D&M Landscaping and Construction

Wellesley's tree bylaw is among the strictest in the state — protected trees on private property cannot be removed during construction without Tree Warden review and significant replacement plantings (often 2:1 caliper-inch replacement). Any work within 100 feet of a wetland, brook, or the Charles River triggers Conservation Commission review under the Wetlands Protection Act and Wellesley's bylaw, plus the 200-foot Riverfront Area near the Charles. Patios, pools, lawn expansion, retaining walls over four feet, and stormwater work all need permits, and Wellesley's stormwater bylaw is enforced strictly on larger projects. Historic district review applies in some areas of the village centers.

Wellesley pricing is at the top of the MetroWest range, comparable only to Weston, Dover, and Concord. Weekly mow with detail trim runs $65-110, spring cleanup $450-1,000, fall cleanup $500-1,200, and bark mulch $100-140 per yard installed. Irrigation runs $7,000-12,000 for a typical eight-to-twelve-zone system on a one-acre lot. Bluestone patios run $14-22K, granite patios higher. Design-build projects on standard lots typically run $50-120K; estate-tier projects with pools, masonry walls, formal plantings, and lighting frequently land in the $150K-400K range or higher. Annual maintenance contracts on the larger estates routinely exceed $15K.

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 Wellesley page.