Summary:
Somewhere around the first cold weekend in November, a lot of Suffolk County homeowners look up at the roofline and decide they’re not doing it themselves this year. Then they start calling around and find out the good dates are already gone.
Installation season on Long Island is shorter than most people expect, and the quotes you collect won’t always cover the same things. This guide walks through when to book, what a fair quote should include, and what to ask before anyone climbs onto your roof. We’ll start with the calendar, because that’s where most people lose out.
When To Book Christmas Light Installation In Suffolk County
Most professional installs on Long Island happen between late October and early December. Demand climbs fast once November starts and peaks between Thanksgiving and the second week of December. That leaves roughly six usable weeks for every installer in Suffolk County to fit in their jobs.
That math is why we say to start the conversation in September or October, and it’s what installers across the industry recommend too. Mid-to-late October is the sweet spot if you want a specific date. Wait until after Thanksgiving and you’re choosing from whatever is left, and one rainy week can push even that back.
Is September Too Early To Call For Christmas Light Installation?
Not at all. It feels ridiculous with the beach chairs barely put away, but late summer through early fall is when planning should start. A call then gets you a free estimate without anyone rushing, time to decide whether you want just the roofline or the trees and entryway too, and a real choice of dates.
Here’s how the season usually moves. September and October are for estimates and booking. Installs start in late October and run into early December. The stretch from Thanksgiving to the second week of December is the busiest, and it’s when everyone who waited starts working down the same list of companies. January is takedown time, which we’ll get to.
Weather is the wild card. November and December on Long Island mean wind, rain and early cold, and any of them can move an install date with little warning. Homes closer to the water, like those around Greenport and New Suffolk on the North Fork, tend to catch more wind, so it’s worth asking how lights are secured. Booking early gives our crew room to reschedule without pushing you into mid-December.
We work across Suffolk County, from Huntington, where we’re based in Huntington Station, out to Riverhead, Greenport and New Suffolk, and down to Lindenhurst. We also serve Nassau County. A call in the fall gets you a straight answer on what’s open.
What Happens After You Call For A Free Estimate In Suffolk County?
If you’ve never hired anyone for this, it’s a fair thing to wonder. A good estimate starts with someone looking at your house: how many stories, how long the rooflines run, which trees you want lit, and whether you already own lights. It ends with a written quote that says exactly what the work covers. Ask for that from anybody you call, us included.
Here’s where we’re a bit different from many of the names in the search results. We’re a tree company first. Our crew works around big trees and tall structures all year, and we handle two- and three-story homes, all the way up to massive trees. If you have a three-story colonial in Huntington, or a yard of mature trees in Riverhead you’d love to see lit, you don’t have to hunt for a specialist willing to go that high. It also helps to have people looking at the tree who know trees, since a tree worth lighting should be healthy enough to keep standing all winter.
We can provide the lights if you need them. On install day our crew sets everything up and checks that it all works before they leave. After that, our warranty on the installation applies, and it includes any light repairs. To get started, call 631-923-3033 or use the free estimate form on our site.
What Is Included In Residential Holiday Lighting Installation On Long Island?
Ask three Suffolk County installers what’s included and you’ll get three different answers. One quote covers labor only. Another includes the lights. A third bundles repairs, takedown and storage, and a fourth charges for each separately. Same house, same roofline, and prices you can’t compare.
That’s why a per-foot number on its own tells you very little. Before you compare, find out whether the lights are included, whether repairs during the season are covered, who takes everything down and when, and whether storage is offered or you’re keeping the boxes in your garage. Get those answers in writing. Once you do, the cheapest quote and the best-value quote often turn out to be different companies.
How Much Does Christmas Light Installation Cost On Long Island?
We haven’t found Long Island-specific pricing published anywhere, so the numbers here are national averages. Use them to understand how quotes are built, not as a promise of what any local company will charge, including us.
Most installers price by the linear foot. Labor-only runs about $2 to $5 per foot, and when the installer supplies the lights it’s more like $5 to $10 per foot. Premium or custom displays run about $8 to $15 per foot. One contractor’s example: a 100-foot roofline at $4 a foot, labor only, comes to $400, and that’s before anyone has bought a single light.
Those ranges move because of what’s inside them. Height matters, and so does the number of trees, whether lights are included, and whether repairs and takedown are part of the price. A one-story ranch and a three-story house with a tall front tree are practically different jobs.
We don’t print prices because they depend on your house, so we give free estimates in Suffolk County instead. Here’s what’s in ours that you should look for in anyone’s: we provide the lights if you need them, our crew checks that everything works before leaving, and the installation is warranted every time, with light repairs included. If a strand goes dark in mid-December, you call us.
Who Takes Christmas Lights Down In Suffolk County, And What Should You Ask About Removal?
Searches for a Christmas light removal service pick up once the holidays are over. They usually come from people who still have lights up in the middle of winter, either their own or a previous installer’s. It’s the part of the job most companies mention in one line and never explain.
So ask. Is takedown part of the quote, or billed separately? Nationally, removal billed on its own runs about $1 to $3 per foot, and storage, where it’s offered, typically costs $50 to $200 a year. Some companies bundle both in, and others leave you with the boxes. When you call us for your estimate, ask how we handle takedown and storage, and get that in writing along with the rest of the scope. You should have the answer before you sign, not in January.
Takedown isn’t a small job, either. The Electrical Safety Foundation International says about 5,800 people a year are treated in emergency rooms for falls involving holiday decorations, and more than half of those are falls from ladders or roofs while decorating outdoors. That’s a cold-weather ladder risk at both ends of the season.
The other thing to ask about is insurance. New York doesn’t license contractors at the state level, so it’s handled by counties and municipalities. In Suffolk County, operating a home improvement business without a license is against county law, and licensed contractors are required to carry liability insurance. Ask anyone you hire for proof of insurance. We’re fully licensed and insured, and we’ve been working in the area for over 17 years.
Ready To Book Christmas Light Installation In Suffolk County?
If you take one thing from this page, make it this: the calendar decides more than the budget does. Calling in September or October gets you a choice of dates, a calm estimate, and time to ask what’s covered. Waiting until Thanksgiving gets you whatever is left.
Beyond timing, compare quotes on what they include, not just the per-foot number. Lights, repairs, takedown, storage and proof of insurance should all be answered in writing before you commit.
If you’re in Huntington, Riverhead, Greenport, Lindenhurst, New Suffolk or anywhere else in Suffolk County, Green Light Tree Services can give you a free estimate and a straight answer on dates. Reach out early, and December can be a month where the lights are up, working, and off your to-do list.
