Find a licensed pool builder in Shelter Island, NY

Who licenses pool builders in Shelter Island

• Suffolk's home improvement law covers the construction, installation and servicing of swimming pools and portable and permanent spas, and those businesses need a county license unless the law exempts them.
• Suffolk's code sets a pool builder certification rule: proof of the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals' Certified Building Professionals certification, or another the Commissioner approves, and two years of pool building experience.
• A Suffolk licensee who services the plumbing, heating or electrical elements of swimming pools or spas must show at least two years of experience and training in that servicing.
• Pool & Spa Maintenance has its own entry on Suffolk Consumer Affairs' list of license types.
• Shelter Island's notice to contractors says every contractor or subcontractor working on the island, landscapers included, needs a town license.

State rules and the lookup steps: how to check a pool builder's license.

What the Town of Shelter Island requires

• Installing or reconstructing a pool on Shelter Island needs a permit from the Building Inspector, and pools must be fenced with the fence kept closed.
• Shelter Island requires a permanent, code compliant pool barrier to be complete and working within 90 days of excavation.
• Shelter Island's pool declaration sets the penalty for each violation at a fine of $500 to $2,000, 5 days in jail, or both.
• Shelter Island's zoning sets pools, tennis courts and accessory buildings with sleeping quarters in Zone A at a 40-foot front setback and 20-foot setbacks on the remaining sides.
• Shelter Island's 2022 fee schedule charges $250.00 for an above-ground pool, with or without a fence, and $750.00 for an in-ground pool including a fence and an apron of up to 36 inches.

The Town of Shelter Island Building Department handles permits (631-749-0772). Our Town of Shelter Island permit guide covers how to apply, inspections and certificates.

Homes in Shelter Island: what the Census shows

Across the Town of Shelter Island, villages included, the median home was built in 1980, and 28% of homes were built before 1960, 23% before 1940. 95% of homes here are owner-occupied, and 96% are single-family detached houses.

What pool building and service costs here

Labor is a large part of any price. Long Island cement masons and concrete finishers earn a median $65,026 a year, from about $53,234 at entry level to $82,344 with experience. Construction laborers earn a median $58,875 a year, from about $39,468 at entry level to $79,154 with experience. (New York State Department of Labor, wages updated to the first quarter of 2026.) Prices come from written estimates; more in the pools and pool service cost guide.

Before you hire in Shelter Island

• Ask for the license number the work needs here (see who licenses pool builders above), and check it before you sign.
• Ask who files with the Town of Shelter Island Building Department, and who books the inspections.
• What is included: excavation, electrical, the heater, the fence and the deck?
• Who does the electrical work, and is it inspected?