F&J Hardscape & Masonry inc

Routine maintenance and small planting work don't need a Lynn permit. Work within 100 feet of any wetland resource — the Saugus River, Sluice Pond, Flax Pond, coastal banks, the Lynn Woods reservoirs — needs a Notice of Intent filing with the Lynn Conservation Commission. Coastal bank and dune work has additional state-tier protections. Retaining walls over four feet need a building permit and engineer-stamped plans through the Department of Inspectional Services, and pools require a permit plus four-foot fencing. Lynn doesn't have an aggressive private-property tree bylaw, though public shade trees and trees within wetland buffers are protected.

Lynn pricing runs mid-range for the North Shore — below inner-suburb Boston rates but typical for Essex County. Weekly mowing on a typical Lynn lot lands $40-$75, spring cleanups in the $225-$575 range, and fall cleanups $275-$725 with mature canopy. Mulch installs commonly run $80-$115 per yard. A 300-square-foot bluestone patio in the Diamond District usually falls $9,500-$15,500. Full design-build projects on larger Diamond District or Wyoma lots commonly start around $22,000 and can pass $65,000 with formal planting, hardscape, lighting, and irrigation. Coastal projects with salt-tolerant palettes and drainage work can land at the upper end of these ranges.

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 Lynn page.