Professional holiday decorations: Long Islanders pay for safety, convenience, design

Tom and Nancy DiCicco, 71 and 70 respectfully, usually just settle for a wreath on their front door during the holidays. This year, they spent $2,700 on a professionally installed display. Twenty years after Tom had a grand mal seizure while hanging decorations, the couple is willing to treat themselves to guaranteed safety.

Vincent Manzo designs the interiors of Tiffany & Co. and Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City as a display director. But when it comes to his own holiday display, he pays $3,200 to outsource the job to other professionals.

“It was a pleasure to have somebody do it for me,” said Manzo.

Many homeowners on Long Island are giving up tangled light cords, blown bulbs and icy conditions and instead are opting to leave it to the pros. While it might be a hefty price for some to pay during the already cash-strapped holidays, these homeowners are willing to drop thousands — or hundreds of thousands — on safety, design and a wow factor.

What does it cost?

While some elaborate projects can exceed $500,000, the average project can cost anywhere from a minimum of $1,500 to about $3,000, according to Frank Grogan, 24, owner of Blinky’s Christmas Lights in Wantagh. Some companies like his require a homeowner to spend a minimum of $1,500 to get on the schedule. Factors in the final bill include the house size, number of decorations and color scheme.

The cost to decorate a typical two-story home, like a Colonial or a Cape, can range from $2,500 for lights around the roof and some bushes to $7,000 to also wrap bushes and trees, Grogan said.

Manzo, who has paid professionals to decorate his three-bedroom East Hampton cottage for three years, paid Grogan to design a display featuring lights on the gutter lines and on the sides of his house, garland around the door, lights on the bushes on either side of the door, a…