East Coast Landscape Design

Mark and his team at East Coast Landscape Design were absolutely excellent. From the design to the scheduling to the execution of the plan, everything was completed on time, professionally, and with a particular attention to detail; the ECLD team went above and beyond what was asked to be done to transform our yard. I had grating and drainage issues in both the front and backyard and the solutions were practical, aesthetically pleasing, and (it appears) long lasting. I would recommend Mark and his team (actually already have) to friends and neighbors and will have them come back as I have additional landscaping/hardscaping needs. I highly recommend East Coast Landscape Design.

Met with Mark and described what we needed done. A few days later he sent an estimate with several options separately priced. Once we sent a deposit and the signed contract for the work I had to call them to see when the work would be scheduled. They indicated the middle of Oct, with was a few weeks out. We were OK with that. They came, around the expected timeframe, and we discussed the job and our expectations with Felix. The job was completed within 2 days. The crew was very professional, and the work done was exactly what we were expecting. And in addition that, they were able to use the dirt removed to create the swale to fill in another area on our property. That was a bonus for us. When they left, the are where they were working was cleaned and debris free. Will definitely call them again for other landscape work we need done.

We hired East Coast Landscaping after having a disastrous experience with another contractor that had stretched on for four months, was never completed, and had been done improperly (and looked terrible). After that experience, I wanted to hire someone who was a good communicator and who exemplified integrity in his or her professional conduct. Mark more than met my expectations. He was honest, direct, responsive, and even empathetic about what we had been through. His crew was also terrific. They came in, took up what contractor #1 had done, prepared a new base, and re-laid the pavers. They worked quickly and the job was done in about four days. It looks fantastic. I would hire East Coast Landscaping again without hesitation. (I’m only sorry we didn’t start with them!)

In the end the work turned out very nice. However, getting there was a process... We got our estimate delivered around June 16th. Summer is a busy time so understandably they could not break ground until approximately August 17th. The major problem was the job was not completed until October 13th. For two months I had supplies and trash laying in my backyard and overlapping in to my neighbor's yard. Every time I asked about the progress I was told they were having difficulty getting a team out for such a "small" job. I guess a $10,000 job isn't very motivational? Then 3 days after they finally finished the job and hauled the scrap away, they sent me an invoice marked "90 days overdue". I considered actually waiting the 90 days they claimed before sending in my final payment, but I'm not that much of a jerk. Hopefully this review is enough for them to get their stuff sorted out.

We would give them very high marks. They did an excellent job. It was expensive. They are an outstanding firm.

It was terrific. They did a second round of work. They were great. They did the original landscaping on the house so I had them come back to clean up and refresh everything because we were selling our house. I would absolutely use them again.

The project took a very long time to get planned and scheduled. Started much later in the summer than hoped. There is still work that remains to be finished well after the bulk of the project was done. Work done was quick and well done. Delays are disappointing.

Mark Simpson came to estimate, he discussed with me possible ways to solve the problem with water pools after rain on the old driveway. He suggested the most approriate way to drainage.

Went from a really messed up backyard to a beautiful backyard thanks to East Coast Landscape. Mark was really helpful answering any questions I had. Their crew was very professional and communicated any issues to me as they came up.

They did an excellent job. I was really happy. When he gave us a price estimate, he picked out a stone for the wall that we had built and when we saw it, we did not like it. He told us to go and pick one we liked. We did and it was more expensive, but he did not charge us the difference. He took the old stone away and put on the stone we like. He was very accommodating. The owner is Mark Simpson. I would recommend him unhesitatingly. He is fair, honest, and does a good job. We signed up with him in August and we did not get our work done in December.

The landscape project consist of the following. Install an interlocking brick paver walkways and patio. Excavation of a sloped area installing proper drainage. Build a fire pit complimenting the outdoor kitchen with a gas grill and Big Green Egg. Landscaping the entire area which is approximately 3000 square feet. Selecting the most colorful trees and plants which bloom at various times throughout the year. Installing lighting that provides the perfect setting for night-time entertainment. Lastly, placing a water feature that creates serenity for the entire area.

The team arrived on the day specified. The team leader, Felix, rang our doorbell and introduced himself. Felix and his team, using their copy of the landscape plan, spent the first day removing the trees, edging the area to be planted, removing sod, and preparing the soil. The second day the plants were positioned according to the plan and 165 bushes and plants and 1 tree were planted, mulched and watered. The tree, a Japanese maple tree, was planted with great care,with the worker taking great pains to view it from all angles to make sure it was straight and turned to be seen at its best angle. In placing, planting and watering the bushes and smaller plants, Felix was meticulous to the point of brushing out his footprints after he finished watering an area. And they watered every plant thoroughly. What was especially nice was their welcoming manner when I watched them at work, and their desire to please. When I changed my mind and asked for an old rosebush to be removed, it was not a problem and was immediately taken care of. They all worked very hard in very hot weather and were always professional. Mark Simpson connected with me a few days later to ask how I liked my new yard and reiterated that all plants were guaranteed and would be replaced if they died. He said unlike many landscaping companies they will replace replacements if they also die within the year they were planted. He recognized that plants can get injured when being transplanted and in the delivery process. At this time all our 165 plants are thriving and looking good. We feel we are looking out onto our own Luxembourg Gardens. We highly recommend East Coast Landscape Design!

The estimate was the highest I received, and was too general and brief to make comparison possible. The other companies who gave estimates provided a helpful and detailed list of what their price would cover.

Made an appointment with East Coast Landscape Design. Mark came out at the appointed time, suggested some grading and installation of a grate and basin with a pipe installed underground extending to outside the fence line. I had researched a number of other landscapers and found it hard to find someone who would take on the job. Apparently it was too big for landscapers that are essentially a mowing service and too small for landscapers that are designing patios for MacMansions. I had two options and went with East Coast because I had more confidence that they would do a good job and get it done soon, which was important because I had a big outdoor party coming up the next weekend. My other option made a lower offer and I'm sure would have stayed with the job until it was done right, but I wasn't comfortable that he would have completed it in time. If I didn't have the party scheduled for the coming weekend I might have gone with him. ECLD did the job two days later as promised. The fix held - I have had no more standing water problems, and it looks good. The business part of the transaction was handled smoothly and professionally, and Mark checked in after the next time it rained wards wanting to make the regrading and drainage worked as intended. (of course the party had to be rescheduled because of rain.) In short, my experience with my little job was that ECLD that knows what they are doing, they care about what they are doing, and they do a good job.

The sketch was rudimentary, too expensive and useless.

Very well! I am very satisfied with the quality of work done. Mr. Simpson was courteous and showed professionalism. Workers were diligent and skillful.

This is the second time we have used this company--the first time went so well that we decided to call again for additional services. This time, we wanted the entire backyard cleaned out. Our yard is large, more than a third of an acre, and was covered in parts with overgrown vines, several terribly ugly bushes, and lots of brush and fallen tree debris. Not to mention a large section of bamboo that was encroaching on everything. They agreed to remove everything, even the bamboo (no small feat) as well as take down a holly tree in order to provide a fresh clean slate for the backyard. We also asked them to build another garden (raised, with a stone border), exactly the same as one they built last year. Lastly, we requested they do some upkeep on the front landscaping, which involved mulching, trimming, etc. The estimate was provided within a few days of the original consult, and once we agreed, the work was scheduled very quickly. I was actually surprised since I knew they would be busy (we didnt' contact them until May). Everything was completed timely, and we couldn't be happier with the results (especially the bamboo removal!). The East Coast team was always very courteous and friendly, arrived on time, and was very detail-oriented. We couldn't be happier with our results, and we will definitely use this company again for additional landscaping needs.

I am very pleased with the work. Mark (owner) came up with a plan within my budget and accommodated my request for a revised proposal. My yard looks amazing, like it should be in a magazine. I didn't quite know what to expect, but I trusted Mark's plan, and I got a yard makeover! I also credit the crew, who followed the plan exactly and created the patio and new plantings with an artistic flair. The crew also weeded and mulched much of my backyard too. The office manager was a joy to work with and responsive by phone and e-mail. I will definitely use ECLD again.

We had pondered for years how to deal with our sloped back yard and the frequent problems with heavy rainfall creating "mud rivers" through the lawn. We had an idea of how to solve the problem and make it pretty at the same time, but earlier consultations with landscapers led to shockingly high estimates and overly fancy suggestions. East Coast Landscape Design had done previous work that looked roughly like what we wanted, and the head of the company came by the house to provide suggestions himself. The estimate was a good price, particularly since we opted for real rocks rather than pavers and blocks for most of the work. The job was delivered at the quoted price, without sneaky extras. It is true that we didn't modify the design once the work started, but even so, a less scrupulous firm would have found ways to count small niceties as costs. The work started fairly soon after we agreed on the estimate, although the exact start date was hard to pin down for a week or so. Once the work started, we were amazed at the efficiency and skill of the work team. These fellows really had a high standard of careful work -- putting in proper basework under the walls and path, leveling and measuring, consulting over certain details, and crafting the stone masonry in a way that seemed informed by old traditions as well as modern materials and tools. We were particularly amazed at the work on the front path. We had tried ourselves to build one and it had shifted and heaved with the rain and usage. When we saw the type of equipment, materials, and techniques these fellows used, we realized just how amateur our own efforts had been--there is a limit to what you can learn how to do yourself from the internet! The team worked very long hours and finished the job in fewer days than we expected. They cleaned up after themselves perfectly. They were pleasant to deal with. The head of the company checked in by phone several times to make sure all was well. Our neighbors have come around to see the work and been very complimentary. Now we are enjoying choosing new plants ourselves to complement our interesting garden layout, without having to worry about the slopes and mud!

This is the second time that I have used East Coast Landscape Design. My second experience was even better than the first. Mark designed a beautiful driveway and walkway with lighting that transformed the front of my house. My his crew works tirelessly. They are friendly and professional. I highly recommend Mark and his company.

We had a very positive experience. They were responsive and came out quickly to give a quote, and the price was considerably lower than another landscaper that we received a quote from for the same work. The harscaping team was efficient and did a great job. Our only complaint was that they worked late into the evening, which may have caused problems for some of our neighbors. They also left a bit of a gap in the stairs, but Mark was very quick to send someone out to fix this once we alerted him to the problem. They were able to do a large amount of landscaping/planting in one day, and fit some very large trees into a narrow spot that may have been challenging. The workers were very polite, and Mark was responsive to our questions, and came out after all of the work was done to go over how to care for the plants.

"Same as above. Everything went great! It was definitely a great experience.

In May of 2012 Mark Simpson came to my home to provide me with an estimate of improving my backyard drainage.During periods of heavy rain water had been coming over the sill of my back door and water would pool in the backyard. On the initial visit Mark spent over two hours with me and I was impressed with his focus on my problem and needs as well as his thorough inspection of the topography. A very short period of time after the initial visit Mark sent me an estimate. After reading the proposal I found three areas I wanted amended: (1) sod instead of seed after the regrading since it appeared the work would be done in the summer; (2) PVC pipe instead of black corrugated; (3) a modest reduction in the cobblestone border. Without hesitation, Mark immediately agreed to the three amendments and said the first two amendments would result in no increase in cost. In terms of the work, the East Coast Landscaping regrading efforts have solved my drainage problems and since this was my overall objective I must give East Coast Landscaping a grade of A. After two days of monsoon-like rains from Hurricane Sandy there was no moisture in my basement nor was there a puddle to be seen in the backyard. Water runs from the catch basin in my front yard to the street with no pooling anywhere. Mark's workers did excellent work on the retaining walls and the cobblestone border around the deck base. The only criticism I had of East Coast Landscaping was of the restoration of the lawn in some areas where the PVC pipe had been laid. In digging the trench for the pipe, workers had worn grass down to bare earth. While they had neatly sodded the filled-in trench they had done nothing to repair the areas adjacent to the trench line. When I phoned Mark he had said that he had not had a chance to inspect the job site and would have the problem taken care of. About two days later I saw where some grass seed and topsoil had been thrown down with minimal effort. Much of the problem here might have been due to lack of communication from Mark's foreman who should have conveyed to me what their intentions were. If Mark's crew had laid down about 15 yards of sod in the impacted areas East Coast Landscaping would have received an A for Professionalism rather than the B.

Excellent - men worked all day, were on time and the results were terrific.

Mark was prompt, professional and knowledgeable. The entire process was smooth and the price was competitive, and he completed the job on time as committed. Would definitely recommend his work and approach.