COLORADO SPRINGS — With the holiday season upon us, families are proudly displaying their Christmas light displays, and as the pandemic continues landscaping businesses say they're seeing a huge demand. But some are taking advantage of homeowners during this time, scamming them out of their hard-earned money.
Timberline Landscaping says it's important for families to hire professionals to do Christmas light installation. They say it's not a good idea to go with a contractor or company that you can't vet yourself.
"If you want someone walking out on your roof, you don't want them falling off, not being insured, you don't want your house burning down during the holidays. Make sure it's someone reputable coming out," said Aaron Powell, Residential Account Manager, Christmas Sales for Timberline Landscaping.
He recommends homeowners make sure whoever is doing the installation is insured with the right equipment to do the job. And if the price sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
"If someone is coming out and they're willing to put up your lights for too cheap, most likely they don't know what they're doing or not insured. And if a problem does come up, you're probably not going to get that fixed, that's something that won't be the case with us," said Powell.
With the pandemic worsening and limiting Christmas related events, the company says they're seeing more families participate in their annual Christmas Guide.
"This year we've seen so many more people excited about it because of the lack of Christmas parties, we can't go sit on Santa's lap so people are looking for things to do with their families and our Christmas Guides gives them so much to do," said Stephanie Early, Chief Strategy Officer for Timberline Landscaping.
The Christmas Guide helps families find computerized light shows, hot cocoa, and coffee stops, and scavenger hunts.
"This is the best lit properties all over town so you will find some Timberline Landscaping properties, but you're going to find stuff that homeowners have done. Those fun Clark Griswald type people that want to get out there and decorate and add their home to the guide just to spread some cheer," said Early.
Families interested in adding their home to the Christmas Guide need to submit by December 15.
