Christmas tree setup in Exeter
Professional christmas tree setup services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60-£110
Typical Duration
1-2 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
Christmas tree positioned securely in stand, straightened until perfect, and made stable. Water reservoir filled - ready for you to start decorating with confidence.
The Wobble, The Lean, The Eventual Topple
Getting a Christmas tree to stand up straight and stay there is surprisingly difficult. Too far left. Leans backwards. Stand's not level. Base won't fit. Tightening screws makes it worse somehow.
You spend an hour on your hands and knees, gradually losing the will to live, while your partner shouts "bit to the left... no, YOUR left" from across the room.
💡 Pro tip: A tree that's not properly secured WILL fall over eventually. Usually at 2am, often taking your best decorations with it. Get it right first time.
Just Get It Standing Properly
I've done hundreds of trees. I know all the tricks to get them straight and keep them stable. Hour or two and your tree is secure, level, not going anywhere. You can decorate it with confidence instead of wondering when it'll tip.
| ✅ Professional Setup | ❌ DIY Tree Wrestling |
|---|---|
| Straight first time (checked from all angles) | "It's straight if you squint a bit" |
| Properly secured in stand | Wobbles every time you walk past |
| Base trimmed if needed | Hacked at trunk with kitchen knife |
| Water reservoir accessible | Can't reach it once tree is decorated |
What You Get
🔧 The Full Service
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Prep | Check stand, trim tree base if needed |
| Position | Get tree in stand, secure initially |
| Straighten | Adjust until perfectly vertical from all angles |
| Secure | Tighten properly, add stabilising wedges if needed |
| Water | Fill reservoir, check it's accessible |
📦 You're Left With
- Straight tree (genuinely vertical, not "close enough")
- Stable base (won't tip when you hang decorations)
- Water filled (tree will last longer)
- Ready to decorate (the fun bit, finally)
Pricing Guide
| Tree Type | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Small real tree (5-6ft) | 1 hr | £60 |
| Standard real tree (7-8ft) | 1-1.5 hrs | £60-£85 |
| Large real tree or artificial tree assembly | 1.5-2 hrs | £85-£110 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Assumes you've got a suitable stand.
Perfect For Your Project If...
✅ Tall tree - reaching the top to adjust is not happening
✅ Bad back - crawling around under trees is painful
✅ Wonky floors - old Exeter houses with nothing level
✅ Previous disasters - tree fell over last year, not risking it again
Why Choose Us for Christmas tree setup in Exeter?
Tree positioned securely in stand
Straightened and adjusted until perfect
Water reservoir filled and ready
Stable and safe - won't tip over
What to Expect
Step 1: Check Equipment
Look at your tree and stand - make sure they're compatible sizes. Check the base of the tree needs trimming (often does). Get stand positioned where you want the tree.
Step 2: Initial Setup
Get tree into stand and roughly upright. Secure it enough to stand alone. This bit is the heavy lifting and awkward manoeuvring.
Step 3: Fine Adjustment
Step back, check from all angles, adjust until it's genuinely straight. Tighten everything properly. Fill water reservoir. Test it's stable before leaving.
🔧 DIY Tips
Want to set up your own tree? Here's how to not make a mess of it:
🔧 What you'll need
- Tree stand (right size for your tree)
- Small saw (for trimming base if needed)
- Spirit level (really helps)
- Wedges or small pieces of wood (for adjustment)
- Watering can with long spout
- Second person (makes it SO much easier)
🎄 Getting it straight
- Cut base of tree straight across if needed (stands need flat bottom)
- Remove bottom branches if they stop tree sitting in stand
- Position stand where you want tree (with help, they're heavy)
- Get tree roughly in stand, secure loosely
- Stand back and check from multiple angles
- Adjust until vertical (use spirit level if you've got one)
- Tighten stand screws firmly
- Add wedges if needed to stop wobbling
- Fill water reservoir
💧 Watering tips
- Real trees drink loads initially (check daily first week)
- Keep reservoir full (tree dries out fast in warm rooms)
- Use a funnel or long-spout watering can
- Check it's reachable once tree is decorated
- Dry tree = needle drop + fire risk
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Stand too small for tree size (will never be stable)
- Not checking tree is straight from all sides
- Tightening stand before tree is positioned right
- Forgetting to water (dry tree drops needles everywhere)
- Putting stand on wonky floor and expecting straight tree
💡 Pro trick: Mark the floor around the stand base with masking tape before you start. If the tree falls over during setup, you know exactly where the stand needs to go back. Saves re-measuring.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Want the tree fully done? I can set it up, put the lights on, help position the star - basically get it ready for you to add the personal decorations. One visit, job done.
Artificial trees: Take longer to assemble than real trees (matching sections, fluffing branches) but no water needed and generally lighter. Let me know which type you've got.
Ceiling height: Standard 8ft ceilings want a 6-7ft tree max (need space for star/angel on top). Higher ceilings can take taller trees. Measure your ceiling before buying a tree.
Old Exeter houses with wonky floors: Nothing is level in Victorian houses. I'll adjust the stand position and use wedges to compensate - get the tree straight even if the floor isn't.
Pet-proofing: If you've got cats or dogs, mention it - I can position the stand for maximum stability and suggest ways to discourage curious pets (orange peel around the base works surprisingly well).
Frequently Asked Questions
What's actually involved in setting up a tree?
Getting it in the stand straight (harder than it looks), making sure it's secure and won't tip, trimming the base if needed so it sits properly, filling the water reservoir. Basically making sure it's stable and ready for decorating.
Can you help with artificial trees as well?
Yes - fake trees need assembling (matching up the sections, fluffing branches). Takes longer than real trees actually, but I can do either. Just let me know what you've got.
Do I need to buy a tree stand?
If you haven't got one, yes. They're not expensive but you need the right size for your tree. I can advise on what to get, or grab one on the way if you tell me your tree size.
How do you get it perfectly straight?
Patience, wedges, and checking from multiple angles. Stand back, adjust, check again. Repeat until it's not leaning. Trees are never perfectly straight themselves, so it's about finding the best position.
What if it keeps tipping over?
Usually means the stand is too small for the tree, base needs trimming, or the stand isn't level. I'll sort whatever's causing it - might need to trim the trunk or add stabilising wedges.
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