Ace Landscaping & Irrigation

Dracut's Conservation Commission enforces the Wetlands Protection Act and a local bylaw across the 100-foot buffer of every mapped wetland, plus the 200-foot Riverfront Area along the Merrimack and its major tributaries. Patios, pools, lawn expansion, and grading within those zones need an Order of Conditions. Tree Warden approval is required for removal of public-shade trees in the right-of-way. Retaining walls over four feet need a building permit, pools need building and electrical permits with mandatory fencing, and stormwater management is required on larger projects. Some properties along the Merrimack are in FEMA flood zones, which adds elevation and floodproofing requirements to any structures.

Dracut pricing is on the lower end of the Boston metro suburbs given the further-out location. Weekly mow runs $40-65, spring cleanup $250-550, fall cleanup $300-750, and bark mulch $80-115 per yard installed. Lawn irrigation runs $4,500-7,500 for a six-to-eight-zone half-acre system. Concrete-paver patios start around $7K; bluestone patios run $9-15K. Full design-build projects with patio, plantings, lighting, and drainage typically land in the $20-55K range. Larger rural-residential properties with pool, hardscape, and extensive plantings can reach $90K+.

Massachusetts requires a written contract and a Home Improvement Contractor registration for most residential landscaping work; ask for the registration number and check it before paying a deposit.

More on permits, costs, rebates and common questions, plus every other landscaping contractor serving the town, on the Landscaping in Dracut page.