver Glow, Revive and West Coast publish per-foot prices, and WashTech publishes a starting price.
- You have seen Gemstone and want the same: get two quotes from Revive, West Coast or Northern Lights.
- You want lights and cleaning from one company: WashTech also cleans windows and gutters and washes houses.
- You may want seasonal displays too: Festilight, WashTech, Santa's Little Helpers, Revive and Northern Lights list both.
See one in daylight
Ask each company for a finished home you can drive past by day, because the track stays up all year.
Get two quotes
Ask for the price per foot, the controller cost and the zones, in writing.
Read the warranty
Ask how many years cover parts and how many cover labour, and who services the system if the company stops selling that brand.
Test the app
Ask for a demo, and ask what happens if the app or controller stops working.
Questions people ask
How many years do permanent Christmas lights last?
Companies give different figures, and none we read comes from an independent test. Santa's Little Helpers says around 10 years of use, and Vancouver Glow's home page says 25 or more. The warranty is the number you can hold a company to, so compare those.
What is the typical cost per foot?
$20 to $35 a foot installed, the figures three companies publish. That range leaves out the companies that quote each job, and Vancouver Permanent Lighting, which Trimlight lists in Woodland, Washington, publishes about $26 to $30 before the controller, which shows why you should ask whether the controller is included.
Should I buy a kit instead?
Store kits exist, such as Costco's, but you install them yourself. In a Maple Ridge Facebook thread, one owner disliked the triangular light pattern of a Costco kit and paid about $30 a foot for an installer instead. Height is the other limit. WorkSafeBC's rules require employers to use fall protection where a worker could fall 3 metres (10 feet) or more, so a hired crew should tell you how it handles your roofline.
Can I still get Christmas colours?
Yes. Every system here runs from an app, so you can set red and green for December and warm white or off for the rest of the year. Ask whether the company sets up your schedules for you. WashTech sets up scenes, schedules and zones at the walkthrough.
Next step
If WashTech looks like a fit, send your address and a couple of photos. You will have a clear price back quickly in most cases, and there's no pressure to book. Ask us which system we would fit and compare it with the warranty terms above. Get your free quote.