Landscape Construction in Hillsdale, NJ
At Ken Steenstra Landscaping, Inc., we build landscapes that last-starting below the surface. Our landscape construction services in Hillsdale, NJ focus on the critical infrastructure that supports every beautiful outdoor space: precise excavation, meticulous grading, reliable drainage, and durable masonry. Whether you're preparing a property for a full redesign or solving long-standing site issues, we deliver engineered solutions that protect your investment and perform through every season.
Excavation: Safe, Accurate, and Ready for What's Next
Every successful project begins with disciplined excavation. We evaluate utilities, soil conditions, access, and staging to create a clean, safe work plan. Using the right-size equipment for tight suburban lots in Hillsdale, we remove unsuitable soils, old footings, and debris; carve footpaths and patio footprints; and cut for walls, steps, or water features without over-excavating. Our team benchmarks elevations, verifies setbacks, and coordinates inspections when required, ensuring the subgrade is at the correct depth and density for the structure to come. The result is a stable, code-conscious starting point that keeps the schedule moving and prevents costly rework later.Grading: Managing Water and Elevation with Precision
Proper grading protects your home, hardscapes, and plantings. We create a grading plan that blends design intent with hydrology, shaping the site to manage water naturally while delivering smooth transitions and comfortable slopes. Finished grades are established to direct runoff away from foundations and toward planned collection points, with swales and berms tuned to Hillsdale's typical storm patterns. We use laser levels to set consistent pitch for driveways, walkways, and patios (commonly 1–2% depending on surface), and we compact in lifts to reduce settlement. The outcome is a yard that feels level where it should, drains where it must, and looks intentional from every angle.Drainage: Engineered Systems That Prevent Problems
If water has ever pooled on your lawn or crept toward your basement, you know drainage isn't optional-it's foundational. We diagnose surface and subsurface water issues and design integrated systems that may include French drains, perforated underdrains beneath patios, channel drains at grade transitions, catch basins in low spots, pop-up emitters, and gutter downspout tie-ins. Stone sizing, pipe slope, and geotextile selection are all matched to soil type and load. We also incorporate green strategies where appropriate-like rain gardens or infiltration trenches-to slow and filter runoff. Our goal is simple: move water predictably, protect structures, and keep your landscape usable after every storm.Masonry & Structural Hardscapes: Built for Beauty and Strength
We approach masonry as both craft and structure. Base prep is non-negotiable: compacted, well-graded aggregates; edge restraints where needed; and appropriate bedding layers for pavers or stone. For walls and steps, we construct to best-practice standards-proper footing depth below frost line, geogrid reinforcement for taller segmental walls, drainage stone and weep paths behind every wall, and cap units set with adhesives or mortar suitable for freeze-thaw cycles. Patios and walkways are laid with consistent joints and pitch, using materials that fit your aesthetic-natural stone, brick, or concrete pavers-while expansion and control joints are planned to reduce cracking. The finish looks refined; the underlying structure is engineered to endure.Why Ken Steenstra Landscaping, Inc.: Local Expertise, Lasting Results
Hillsdale properties present unique challenges-tight access, mature trees, and variable soils. Our team is tuned to local site conditions and municipal expectations, coordinating with you and other trades to keep projects on time and on spec. We prioritize communication, set clear milestones, and maintain tidy, respectful job sites. From the first shovel to the final sweep, we measure success by how well your landscape performs months and years after we leave.Ready to build it right from the ground up? Let's start with a site assessment and grading/drainage review. Ken Steenstra Landscaping, Inc. will design and construct the infrastructure your landscape needs-so your masonry, plantings, and outdoor living features look great and work even better in every season in Hillsdale, NJ. Contact Ken Steenstra Landscaping Inc at 201-857-8700 or through our online form and send us your project details.