Land Clearing
Brush, saplings and overgrowth removed so part of the lot becomes usable.
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Hardscaping & Masonry · Gloucester, MA
Hardscaping and masonry services on the North Shore
North Shore homes sit on sloped lots, ledge and salted winters, and each one calls for a different fix. George Hardscaping has served the North Shore since 2005 from Gloucester, building patios, walkways, steps, retaining walls, fire pits, paver driveways and pool decks across Essex County. This page helps you pick the right hardscaping and masonry services for your yard.
4.9 on Google from 36 reviews
Where to Start
Start with the problem, not the material
Most outdoor projects start with a problem: a yard that slopes, a path that floods, steps that feel steep, a driveway that is breaking up. The problem tells you which service to read first. A slope usually points to a retaining wall. A muddy route from the car points to a walkway.
Projects often overlap. A patio on a slope may need a wall and a few steps, and a new walk has to meet the door or the drive. We plan the pieces together so levels and materials line up. After more than 20 years on the North Shore, our crew has seen most of the ways a yard can go wrong, and that shapes how we plan a job.
Google shows George Hardscaping at 4.9 stars from 36 ratings. The gallery shows how stone, brick and pavers look once they are in.
- Serving the North Shore since 2005
- Natural stone, brick, pavers and concrete
- Paths and stairs for sloping yards
- Walls that hold a slope and add seating
- One estimate request can cover several services
Our Services
Which service fits your yard
Each card says when that service is the right call and links to the page with materials, planning points and a project of ours.
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Patio Design & Installation
A flat, usable spot to sit, dine or set a grill is what a patio gives you. See our Wenham patio.
Patios and the Wenham project -
Walkways & Stairs
Walkways are the route across the property, such as the drive to the door, with stairs where the path climbs. See our Boxford stairs.
Walkways and the Boxford stairs -
Steps & Brick Stairs
Front entries and steps between yard levels belong here. See our Danvers entrance.
Steps and the Danvers entrance -
Retaining Walls
A slope that needs holding back, or runoff that needs steering away from the lawn, calls for a wall. See our Gloucester wall.
Walls and the Gloucester project -
Custom Fire Pits
Fire pits are sized to the space and the people using it, round, square or rectangular. See our North Reading fire pit.
Fire pits and the North Reading build -
Paver Driveways
Interlocking pavers replace asphalt, and a single damaged paver can be replaced on its own instead of resurfacing the whole drive.
Paver driveways -
Pool Decks
Pool decks cover the ground around a new pool or rebuild the deck around the one you have. See our Lynnfield deck.
Pool decks and the Lynnfield deck
Recent Work
Three jobs from our own work
Each of these shows a different side of masonry on the North Shore: coastal engineering, natural stone, and historic-district review.
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01
Manchester-by-the-Sea: seawall tiebacks
A coastal property needed heavy-duty anchoring for a seawall facing both soil pressure and wave action. We installed helical tiebacks rated for 200,000 pounds each, spaced 6 feet on center. The marine setting called for upgraded galvanizing and specialized connection details.
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02
Hamilton: cottage-style flagstone entrance
We completed a cottage-style flagstone entrance for a Hamilton homeowner. The owner said the first green sprigs between the new flagstone steps confirmed the choice, and described the entrance as the house giving a little nod to the garden.
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03
Newburyport: fireplaces in the historic district
Fireplaces in Newburyport's historic district were done alongside a partner installer. The job meant working closely with both the building inspectors and the historical commission to ensure compliance while preserving the home's character. It took extra planning, and the results were worth it.
Before Any Work Starts
Before any work starts: Dig Safe and permits
Dig Safe asks everyone who digs, contractor or homeowner, to call 811 first. Massachusetts law calls for notice at least 72 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays, and Dig Safe tickets expire after 30 days.
The local building inspector has the final word on permits. Wall height, stair limits and frost depth each have their own rules, covered on the retaining wall and steps pages.
Near a marsh or wetland, Massachusetts law generally calls for a filing with the conservation commission for work within 100 feet. The Gloucester page covers the city's stricter ordinance.
- Call 811 before anything is dug
- Ask your town about permits for walls and steps
- Ask the conservation commission about wetlands nearby
- Confirm every rule with your town
Materials
Stone, brick, pavers or concrete
We work in all four, and the right one depends on the house and the job.
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01
Natural stone
From natural stone to brick and concrete, we help you design to complement your home's architectural style. Granite, flagstone and bluestone are among the stones we use on steps and entrances.
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02
Brick
Brick suits patios, walks and brick stairs. Our team guides you through choosing bricks or stones by balancing style with durability and maintenance.
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Pavers
Brick and stone pavers are used to build our patios. Concrete pavers are our recommendation for pool decks, based on our years of experience.
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04
Concrete
Concrete work means pouring concrete into forms to create walls or other structures such as driveways and sidewalks. It is a durable solution that lasts for years without requiring much maintenance.
How a Combined Job Runs
The order of work, step by step
Patio, wall and steps follow one sequence, planned as a single piece.
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01
1. Free consultation
We begin new outdoor spaces with a free consultation. We meet with you to talk over the project and decide the best course of action.
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2. Design outline, costs and materials
Our design team puts together an initial design outline for your review. We go over everything with you, from costs to materials, so you are never left in the dark.
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3. Excavation and foundation
Construction involves careful excavation and foundation work. Clearing, digging or tree work the site needs first is also offered.
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4. Building
Our masons then build the structure, checking every detail from alignment to finishing touches.
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5. Permits, throughout
We handle the permitting process for our clients across Essex County. Bring photos, the address, rough size and what the space is for, and mention slopes, wet spots or trees in the way.
Beyond the Seven Services
Decks, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and repairs
These are listed on our hardscaping and masonry services page alongside the main seven.
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01
Decks
Like patios, decks extend the home and give you a comfortable spot to enjoy the outdoors in North Shore and Essex County.
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02
Outdoor kitchens
We design and install outdoor kitchens built around how you like to cook and entertain.
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Fireplaces
We build cozy outdoor fireplaces. The Newburyport fireplaces above show how historic-district review works. Fire pits have their own page.
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Repairs and restoration
Our experience ranges from new construction to repairing and restoring existing structures. The blog has repair guides showing how those jobs generally go.
Fireplace and Tile Work
What a client said about our fireplace work
"George and his team are amazing!! Truly a pleasure to work with. They are so talented and really helped fix issues even outside of what we had originally planned. He and his team made our fireplace a show stopper! The tile work that was done is immaculate. Thank you George!"
Meghan L., fireplace and tile work
74 Essex Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930Site Work
Site work that comes before the stonework
Clearing, digging and tree work are offered alongside the masonry. On many sites one of them has to happen first, and you can ask about any of them in the same request.
Excavation
Digging out and preparing the ground before a patio, wall or driveway goes in.
More on excavationTree Services
Trees near the house, leaning badly or standing where the project needs to go.
More on tree services
Where We Work
Looking for your town?
Gloucester, Rockport and Ipswich have their own pages, with Ipswich getting one for masonry and one for patios. Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Hamilton, Wenham and Beverly are also on the Where We Work list.
74 Essex Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930From the Blog
Repair and planning guides
- WallsHow to repair a stone retaining wall
- StepsStone step repair
- DrivewaysPermeable driveway surface options
- WallsReplacing railroad ties with stone
Questions
Choosing a hardscaping service
Which service page should I read first?
Start with the page that matches your biggest problem. A sloped yard points to retaining walls, a place to sit points to patios, and a steep entry points to steps. Walkways & Stairs covers paths across the property, while Steps & Brick Stairs covers the front door and steps between yard levels.
Which jobs suit pavers, and which suit natural stone?
Pavers suit driveways and areas that see road salt, because CMHA says concrete pavers can resist deicing salts better than conventional paving. Natural stone and brick suit walls and steps where you want a traditional look, such as the granite entrances and flagstone steps we have built in Danvers and Hamilton.
Who do I call before anything is dug?
Call Dig Safe at 811 before any digging, whether you are a contractor or a homeowner. The notice times are in the Dig Safe block above.
Does George Hardscaping handle permits?
Yes, permits are part of our order of work above. Rules differ by town and the building inspector decides, so tell us the address early.
Can an old wall or set of steps be repaired instead of replaced?
Often, yes. Our experience ranges from new construction to repairing and restoring existing structures. Send photos of what is there and what you want changed, and see the repair guides below.
When can paver work happen on the North Shore?
Winter limits paver work. ICPI says frozen or saturated bedding sand should not be installed under pavers. Ask about timing when you request an estimate.
Request an Estimate