People call us in September and ask what it costs. Fair question. The honest answer is that we do not know until we see the house. We do not publish prices because every roofline on Long Island is different. A ranch in Holbrook and a two-story colonial in Garden City are not the same job. Here is what actually moves the number, and what should be included in any quote so you can compare one against another.
Linear feet of roofline
The biggest factor is how much roofline we are lighting. We measure it and cut the C9 LED strands to fit, so bulb spacing stays even from one end of the house to the other. More feet means more strand, more bulbs, more clips, and more time on the ladder. A long ranch in Ronkonkoma can carry more roofline than a compact two-story in Bay Shore. We measure the edges we are lighting, not the square footage of the house.
Stories and peaks
Height changes the work. A single-story roofline is quick to reach. A second story means taller ladders and slower, more careful movement. Peaks and gables add lines that have to be cut, clipped and joined so the light does not break at the corner. A hi-ranch with several peaks facing the street takes longer than a flat-front ranch with one straight run, even when the footage is close.
Trees, shrubs, wreaths and garland
The roof is one part of the job. Everything else adds to it.
- Trees wrapped in mini lights. A tall trunk with a lot of branches takes time.
- Shrubs and hedges along the front beds.
- Railings and columns wrapped in mini lights.
- Lit wreaths on the door, the windows or the gables.
- Garland along railings or over the entry.
- Landscape and walkway lighting.
Warm white on the roof alone is one number. The works, with roof, wreaths, columns, uplit beds and walkway, is another. Neither is wrong. The number follows what you want lit.
Access
How we get to the roofline matters. Where the ladders go, what is in the way, and whether a section can only be reached from another part of the roof all change how long the install takes. We look at this when we measure so the quote accounts for it up front instead of surprising you on install day. Weather is separate. Ice and wind can move an install date for safety, but they do not move the price.
Why we quote flat, in writing, after measuring
We do not guess over the phone. We come out, measure, and give you a flat price in writing. No deposit just to get a number. The price you see is the price for the season. If a nor'easter takes a strand down in December, we come back and fix it at no charge. That is already in the number.
Quotes run in September and October. Installs run in November. Most years the calendar fills before December, so if you are in Massapequa or Smithtown and want a November install, September is the time to call.
What should be included so the number is comparable
If you are getting more than one quote, make sure each one covers the same things. Ours includes:
- The lights. We supply everything. You buy nothing.
- Measuring and cutting strands to your roofline for even bulb spacing.
- Install, clipped to the shingle or gutter. Never stapled, never nailed.
- A timer set to come on at dusk.
- Service through the season. A bulb out, a strand down in a storm, we handle it.
- Takedown in January.
- Labeling by section and storage until next year.
Year two is faster. The strands are already cut for your roof, so it is a same-day install.
One crew does the work, and you deal with one person from the quote to the takedown. No subcontractors. We are licensed and insured.
If you are anywhere in Suffolk or Nassau, from Bohemia to Oyster Bay, call 516-434-1726 or use the quote form on the site. We will come out, measure, and put a flat number in writing.
