METICULOUS

A Selection of Recent Projects

Including Process & Design Notes

Back Yard Grading and Natural Turf Establishment
Westfield, NJ

Backyard with bare soil being regraded, surrounded by trees and bushes.

Once an existing lawn/vegetation is scraped up and removed, work can begin on establishing an improved grade. For this project, the yard was gently sloped in two directions to take advantage of existing in-lawn catch basins that help evacuate storm water.

Freshly prepared lawn area with a rolling soil leveler surrounded by trees and a house in the background.

When the weather is ideal, Kentucky Bluegrass sod is brought in and placed by hand. Favorable weather is important not just on the day of installation, but in the days leading up to installation as well. Optimizing moisture content in your sod ensures pieces won’t dry out in transport, or fall apart from over-saturation while being handled.

Landscaping scene with a wheelbarrow containing sod rolls, with a partially laid grass lawn in the background.

Additional soil is added in small increments (or lifts) rather than all at once. It is rolled and watered in between lifts to minimize future settling. Once the finished grade is achieved, existing sprinkler heads are brought to the correct height and dialed-in to optimize efficiency.

Downspout Drainage and Planting
Westfield, NJ

Exterior drainage installation with a PVC pipe next to a brick wall, surrounded by disturbed soil and tools.

Existing shrubs and vegetation are removed down to the roots. In this particular case, the existing corrugated drain pipe that ran through the shrub bed was clogged and invaded by roots. Schedule 40 PVC pipe with a smooth interior was used as a replacement to allow for easy maintenance in the future, and significantly better defense against invading roots.

A white PVC drainage pipe daylighting through a retaining wall near a brick house.

All digging done by hand, the new schedule 40 PVC pipe is placed underneath existing sprinkler lines and landscape lighting wire, and emerges through the existing stucco façade retaining wall.

Front yard landscaping with brick house and flower bed.

The existing pressure treated wood retaining wall, acting as an extension of the stucco façade retaining wall, is replaced in kind to accommodate the new finished grade of the shrub bed.

House surrounded by a well-manicured garden and shrubs.

A combination of evergreen shrubs and perennial flowering shrubs are placed to mask the drainage and other utility infrastructure. Landscape lighting and sprinklers are re-adjusted for the new layout, and the area is finished in Red Barn Stone to compliment the brick and serve as a low maintenance alternative to mulch.

Fire Pit Seating Area
Westfield, NJ

Backyard octagonal patio with wooden frame partially constructed.

A 250 sqft area was selected in the back of this yard to serve as a seating area around a wood-burning fire pit. Great care was taken to disturb only the necessary lawn area. Pressure-treated 4” x 6” (nominal) timbers were used as the retaining structure. Individual pieces were cut off-site with angles to create a decagon shape.

Octagonal wooden patio frame on dirt in backyard with trees and garden supplies.

The completed decagon is lined with non-woven filter fabric, and filled with 3/4” clean crushed stone. The 3/4” crushed stone is topped off with 3/4” River Stone for a more decorative look. Both types of stone allow water to pass through easily.

Wood-framed gravel patio area in a garden.

The 4” x 6” pressure-treated pieces were stacked and fastened together using 8” structural wood screws. Additional structural wood screws were added to the inner side, and concrete was poured over and around them. This prevents the sides from heaving outwards in the future, and serves as added stability for on-and-off foot traffic.

Raised octagonal gravel bed patio in a backyard with trees and grass

The finished seating area provides a consistent, ultra low maintenance all-season surface to gather on.

Tiered Bluestone Patio Rehabilitation
Westfield, NJ

Backyard area with slate patio under construction, surrounded by a wooden fence and trees.

A natural cleft bluestone patio to be replaced in kind. The original bluestone pieces (of varying size and thickness) were to be restored and re-used in the patio reconstruction. The process begins by removing all existing pieces and placing them away from the work area, retaining their precise pattern.

Backyard under construction for a bluestone patio with dug-out area.

Pressure-treated 6” x 6” (nominal) timbers were used as the retaining structure. Pieces were stacked and fastened together using 8” structural wood screws and stepped down where we needed accommodate the sloping yard and minimize step height.

Backyard with drainage system installation for under a patio, including PVC pipes and wooden beam for retaining wall.

The bluestone pieces will be scrubbed and power-washed to restore their original color, which includes various shades of blue, green, brown, and rust. The borders and tiers of the patio can then be re-defined and prepped for the new pressure treated timbers.

Backyard with trench and drainage pipe installation, wooden beams framing the area, and patio in the background.

A 4” Schedule 40 PVC drain line connecting to the gutter downspout replaced the existing corrugated drain pipe. This pipe will discharge water onto the driveway away from the sitting area or the adjacent garden, preventing erosion.

Backyard with wooden fence, empty garden beds, partial patio view, and gardening tools like a shovel.

The upper and lower tier of the patio are separated by a 6” step. The larger 3/4” crushed stone used as base material for the patio was mostly undisturbed by re-construction. Some additional stone dust is brought in and compacted to create a perfectly level surface. The trapezoidal layout matches the original design of the patio, and allowed for 100% of the original bluestone pieces to be reused.

Backyard with new stone patio and wooden border next to grassy lawn and wooden fence.

Additional landscape lighting is added to the driveway-side edge of the patio to help illuminate the step at night for safety, and make parking easier. The original bluestone pieces, now back to their original color, are placed by hand to recreate the original pattern.

Backyard patio area under construction with slate tiles framed by wooden beams.

A rodent drain guard is added to the end of the drain pipe to prevent unwanted intrusion of small critters. Polymeric joint sand is added to fill the gaps between bluestone pieces, and the patio reconstruction is complete.

Storm Drain Tie-In
Westfield, NJ

Sidewalk with construction area marked by caution tape, wooden planks, plastic trash cans, and a storm drain.

This particular property sits in a low point among the surrounding houses, and in a collection area for storm runoff during moderate to heavy rainfall. The existing drain pipe installed during the development of the neighborhood in the mid-1960s was nearly impossible to properly maintain due to its length of 250+ feet, and its crossing of 3 neighboring properties. The Town of Westfield installed a drainage inlet at the corner of the adjacent property with a buried stub-out that the homeowner was able to tie in to.

Excavator digging a trench with tools and pipes in a muddy area.

Rather than using a custom pipe fitting that would be buried, both existing 6” pipes fed into a manhole to allow for considerably easier access/maintenance. The bottom of the manhole would be filled with concrete so the invert (bottom) of the pipe would be flush with the bottom of the manhole.

Excavated area with a large black plastic pipe and two smaller pipes, surrounded by dirt and grass, indicating plumbing or drainage installation.

Once the town completed their work, the first step of the project was to locate the existing 6” fiber-reinforced concrete pipe that traversed the yard. An additional 6” PVC pipe coming from the back yard was located where the two intersected. The continuation of the existing pipe would later be capped before abandonment.

Trench with PVC pipe and drainage installation.

A new 8” Schedule 40 PVC pipe was installed leading out of the new manhole towards the town’s drainage inlet. The increase from 6” to 8” pipe allows for a 56% increase in flow capacity.

Construction site with excavation equipment, dirt piles, large plastic pipes, and bags of concrete mix.

A second manhole is positioned between the first manhole and the buried stub-out to accommodate additional incoming drainage pipes, and direct all water towards the manhole.

Construction site with a person in jeans and boots installing a large white drainage pipe into a trench.

The buried stub-out between the curb and the sidewalk is located and uncapped. The final section of 8” Schedule 40 PVC pipe is joined to the stub.

View inside a cylindrical concrete well or pipe partially filled with gravel, surrounded by dirt.

The second manhole also receives two separate pipes from gutter downspouts. These originally emptied out through the curb onto the street, but were diverted to the manhole to improve efficiency and avoid clogging, especially during leaf season.

Residential neighborhood construction site with soil and gravel, utility pole, house in background, and equipment like a wheelbarrow and pipes.

The excavated work area is backfilled and compacted in 6” lifts to mitigate future settling of the lawn.

A section of lawn area with soil exposed, surrounded by green grass, indicating recent landscaping or construction work. Two circular metal lids are partially buried in the soil, providing access to underground drainage pipes.

The work area is boxed out and cut/prepped for new sod to match the existing level of the lawn.

Residential house with a well-maintained lawn and various trees and shrubs.

New Kentucky Bluegrass sod is rolled, and over-seeded with a blend of rye and fescue to eventually blend and match the existing lawn.

Residential lawn with green grass, shrubs, and trees in front of a house.

The area is fully restored and blended. The locking manhole covers are safe for foot traffic and provide easy access for maintenance.

Clearing, Grading & Yard Reclamation
Westfield, NJ

Gradually sloped backyard with playset and trees.

The back of this yard had a low spot that would become inundated with water during moderate to heavy rain events due to overflow from a neighboring stream.

Two people operating construction equipment in a sloped, wooded backyard, with autumn foliage and a pile of soil.

The remainder of the fill dirt was used to create a gentle grade consistent with the existing grade of the yard. Low hanging tree limbs were also removed to allow for better drying, and more sunlight down low.

Freshly graded yard with a small excavator, surrounded by trees and a white fence.

The existing swing set was removed, along with much of the brush behind it (mostly weeds and thorn bushes) and clean fill was added in the extreme low areas. Fill is added and rolled in 3” lifts to mitigate future settling of the lawn.

Backyard with trees and freshly tilled soil ready for new sod.

Screened top soil was added on top of the fill to achieve the final grade.

Garden with new grass sod installation near autumn trees.

4,000 sqft of sod is meticulously rolled by hand. Sod was chosen instead of seed to protect from soil erosion, and achieve a usable playing surface more quickly.

A backyard with green grass and trees with autumn foliage.

The new sod is matched with the existing lawn to create a smooth transition. The perimeter is shaped with sweeping curves for aesthetics, and to allow for a mulch bed buffer beyond the grass.

Green backyard with grass, trees, and a wooden fence.

The area is mulched and the sod is rolled with a weighted drum one last time to flatten out unintended bumps and ruts from cleanup and mulching.

A landscaped garden area featuring evergreen trees, trimmed bushes, and a wooden fence, with a neatly maintained grass lawn and freshly mulched garden beds.

Additional tree trimming is completed in the side yard, and the perimeter mulch bed with large sweeping curves is extended for continuity.

Custom Cedar Shed Construction
Westfield, NJ

A partially constructed wooden shed frame situated next to a white fence and surrounded by trees.

The location of this 5’ x 8’ back yard shed was chosen to comply with property line setback requirements without adversely affecting available play space in the yard. Pressure-treated wood is used to construct the frame of the shed floor on top of 3’ deep concrete footings.

Partially constructed wooden shed frame with a garden and trees in the background.

Tongue & groove cedar boards are chosen for siding. Cedar has a great natural look and is naturally resistant to rot and a variety of insects such as silverfish, termites, beetles, and cockroaches. Additional trim is added around the window, doors and corners of the shed for aesthetics.

Backyard with a small wooden shed under construction, various tools and building materials on the ground.

The remainder of the shed is framed and includes a functional window, gable roof, and an opening for double doors.

A small wooden shed with a gray shingled roof in a backyard, surrounded by green lawn and shrubs, near a white fence and trees.

Shed construction is completed with the installation of the custom double doors, as well as plantings and mulch to integrate the position of the shed in the yard to the rest of the landscaping.