In the Omaha/Council Bluffs metro, Haven is the best value in professional permanent lighting ($18-$30/ft installed). Gemstone and Trimlight are strong alternatives at higher price points. Jellyfish is the premium option. Govee DIY strips work for patios and covered areas but don't hold up on full rooflines in Midwest weather. Heartland Holiday Lights installs Haven systems across the metro.
What is permanent outdoor lighting?
Permanent outdoor lighting is an LED system installed once on your roofline -- and sometimes soffit, garage, and landscape features -- that stays year-round. Unlike Christmas lights that go up in November and come down in January, permanent lights are always installed, but only visible when turned on.
During the day, the track or housing is virtually invisible, color-matched to your trim. At night, you control everything from a smartphone app: color, brightness, patterns, schedules, music sync. One system handles:
- Christmas (warm white, red and green, candy cane, icicle effects)
- Game day (Huskers red, Hawkeyes gold, Bluejays blue)
- Fourth of July (red, white, and blue)
- Halloween (orange and purple)
- Every other night (warm white porch light, landscape accent, security lighting)
No more ladder climbing. No more hiring an install crew every November. No more tangled light strings in the garage. Install it once. Enjoy it every night.
Haven Lighting (What we install)
Haven uses individual RGBIC LED modules mounted in a slim aluminum track that attaches to the underside of your fascia. The track profile is minimal -- about the size of a pencil -- and color-matched to your trim. During the day, most people can't tell it's there.
Strengths: Best value in professional permanent lighting. Slim, invisible-by-day profile. Strong app with scene presets, scheduling, and music sync. 16 million color options per LED. 5-year product warranty. Growing dealer network with excellent support.
Installed cost: $18-$30 per linear foot (typical home: $3,000-$6,000).
Local installer: Heartland Holiday Lights -- (712) 227-5566
Gemstone Lights
Gemstone uses individual LED pods housed in a distinctive faceted acrylic casing. Each pod mounts individually along the roofline rather than sitting in a continuous track.
Strengths: Bright, eye-catching appearance when lit. Well-established brand with national presence. 5-year limited warranty.
Considerations: The faceted pod design is more visible during the day than track-based systems. Higher price point. More labor-intensive installation.
Installed cost: $25-$45 per linear foot (typical home: $4,500-$10,000).
Trimlight
Trimlight uses individual LEDs in a channel system that mounts to the roofline. Established brand with a wide dealer network, including multiple installers in the Omaha area.
Strengths: Established brand with long track record. Wide dealer availability in Omaha. Consistent quality. 5-year limited warranty. Patented channel design.
Considerations: Channel profile is slightly more visible than Haven's track during the day. Mid-to-high price point. App functionality varies by generation of controller.
Installed cost: $22-$40 per linear foot (typical home: $4,000-$8,000).
Jellyfish Lighting
Jellyfish uses acrylic dome caps over individual LEDs, mounted in a track. The dome creates a distinctive diffused light effect.
Strengths: Unique dome visual effect. Bright output. Strong music sync capabilities.
Considerations: Shorter warranty (3 years) than competitors. Generally highest price point. Dome caps can yellow with UV exposure over time.
Installed cost: $28-$50 per linear foot (typical home: $5,000-$12,000).
See what permanent lighting looks like on your home
Free custom design. One firm price. No pressure.
Govee and DIY options
Consumer-grade LED strip lights from Amazon. Adhesive-backed, plug-in, app-controlled. Not in the same category as professional systems, but worth mentioning.
Strengths: Affordable ($150-$400). Easy to install yourself. Good app. Fine for patios, covered porches, garages.
Considerations: Adhesive fails in Midwest weather (typically 6-18 months). Visible strip on fascia during the day. Limited to ~50 ft runs per strip. No professional installation or service.
We wrote a detailed comparison: see our Govee vs. Professional Permanent Lighting post.
How to choose: 5 questions to ask
What's your budget?
- Under $500: Govee for a patio or covered area
- $3,000-$6,000: Haven (best value per foot)
- $5,000-$10,000: Haven, Trimlight, or Gemstone based on your aesthetic preference
- $10,000+: Any system on a large or complex home
How important is daytime appearance? If you want truly invisible during the day, Haven's slim track profile is the winner. Gemstone's faceted pods and Trimlight's channel are more visible. Govee strips are clearly visible.
How complex is your roofline? Simple ranch: any system works. Complex multi-level roofline with peaks and dormers: track-based systems (Haven, Trimlight) handle complexity better than individual pod systems (Gemstone).
How long do you plan to stay in the home? If you're in the home for 5+ years, professional makes sense financially. If you're selling within 2 years, the investment usually still adds to your sale price in the Omaha market.
Do you want seasonal Christmas decorations too? Permanent lighting replaces seasonal roofline lights entirely -- many homeowners still add a wreath or garland at ground level themselves. Heartland Holiday Lights installs the permanent system only.
Why we chose Haven
We evaluated every major system before choosing a brand to install. Here's why we went with Haven:
- Best value per foot -- our customers get a premium system without premium-brand markup.
- Invisible by day -- the slim track disappears against the fascia. This matters 16 hours a day.
- Dealer support -- Haven's dealer program provides training, warranty support, and direct access to engineering.
- Quality components -- individual RGBIC LEDs, aluminum track, stainless hardware.
- Growing brand -- Haven is investing heavily in product development. We believe they'll be the market leader within 2 years.
We're biased -- we sell it. But we chose it for these reasons before we ever sold a single system.
Getting started in Omaha or Council Bluffs
If you're in Omaha, Council Bluffs, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Elkhorn, Gretna, or anywhere in the metro:
- Call or text (712) 227-5566 or fill out the quote form on our contact page
- We'll schedule a free on-site visit to measure your roofline and discuss options
- You'll get a detailed quote within 24 hours
- Installation takes 1 day for most homes
- We walk you through the app, set up your favorite scenes, and make sure everything is perfect
No high-pressure sales. No pushy follow-ups. Just honest advice on whether permanent lighting makes sense for your home and budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
For value, quality, and daytime appearance, Haven Lighting is our top recommendation in the Omaha/Council Bluffs market. Heartland Holiday Lights installs Haven at $18-$30/ft installed. Gemstone and Trimlight are strong alternatives at higher price points.
Heartland Holiday Lights installs Haven permanent lighting throughout Omaha, Council Bluffs, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Elkhorn, Gretna, and the broader metro. Several companies also install Gemstone and Trimlight in the area.
Professional permanent lighting in Omaha runs $3,000-$6,000 for most homes (Haven), $4,000-$8,000 for Trimlight, and $4,500-$10,000 for Gemstone. All include product, installation, electrical, and warranty.
Yes -- all professional permanent lighting systems can display any color, including Huskers red, Hawkeyes black and gold, Bluejays blue, and any other team colors. Color, patterns, and schedules are all controlled from your phone.
Yes -- permanent lighting handles Christmas better than seasonal installation in many ways. You can run classic warm white, red and green, candy cane patterns, icicle effects, or any combination. The system is already installed when December arrives.
Most residential permanent lighting installations are completed in one day. Larger homes or complex rooflines may take two days. The electrical work runs concurrently with the track installation.
Written by Trey, Owner — Heartland Holiday Lights
Trey is a Council Bluffs local and hands-on installer who designs and installs every permanent smart-lighting system Heartland Holiday Lights puts on homes across Western Iowa and the Omaha metro. When he writes about rooflines, channel, and controllers, it's because he's on the roof doing the work.
See what permanent lighting looks like on your home
Free custom design. One firm price. No pressure.