Christmas Light Installation in Lakeway, TX
Warm white rooflines, wrapped oaks and full front displays for Lakeway homes, set up to fit the city's Dark Skies rules and its midnight curfew, then taken down in January. Text a few photos and get a price without a site visit.
Christmas lights for Lakeway homes, from design to takedown
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What do you install? | Rooflines and ridgelines, wrapped oaks and crape myrtles, bushes, wreaths and garland, porches and entries |
| What does it cost? | Single-story front roofline from $500, two-story from $1,100, full front from $1,800. $500 minimum. See prices |
| Trees? | $150–$250 for a small or medium trunk, up to $5,000 for a boom-lift oak. Tree light wrapping |
| City rules? | Holiday lights are allowed by right but must be dimmed 30% or off from midnight. What that means |
| Permanent lights? | Yes, designed as everyday dark sky lighting. See the FAQ |
| When do they come down? | January 2 to January 15 |
| Landscape lighting too? | Yes, built to the Dark Skies article. More below |
| How do I get a price? | Text daytime photos of the front of the house and each tree to (737) 777-9099 |
What we light in Lakeway
A typical Lakeway display is a warm white roofline, a tree or two out front, and a lit wreath at the door. Every install includes a design for your house, commercial-grade lights and clips, the install, service if anything goes dark, and takedown in January.
Rooflines and ridgelines
C9 LED bulbs on commercial wire, cut to each run so the lines finish cleanly at corners and peaks. Clips are matched to your roof and trim.
Wrapped oaks
Trunks and limbs wrapped by hand at an even spacing. A warm, low-output wrap is the look that fits Lakeway's dark sky rules best.
Entries, wreaths and garland
Lit wreaths and garland on doors, gables and porch rails, so the house reads well from the street without a lot of extra light.
- A custom design for your house, sent back with your quote
- Commercial-grade LED lights and clips, supplied by Sapien
- Installation by our own crew, without drilling into stone
- A timer that turns the display off before the midnight curfew
- Service during the season if lights we installed go out
- Takedown between January 2 and January 15
We do plug-in seasonal lighting only. If a display needs a new outdoor outlet or circuit, that is a job for a licensed electrician, and we'll tell you before install day. More about our seasonal service is on the Christmas light installation page.
Lakeway's Dark Skies rules, and how we plan around them
In September 2023 Lakeway adopted a Dark Skies article for outdoor lighting. It doesn't set holiday dates. Instead, holiday lights are allowed at any home as long as they are low-intensity and follow the residential curfew.
| Rule (Article 24.04) | What we do |
|---|---|
| Low-intensity temporary lighting for holidays is allowed by right at residential properties, subject to the curfew | Warm white LED strings, not floodlights or bright projectors |
| Residential curfew: from midnight to one hour before daylight, lighting must be dimmed by at least 30% or turned off | Every display goes on a timer that shuts off before midnight |
| "Light string wrapping or uplighting of trees" is listed as an exception the code official may grant after review | For large tree wraps we check with the city before install day |
| Fixtures over 1,000 lumens must be fully shielded, and color temperature must be under 3,000 K | No unshielded bright fixtures; warm white by default |
| Light trespass and glare are treated as a nuisance (Section 22.02.001) | Lights aimed at your house and trees, not across the street |
What this means for your display
The code doesn't define "low-intensity," so we design on the safe side: warm white LED strings that keep the light on the roofline and in the trees. Rooflines, wreaths and garland are the simple part. Big floodlights and projectors are the kind of lighting the article is written to limit, and we leave them out.
The bigger change for most families is the curfew. A display that runs until 1 am isn't allowed here, so we set your timer to switch on at dusk and off before midnight. If you want a later night for a party, tell us and we'll talk through the options.
This summary is based on the City of Lakeway Code of Ordinances, Chapter 24, Article 24.04, Dark Skies (Ordinance 2023-09-05-02, adopted September 5, 2023), and the city's Dark Sky Regulations page. The city can change its code, so check the current version or ask the city if you're unsure. Your HOA may have its own rules too.
What's different about lighting a Lakeway home
A midnight curfew
Lakeway asks homes to dim or turn off outdoor lighting from midnight. Timers are part of every install here, not an extra.
Hills and lake lots
Lakeway sits on hilly Hill Country ground along Lake Travis, with lakefront and golf course homes. Send a photo that shows the slope and how the house sits above or below the street.
Oak wilt and pruning dates
The city prohibits oak pruning from February 1 through June 30 and requires every oak cut to be sealed. We don't prune at all, and everything comes off the tree in January.
Homes from every era
Lakeway started as a 1960s resort community, and homes from the 1960s and 1970s sit near much newer builds. Rooflines vary a lot, so photograph the whole front.
Trees get a second look
The Dark Skies article names tree wrapping and uplighting as items the code official can review. We plan tree wraps with that in mind and keep them low and warm.
Dark skies
Lakeway's lighting code is titled Dark Skies, and it asks for warm, shielded, low-intensity light. A modest warm white display stands out here, and a little light goes a long way.
Christmas light installation prices in Lakeway
Lakeway is priced the same as the rest of the Austin area. These are Sapien's typical 2026 starting points for the front of the house.
| Scope | Sapien 2026 price |
|---|---|
| Single-story roofline, front | From $500 |
| Two-story roofline, front | From $1,100 |
| Full front: roofline, trees, bushes, wreath or garland | From $1,800 |
| Very small tree, trunk | $100 minimum |
| Small or medium tree, trunk only | $150–$250 |
| Small tree, canopy lightly wrapped | $150–$300 each |
| Large live oak, trunk or trunk plus some limbs | $500–$1,000 |
| Very large oak, multiple branches | $1,500–$3,000 |
| Boom-lift or maximum wrap | Up to $5,000 |
| Removal only (lights someone else put up) | Usually about 20% of the install cost |
| Minimum job | $500 |
Your quote depends on feet of roofline, height, slope and trees. More detail: Christmas light installation cost in Austin and what it costs to wrap a tree.
How it works in Lakeway
Text us photos
Daytime photos of the front of the house from the street, each tree, and your outdoor outlets, to (737) 777-9099. A shot that shows the slope helps.
Get a design and price
We mark up what we'd light and send back the plan and the price. If big tree wraps are on the list, we'll tell you how we're handling the city's review.
Install in October or November
Earlier dates are easier to get. The lights go up and stay off until the night you pick.
On at dusk, off before midnight
Most people start on Thanksgiving night, November 26, 2026. The timer switches the display on at dusk and off before the city's midnight curfew.
All season
If lights we installed go out, text or call and we come back to fix them.
Down in January
We take everything down between January 2 and 15 and leave your roof, trees and stone as we found them.
Tree wraps take the longest install slots, so if oaks are on your list, book early. The month-by-month plan is in our Austin holiday lighting timeline, and here's what a good quote should show.
What our customers say
Every review below is from Sapien Lighting's Google listing, word for word. Read them all on Google.
Landscape lighting in Lakeway
Sapien also designs and installs landscape lighting: path and step lights on sloped yards, patios and pet areas, soft accent light on stone and plantings, and shadow mapping that plans each light around how the sun and shadows fall on your property.
Lakeway's Dark Skies article covers landscape lighting all year. Low-intensity landscape, architectural and ornamental lighting is allowed by right at homes, and it follows the same midnight curfew. All new outdoor lighting has to be dark sky friendly, under 3,000 K, and fully shielded if a fixture is rated above 1,000 lumens. Entry, walkway and step lighting needed for safety is exempt from the curfew. Uplighting trees is one of the exceptions the code official may grant after review, so if you want your oaks lit, we plan for that step.
The rules apply to lighting installed after the article took effect. Older lighting has to be brought up to the rules when more than half of it is replaced. We design new systems to the article from the start and set the timers for you. Landscape lighting is quoted per property. See our landscape lighting page and how shadow mapping works.
About Lakeway
Lakeway is a city on Lake Travis, about 16 miles west of Austin and about 5 miles west of Mansfield Dam, along RM 620. Hurst Creek runs through town into the lake.
- A ranch first. Lakeway was built on the 2,700-acre ranch of Houston oilman Jack Josey.
- A name from McAllen. In early 1962 G. Flint Sawtelle, John H. Crooker Jr. and Lee Blocker of the Gulfmont Hotel Company took an option on the land. The name came from Gulfmont's Fairway Motor Hotel in McAllen.
- 1963 opening. Lot sales began on May 30, 1963, and the Lakeway Inn and Marina opened that July.
- Becoming a city. By 1971 there were about 300 homes. In July 1974 residents voted to incorporate a 1,200-acre village, and Newt Herndon became the first mayor.
- Fast growth. The population went from 4,044 in 1990 to 11,391 in 2010 and 19,189 at the 2020 census. The city covers about 13.4 square miles.
- Around town. Lakeway City Park, Dragon Park, the Smith and Hamilton greenbelts and the Warbler Preserve, Lake Travis ISD schools, the Lake Travis Community Library in Tuscan Village, and Baylor Scott & White Medical Center–Lakeway, opened in 2012.
- Dark skies. In 2023 the city adopted its Dark Skies lighting article. How that affects your lights.
Sources: Handbook of Texas, Wikipedia, City of Lakeway Parks & Recreation, City of Lakeway Code of Ordinances.
Map of Lakeway
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. View larger map
Lakeway and nearby areas we serve
Lakeway sits on Lake Travis off RM 620, with Bee Cave to the southeast. We install throughout the city and its ZIP codes, 78734 and 78738, and across western Travis County:
- Lakeway
- Bee Cave
- Steiner Ranch
- West Lake Hills
- Barton Creek
- Cedar Park
- Austin
- And nearby: just ask
Lakeway's Dark Skies rules apply inside city limits. Bee Cave has its own lighting code, and homes in 78734 or 78738 outside the city follow other rules and their own HOAs. Tell us your address and we'll plan for what applies to you.
Lakeway Christmas lights: frequently asked questions
Does Lakeway have rules about Christmas lights?
Yes. Lakeway's Dark Skies article (Code Chapter 24, Article 24.04, adopted September 5, 2023) lets any home put up low-intensity temporary lighting for holidays by right. It has to follow the city's residential lighting curfew: from midnight until one hour before daylight, lights must be dimmed by at least 30% or turned off. There is no holiday date window, so the curfew is the rule that matters most.
What time do my Christmas lights have to go off in Lakeway?
Midnight. The residential curfew runs from midnight to one hour before daylight, and during that time lighting has to be dimmed by at least 30% or switched off. We set your timer to turn the display off before midnight every night, so you never have to think about it.
Can you wrap my trees in Lakeway?
Yes. Holiday tree wraps are temporary holiday lighting, which the code allows by right for homes. The same article also lists "light string wrapping or uplighting of trees" as something the city's code official may grant after review, and it doesn't spell out which rule covers a big holiday wrap. So for large tree wraps we check with the city before install day, and every wrap stays on the curfew timer and comes down in January.
Can I get permanent Christmas lights in Lakeway?
Yes, we install permanent track lights in Lakeway. Because they stay on the house all year, we design them as everyday outdoor lighting under the Dark Skies rules: low output, aimed at the house, warm white under 3,000 K for everyday use, and on a timer that dims or shuts them off at midnight. Colors and brighter modes are saved for the holidays. We go over how the rules apply to your house with your quote.
How much does Christmas light installation cost in Lakeway?
The same as the rest of the Austin area. In 2026 a single-story front roofline starts at $500, a two-story front roofline starts at $1,100, and a full front with roofline, trees, bushes and a wreath or garland starts at $1,800. The minimum job is $500, and each tree is priced on its own.
What does it cost to wrap a tree in Lakeway?
A very small trunk is $100 minimum. A small or medium trunk is $150 to $250, and small trees with a lightly wrapped canopy are $150 to $300 each. A large live oak, trunk only or trunk plus some limbs, is $500 to $1,000, and a very large oak with multiple branches is $1,500 to $3,000. Tall wraps that need a boom lift run up to $5,000.
When do you put lights up and take them down?
We install in October and November and can leave the lights off until Thanksgiving night, Thursday, November 26, 2026, or any night you choose. Takedown runs from January 2 to January 15.
Will you trim my oaks before wrapping them?
No. Sapien doesn't prune. Lakeway prohibits oak pruning from February 1 through June 30 and requires a wound seal on every oak cut, because of oak wilt. We wrap the tree as it is, keep fasteners to a minimum, and take everything off in January.
Do you do landscape lighting in Lakeway?
Yes: path and step lights, patios, pet areas, low-intensity accent lighting and shadow mapping. New landscape lighting in Lakeway must be dark sky friendly, under 3,000 K, fully shielded above 1,000 lumens and on the midnight curfew. Uplighting trees is one of the items the code official reviews, so we plan for that step. Landscape lighting is quoted per property.
Are you insured?
Yes. Sapien is fully insured, with general liability coverage on every job. HOAs and businesses can request a certificate of insurance.
Get your Lakeway Christmas light quote
Text a few daytime photos of the front of your house and any trees to (737) 777-9099, and tell us the night you want them on. Prefer to talk? Call us, 9 am to 11 pm daily.