Honest comparison
Pro install, our DIY kit, or a strip kit?
Same category, three very different products. Here is what you actually get at each price, with our own installed pricing in the mix so nothing is hidden.
| Professional install | Permanent Lighting Direct kit | Consumer strip kit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per foot | $25–40 | $12.60–25 | $2–4 |
| 100 ft example | $2,500–4,000 | $1,729.20 | $200–400 |
| Light source | RGBW pucks in aluminum track | RGBW pucks in aluminum track | Adhesive LED strip |
| Daytime look | Track hidden in soffit | Track hidden in soffit | Visible strip and wire |
| White quality | Dedicated warm white diode | Dedicated warm white diode | Mixed RGB, often pinkish |
| Rated life | 50,000 h | 50,000 h | 15,000–25,000 h typical |
| Weather rating | IP67–68, −40 °C | IP68, −40 °C tested | IP65, adhesive fails in cold |
| Installation | Crew, 1 day | You, a weekend | You, an afternoon |
| Electrician | Sometimes | No, plug-in GFCI | No |
| App control | Proprietary app | WLED, open, offline-capable | Brand app, cloud-dependent |
| Warranty | 3–5 yr with service contract | 5 yr parts | 1–2 yr |
| Repairs | Call the installer | Swap a strand yourself, parts in stock | Replace the strip |
| Resale | Adds value, stays with house | Adds value, stays with house | Usually removed |
Professional and consumer figures are typical Canadian market ranges, not quotes from any specific company. Our kit prices are exact list prices.
Kit vs our installed price
What installing it yourself saves, by size.
These are the same kits, same hardware. The difference is our crew's time.
Why the track matters
The cheap kits are cheap because of the track they don't have.
Strip kits stick a flexible LED strip to the fascia with adhesive. In a Canadian winter the adhesive lets go, the strip sags and the wire shows all day. Track systems screw a rigid aluminum channel into the soffit, colour-matched to the trim, with the pucks pointing down the face of the house. That is what the professional installers use, and it is exactly what is in our kits.