Local business · Burlington, MALocal business · 27 Chestnut Ave, Burlington, MA 01803
Verified record
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Prato Associates, Inc.. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Estimated range
$50 – $70
Typical landscaping service around $60
A homeowner writing in October 2018 wanted a retaining wall built at the edge of her neighbour's driveway. Davis Prato made a separate trip to meet the neighbour and answer her questions, and his crew put a couple of plants in for her while they were on site. That is the shape of this firm: a registered landscape architect who draws the plan and then stands on the job while it gets built. Prato Associates has been a Massachusetts corporation since September 1989, run out of Burlington by Davis H. Prato, who studied environmental design at UMass Amherst in 1977 and has held Registration #1083 with the state's Board of Registration of Landscape Architects since 1993. Its Massachusetts home improvement contractor registration is active. BBB grades the five-person company A+, though it is not BBB accredited. The work described in the reviews is heavier than planting. A client writing in November 2014 had a quarter-acre of yard cleared and regraded, an extensive retaining wall system built, and chain-link fencing and a 30-by-60-foot concrete sport court installed by subcontractors he hired and oversaw — a job that needed the town Conservation Commission's approval because the property held wetlands, which is exactly why they chose him. Another 2014 client credited him with figuring out why water was seeping into the basement, then siting pop-up drains at the foundation and adding a soaker system, plus a one-year warranty on the plants he supplied. Permit records back the same picture: 190 feet of four-foot retaining wall in Burlington in 2014, a $23,000 Brookline job in 2012 that swapped a deck for a bluestone patio and repaved the driveway, engineered Versa-Lok walls in Waltham going back to 2003. What customers repeat is that the owner runs it. A December 2015 client watched him walk the property taking photographs before producing a plan and a sketch, then found the crew there every day until it was finished, with only a week of downpours moving the date. A 2014 client whose new hydroseed washed out in a storm said the crew came back and reseeded it. Three things to settle before you call. The written history stops in July 2019, so ask for references from recent seasons. BuildZoom's copy of the landscape-architect registration carried a January 2026 expiration when it was last checked, which is now past, so ask whether it has been renewed. And the company says plainly that it does not supply maintenance — it writes and oversees management plans instead, so you will need someone else to cut the grass. The right call for the substantial exterior project: walls, regrading, drainage, a patio and pool surround, or anything that has to pass a conservation commission. For weekly upkeep, look elsewhere.
“We had an amazing experience! Our backyard is now an oasis with a stunning custom fire pit and water feature. Their attention to detail was exceptional.”
We hired Prato & Associates a couple of years ago to plant some grasses and perennials around our new pool. Davis and his crew exceeded our initial expectations so we recently had them back to install a brick patio plus additional plantings to tie in with pool project. The results are phenomenal! His crew showed up as scheduled, explained their approach, and kept the area clean and usable throughout the duration of the project. They are bery knowledgable and passionate about their craft. My wife and I highly recommend Prato and Associates and know you will not be dissappointed.
We just had a lovely patio, along with plantings, topographical correction appropriate to our lot and stonewall design, constructed by Prato Associates out of Burlington. We are very, very pleased! Dave is the consummate professional who definitely knows what he's doing. He was wonderful to work with, had innovative ideas, and pricing was reasonable! His crew was awesome; hardworking, and professional!
I couldn't be more pleased with Prato Associates. From start to finish, Davis himself oversaw every aspect of the work. He met with me several times, reworking the landscaping plan to accommodate my vision and my budget. Because a new retaining wall was being installed at the edge of my neighbor's driveway, Davis made a separate trip to meet with my neighbor to answer her questions. Once the work started it was completed within a very reasonable timeframe and on budget. Davis's crew was knowledgeable and accommodating, even offering to plant a couple of plantings for my neighbor while they were on site! The results are beautiful and the talk of the neighborhood. I highly recommend Davis and his company for any landscaping work you have.
We needed hardscape and landscape work done. The scope of the work was a large patio, new plantings, re-laying old brickwork, installing sod and arranging for a driveway to be installed. We met with Dave and told him what we wanted and what our budget was. He took his time walking around the property and took a lot of pictures. He returned with a plan and a sketch and we were thrilled with it. His price was very fair and we hired him on the spot. He gave us a timeframe of when he would start and complete the job and the only thing that changed it a little bit was a week of downpours. His team was there every day and didn’t stop until the job was done. He seemed to have a vision for our home and was always available to talk when we had questions or issues that needed addressing. We ended up having him do another area on our property because we were so happy with his work. We are very happy we chose Prato Associates to do this work for us. Dave and his team were great.
I recommend and would use Dave Prato and his team again. We hired Prato Associates to design and build the landscaping around our newly installed in-ground pool. Dave created a design that fit our budget and worked hard to maximize the value we received. For example, he moved existing plantings to another part of the yard instead of just getting rid of them. They expanded the patio, matching the existing pavers, and connected it to the pool through a curved walkway. Also installed walkway of stepping stone pavers from the driveway around back to the patio, through an arbor he installed. Plantings included six trees, mulch beds, and many perennials. Installed a small number of arbor vitae trees to block the pool equipment from my neighbor. Collaborated well with the sprinkler system installer as that was put in at the same time. Also seeded areas for grass, and put down sod in another area. Dave and his team pushed hard to get the bulk done in time for a Memorial Day party, then finished the rest (like the arbor) afterwards. He did a good job with explaining the process, asking for our input on the design, setting expectations and following through. We have received many compliments about how beautiful the pool area looks.
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Added 11 new comments, added 11 new photos, verified active license, established rating 3.9
Fixes others' failures4.3
Hardscape construction4.3