Oak Forest Landscaping
Local business · 525 Merrimack St, Methuen, MA 01844, USA
Their work
1 photoVerified record
- A+ BBB rating
- 4 reviews in the last 6 monthsNo negatives
- 1 work photo
Highlights
- Owner on site — reviewers deal with Michael Arserio directly, not a crew
- Quick callbacks — recent customers cite fast responses and fair quotes
- Repeat hires — several reviewers describe multiple projects over years
- Long history — a sole proprietorship operating since 2004
- Full-season work — maintenance, hardscapes and winter snow plowing
- No-show complaint — one 2★ report of a promised job left unfinished
- Two-person capacity — scheduling risk when builds and mowing routes collide
- Lower Porch score — 4.4 across 8 ratings versus 4.8 on Google
- Unclear coverage — listings claim four towns in one place, three counties in another
- Not BBB accredited — the A+ grade sits on a non-accredited file
Ask around Methuen for a landscaper and one first name keeps surfacing in the reviews: Mike. Michael Arserio has run Oak Forest Landscaping as a sole proprietorship since 2004 — 22 years, with two employees on the BBB's count, which is why almost every account is about the owner personally rather than a crew you never meet. The work sits at two ends of the trade. On maintenance: mowing, spring and fall cleanups, mulching, fertilizing, aeration, weed control, tree and shrub care, and estate-style property upkeep. On construction: hardscapes, planting and what the company calls high-end landscape construction, plus snow plowing and removal through the winter. Its BBB file carries an A+ grade, though the business is not BBB accredited. Recent customers describe a particular kind of relief. One homeowner in July had cycled through crews that cut the grass at speed, gave the bushes what he called a bad haircut and were gone five minutes later, and called Mike about the shrubs on the duplex ranch his father had kept meticulously. In June another said the lawn work was done in good time and the result looked the way he wanted; a Methuen homeowner the same month pointed to quick responses and pricing that felt fair. In February a customer who had run out of patience elsewhere said Michael called back, stayed on top of the job and delivered it as asked. Behind that sits a 4.8 average across 14 Google ratings and a written record running back to 2015. One dissenting voice deserves airtime. A reviewer reported being promised repeatedly that a job would be finished and then getting a no-show — a single account, years back, against a long run of positive ones, but for a two-person operation a scheduling collapse is the plausible failure mode when a build lands in the same week as the mowing route. Porch also shows a lower 4.4 average across its 8 ratings. Coverage is described inconsistently across its listings: one gives the Methuen, Andover, North Andover and Dracut cluster, another claims Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk counties. This is the right call for a homeowner who wants the owner on site — a standing mowing and cleanup arrangement, a planting or hardscape project, a plow contract for winter. Confirm they actually cover your street, and get a start and finish date in writing before the first visit.
Read the comments
Most recent comments
- 5.0Jul 25, 2026
After dealing with a handful of landscapers . Whose idea of maintaining a yard was coming in and cutting the grass at about 50 mph. Trimming a couple little bushes making it look like a bad haircut. And then following up the next three visits with just giving a yard a Brazilian blowout with their backpack blowers and then leaving 5 minutes later. I decided to give oak forest landscaping a call and talk to Michael the owner. Told him I needed the bushes trimmed on a duplex ranch at my father had since I was born. And is now mine. My father was meticulous on those bushes around the house. I didn't want him to be damaged trashy looking or lopsided. But because the other landscaping crews did shitty jobs on my other houses I decide to try somebody new and that's when I met Michael. He came to the house and assessed it and said he could take care of it and gave me a really good price. A week later they were done He not only trimmed every bush perfectly but there was not one clipping on the ground underneath and all the weeds that I totally forgot to mention when we were checking out the shrubs He took it upon himself and cleaned them all out. I could not have been any happier and as far as I'm concerned he's doing all my houses from now on. If you want somebody who takes pride in their work has a pretty good price and trust me I tipped them very well. Anybody that does that good work and put so much pride into what they're doing is a relic in my book. So definitely give this company a call according to Michael he does everything even putting in block walls all forms of landscaping and care maintenance. He has plenty of equipment for such a small company but like I said it's hard to find anybody who takes pride in their work and goes above and beyond to make sure the customer is happy. I give this guy's business an A+
— marc theriaultView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Jun 22, 2026
Mike and his crew at Oak Forest Landscaping are the best in the business. They did the lawn at my property in a timely manner and were nothing but professional every step of the way. It was a great experience and the final result is beautiful. I'm satisfied and will have them come back the next time I want the yard worked on
- 5.0Jun 2, 2026
I had a great experience with Oak Forest Landscaping in Methuen. I dealt with Mike, and he did an excellent job from start to finish. He was professional, had a great attitude, responded quickly, and offered fair pricing. The work came out great, and I’d definitely recommend Oak Forest Landscaping to anyone looking for reliable landscaping services.
— Ben CelebrityView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Feb 3, 2026
I was at my wits end when Michael contacted me back, he was on top of everything the job came exactly the way I asked, Oak Forest went above and beyond I cannot thank Mike and his guys would use them again in a second and would recommend Oak Forest for your all of your landscaping!!! Thanks OakForest
— Thomas PalkaView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Jan 12, 2026
Oak forest has assisted me with home projects multiple times. He is a wonderful person, very thorough and accomidates his customers to the extreme. They are highly recommended
— Elise AndradeView on Google Reviews ↗
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Update history
Added 13 new comments, added 1 new photo, established rating 3.9
- behind the score: No-show complaint — one 2★ report of a promised job left unfinished
What does landscaping cost in Greater Boston?
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Oak Forest Landscaping. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Estimated range
$50 – $70
Typical landscaping service around $60