With the hectic holiday season approaching, here are 7 tips for hiring a holiday decorator

Decking the halls is a holiday tradition for many families, but hectic schedules often leave no time for decorating the home.

Believe it or not, there are companies out there that will hang exterior decorations for you.

"Whether it be handymen, landscapers, even roofers - these companies are typically less busy during the holidays and have the equipment necessary to hang the lights properly," says Angie Hicks of Angie's List.

When you hire a company, they can help design the display, sort through decorations, hang lights and best of all, take it down after the holidays.

"You’re going to want to find a company that has done holiday decorations before," says Hicks.  "A lot of handyman for example, or landscaper, might have built it into a business. Be sure they have the right equipment and that they are insured - you want to make sure their employees have workers comp insurance so if someone gets hurt on your property it doesn’t go against your homeowner’s insurance."

In addition to checking on that, here are 7 other tips to help you hire a decorator:

1. Check rules and regulations: If you belong to a homeowner’s association, ask what decorations are allowed to be added to your home’s exterior before you hire.

2. Call early in the season to get scheduled: Meet in person and share ideas so no one is surprised or disappointed by the final design. Ask to see photos of other homes they’ve decorated to make sure their designs are in line with the style you want. How creative do you want to get? Do you want a theme with your decorations or remain traditional?

3. Is the company qualified? The holiday decorating company will likely access your roof to hang lights- check that the decorator is insured to protect against any falls or accidents - otherwise it falls back on the homeowner.

4. Ask about costs: How do they determine the price - by square foot or by the hour? Don’t forget to ask about the cost of materials- are you required to purchase the company’s lights/decorations - or will they hang your pre-existing decorations?

5. Installation process: Ask if you’ll be required to be home during installation. Generally, the company will need access to your home’s power sources. Check if your display will be on an automatic timer, or if you’ll have to manually plug in the display.

6. What is your timeline? Figure out when you’d like the house decorated by and for how long? Some people want to flip the switch right after Thanksgiving and keep the lights up through January; others are just looking for a couple weeks.

7. What’s their maintenance policy? If a bulb or timer goes out, do they have staff available to return to your home and fix/repair the decorations?