M J Nicholls
Local business · 139 Howard St, Braintree, MA 02184, USA
Their work
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Call (617) 471-0555Visit websiteSee on GoogleYou reach them directly — we don’t take a cut.
Verified record
- Not rated by the BBB
- 3 reviews in the last 6 monthsNo negatives
- 35 customer photosOf completed work
Highlights
- Long-term repeat clients — one customer cites over 25 years of use
- Hands-on owner — Matt personally handles estimates and follow-up
- Fair, transparent pricing — described that way across multiple recent reviews
- Design-to-maintenance range — same crew builds, plants, and maintains yards
- Federal wage violation — $34,513 penalty for a 2020 wage-and-hour violation
Matt Nicholls started what's now M J Nicholls Landscaping after years doing lawn maintenance while working at Norfolk Aggie — one client says they've used him and his crew for more than 25 years since. Based on Howard Street in Braintree, the company describes its own founding as beginning 'over two decades ago,' and covers the South Shore with landscape maintenance, hardscape, irrigation, hydroseeding, fencing, outdoor lighting, and commercial snow plowing. The three reviews posted in the past six months are all five stars, and none raise a complaint. A recent backyard-and-patio rebuild had Matt handling the process personally — responsive throughout, with pricing described as fair and transparent from the start. Another recent job pulled a yard's worth of old, overgrown bushes, coordinated with Dig Safe before digging, and had Matt walk the customer through new planting options afterward. That pattern — Matt himself staying hands-on, quick to respond, straightforward about cost — recurs across a longer history of 59 reviews spanning five sources since 2021, and lines up with Google's own 4.3-star average across 106 ratings. One thing worth raising directly: the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division cited the company for a Fair Labor Standards Act violation in 2020, with a $34,513 penalty. That's a labor-practice finding rather than a complaint about the quality of the work, but it's public record and worth asking about. For a South Shore homeowner who wants one company to design a yard, build the hardscape, put in a fence, and keep it maintained year after year, M J Nicholls has the range and the repeat-client history to back it up. Worth confirming directly before booking: current insurance coverage and how the 2020 wage finding was resolved, since neither is addressed on the company's own site.
Read the comments
Most recent comments
- 5.0Jun 30, 2026
We had a great experience with MJ Nicholas Landscaping. They built our patio and landscaped our backyard, and we couldn't be happier with the results. Matt was extremely responsive throughout the entire process, and the pricing was fair and transparent from the start. The crew was skilled, professional, and efficient, and they completed the project with great attention to detail. We highly recommend MJ Nicholas Landscaping to anyone looking for high-quality landscaping and hardscaping work.
— Hannah YarmolinskyView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0May 11, 2026
We had a great experience with Nicholls Landscaping. We had them pull out multiple very old and overgrown bushes from the front of our home. This was done efficiently and well, coordinating with Dig Safe-- the guys left the place looking great. Then Matt gave us options for new plantings... he answered questions patiently and with much knowledge of the options and sent an estimate quickly. The installation date was scheduled quite quickly. Peter and his helper arrived early and worked so hard to plant. They welcomed questions and gave care tips. The entire experience was a wonderful, reasonable, and good one. No pressure, efficient work and scheduling, and knowledge about plants for our area and spot, and great people! We heartily recommend them!
— Louise BaconView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Mar 12, 2026
I have used Matt and his team for more than 25 years. Their work is excellent. They originally started by doing lawn maintenance when Matt was still at Norfolk Aggie. That lead to them doing all of the landscaping around my pool and cabana. His workers are friendly and professional. The design team is top notch!
— James DavisView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Dec 18, 2025
Matt, has been super responsive. We had a pretty big job, his crew was pleasant and flexible. We had changes and they were accommodating. Highly recommend Matt - honest and straight forward. Shows up when he says he will and does what he says he will.
— Joe SchmittView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Dec 15, 2025
If I could leave more stars I would! When Matt Nicholls was just starting he talked about his education in landscape design and his enthusiasm for creating awesome spaces. Over time MJ Nicholls has become THE go-to landscaping company in the area. It is such a delight to see the success he has become. Matt himself is creative and practical, and the crew for our project was diligent, professional, considerate, clean, and communicated clearly. We had major and transformative landscape done—walls, walkways, irrigation, new lawns—and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Bravo MJ Nicholls!
— MargaretLView on Google Reviews ↗
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Update history
Added 59 new comments, added 66 new photos, established rating 4.0
- behind the score: Federal wage violation — $34,513 penalty for a 2020 wage-and-hour violation
What does landscaping cost in Greater Boston?
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from M J Nicholls. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Estimated range
$50 – $70
Typical landscaping service around $60