J & J Maintenance Services Corp.

Routine maintenance and small planting work don't need a Malden permit. Work within 100 feet of the Malden River, Spot Pond, the Fells reservation edges, or any other wetland resource requires a Notice of Intent with the Malden Conservation Commission. Retaining walls over four feet need a building permit and engineer-stamped plans through the Inspectional Services Department. Pools require a permit plus four-foot fencing. Malden doesn't have an aggressive private-property tree bylaw, but public shade trees and trees within wetland buffers are protected.

Malden pricing runs in the mid-to-upper band for the inner suburbs but slightly below Cambridge and Somerville. Weekly mowing on a typical Malden lot lands $40-$70, spring cleanups $225-$575, and fall cleanups $275-$725 because of street tree leaf load. Mulch installs commonly run $80-$115 per yard. A 200-300 square foot bluestone or paver patio usually lands $9,000-$15,000. Full design-build projects on the larger West End or Bellrock lots commonly run $20,000 to $55,000 depending on scope. Material carry-through and parking access often drive cost on the tighter Edgeworth and Linden triple-decker lots.

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 Malden page.