---
title: "Home Remodeling Contractors in Shady Side, MD | TBG"
description: "Get matched with a licensed remodeling contractor or home builder in Shady Side, Maryland. Local permit and planning notes for kitchens, baths, additions and more. Free to homeowners."
url: https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/shady-side/
last_updated: 2026-10-13
---

[TBG](https://thebrettgroup.com/) / [Home Remodeling](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/) / Shady Side

# Remodeling and building in Shady Side

Shady Side sits on a low peninsula in South County between the West River and the Chesapeake Bay. It mixes year-round homes, former summer cottages and waterfront properties, and more than one in ten homes is a part-time or seasonal place.

**At a glance:** ZIP 20764 · Permits: Anne Arundel County · Waterfront (Critical Area) rules · Flood-zone check · Septic common ·

## Permits in Shady Side

Shady Side is unincorporated, so building permits come from Anne Arundel County's Department of Inspections and Permits through the Land Use Navigator system.

More detail in our [permit guide for Anne Arundel County and Annapolis](https://thebrettgroup.com/guides/permits-anne-arundel-annapolis/).

## What to plan for in Shady Side

### Flooding and sea-level rise

The county has identified the Deale and Shady Side peninsula as a high flood-risk area, with low elevations, rising water and drainage problems, and some communities have a single road in and out. Check the FEMA flood map for your address: in a mapped flood zone, additions and substantial renovations must meet floodplain construction rules, which can mean raising the house.

### Septic and groundwater

Many low-lying homes rely on septic systems, which rising groundwater can affect. In the Critical Area, new or replacement systems must be nitrogen-reducing (BAT) units, and the state's Bay Restoration Fund may help with the cost. Talk to the county Health Department early.

### Critical Area everywhere

With water on three sides, much of Shady Side is within 1,000 feet of tidal water. Expect lot coverage limits, a protected 100-foot shoreline buffer and rules on clearing trees, and plan shoreline work as a separate, longer approval.

## Projects we match in Shady Side

- [Kitchen remodels](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/kitchen/anne-arundel/): Layouts, cabinets, counters and full gut renovations.
- [Bathroom remodels](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/bathroom/anne-arundel/): Primary baths, hall baths and accessibility upgrades.
- [Additions](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/additions/anne-arundel/): Bump-outs, second stories and in-law suites.
- [Basement finishing](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/basement/anne-arundel/): Living space, egress, bathrooms and waterproofing.
- [New custom homes](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/custom-homes/anne-arundel/): Build on your lot with a registered Maryland home builder.
- [Decks & exteriors](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/decks-exteriors/anne-arundel/): Decks, porches, siding, windows and roofing.

## Common questions

### Who issues building permits in Shady Side?

Anne Arundel County's Department of Inspections and Permits. Shady Side is unincorporated, and new applications are filed online through the county's Land Use Navigator system.

### Who does the work?

An independently owned contractor licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission (and, for new homes, registered as a Maryland home builder). TBG makes the introduction; you contract directly with the builder.

### Does matching cost anything?

No. It is free to homeowners. TBG is paid by its partner contractors.

### How much of a deposit can a contractor take?

Under Maryland law, a home improvement contractor can collect no more than one-third of the contract price when the contract is signed.

## Nearby

[Edgewater →](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/edgewater/) · [Davidsonville →](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/davidsonville/) · [Riva →](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/riva/)

[All of Anne Arundel County](https://thebrettgroup.com/remodeling/)

Shady Side in Anne Arundel County