Q&A: Everything You Need To Know About Getting Neighborhood Lights
How much will the lights cost? A good estimate for parts plus labor is $100 to $125 per house. The more houses that sign up, the cheaper it is per house. Startup costs include materials and labor. The LED bulbs are replaceable, around $1 per bulb on Amazon, and have a rate lifespan of 15,000 hours. The actual lights are UV rated and thick gauge cable, so they don't break down for many years even in the elements. As long as someone has a 6-12-foot ladder, you can easily replace the bulbs as needed. How are the lights installed? Each house has one hook installed in the mortar joint about 13.5 feet up, just below the second floor windows. A cable is run down the street parallel to the houses. The lights bounce back and forth from the cable to the hooks on the houses in a zigzag pattern down the street. Generally, one house powers the lights for the block using an exterior outlet (on front of house, rooftop deck, or side of house.) The lights are LED and very efficient. A 96-f