Complete Property Care

Brookline's tree preservation bylaw is one of the strictest in Massachusetts. Removal or significant pruning of a protected tree on private property requires a permit from the town tree warden, often with a hearing and replacement plantings or in-lieu fees. Work within 100 feet of the Muddy River, Hammond Pond, Lost Pond, or any named brook needs a Notice of Intent with the Brookline Conservation Commission. Retaining walls over four feet require a building permit and engineer-stamped plans through the Building Department. Pools require a permit plus four-foot fencing. Some historic districts have additional design review through the Brookline Preservation Commission for visible exterior changes including fences and walls.

Brookline pricing sits at the top of the Massachusetts range alongside Newton and Wellesley. Weekly mowing on a typical Brookline lot lands $65-$110, with smaller Coolidge Corner two-family yards closer to $50-$80. Spring cleanups in Chestnut Hill range $400-$1,200 because of mature canopy and lot size, fall cleanups $500-$1,500. Mulch installs commonly run $110-$140 per yard. A 300-square-foot bluestone patio in South Brookline or Chestnut Hill usually falls $14,000-$22,000. Full design-build projects in Chestnut Hill commonly start at $40,000 and routinely pass $150,000 for major renovations involving formal hardscape, mature planting, irrigation, lighting, and water features. Tree-protection requirements during construction add meaningful cost.

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 Brookline page.