Testimonials

We would highly recommend Green Side Up. Pete and his crew installed a garden wall, expanded our driveway and did concrete work that transformed the look of our home, and improved the drainage dramatically. He showed up when promised (even with a broken toe) and all of his employees were professional and efficient.

We are extremely pleased with the work that Pete and his crew did to correct a water drainage problem that we were having. The yard was not properly graded which resulted in a lot of standing water; we had a patio sinking with water running towards our home and into our basement; and debris and trees throughout the property made growing a lawn virtually impossible. Pete was very professional in detailing out the work that would be performed and offering his expertise as to the best way to handle the project. He and his team were able to overcome several challenges throughout, as well as go above and beyond to fix other needed repairs, such as running downspouts away from the house and masonry cracks to the foundation. The job was completed on time and for the first time in the year that we have lived in our home, we were able to sit outside on our new patio, enjoy the new fire pit, and not get eaten alive by the mosquitoes because the water had been taken care of. Pete and his team at Green Side Up were excellent to work with, very professional, and a keen eye to the details. We would highly recommend them for both hardscaping and landscaping projects and look forward to working with them again in the future.

Green Side Up has done numerous jobs for us over the years and we are so pleased with their professionalism and expertise, we keep coming back. Green Side Up has re-built us a fire pit, installed pavers and stone work to our front and back porches. Their work is impeccable and we receive many compliments on the work. The most important part is how Pete stands behind his work. We had a paver come loose after a terrible winter and Pete came out right away to fix it. He also fixed some bad masonry work we had done by someone else in the past. They also planted grass seed in our yard and we have tried a few times to grow grass there, this is the first time it finally took! You will not regret your decision to choose Green Side Up for all of your landscaping needs.

We are SO happy that we called Green Side Up Landscaping to help us out with our huge water retention issue in our back yard. For the past 10 years, the situation just got worse to the point we were knee deep in some areas of our yard during heavy rains. Pete gave us a detailed estimate. We knew exactly what he planned to do to fix our problem well before he started the work. During our project, some issues arose with existing drainage pipes that we were unaware of. This caused the scope of the project to change, but Pete knew exactly what needed to be done and he did a great job switching gears to address this new issue. The job was completed on time, and for the first time in years, we didn't have the water drainage issues that had been plaguing us for so long. The biggest value to us was that Pete guarantees his work 100%. He absolutely does. We had one really small low spot left that wasn't draining completely. Pete came back and fixed the issue quickly. That has not always been our experience with other contractors. We really appreciate his pride in his company's work! Look no further for a landscaper! Green Side up is the best!

The problem I had was poor water drainage during heavy rainfall resulting in flooding of my first floor. My house was built downhill and below street level collecting all the rain water. My driveway also slopes down towards the garage. I chose Green Side Up Landscaping because of their proposal to mitigate the storm water runoff by installing an underground water basin and building a retaining wall including a paver sidewalk to the front door. This led to re-landscaping of my front yard. All surface water is being channeled from my downspouts, french drain at bottom of driveway and front lawn through underground piping going into the water basin which is then pumped back out to the street. The natural slope of the terrain was not conducive to removing surface water from heavy rainfall. Their approach was unique due to the limited amount of space there was to work with regarding the installation of the basin. My wife’s favorite part of the project was the paver sidewalk. The placement of the steps makes it easier for her to gain entrance to the house since she has knee problems. Greenside Up Landscaping was very professional and detail oriented. They did a great job and I would recommend them to anyone who has a similar situation. Included are some pictures of the project.

I want to thank you for doing a terrific job of cleaning up my water and drainage problems that another contractor had started and left unfinished. You and your guys worked hard and fast to correct my patio drainage problem and then you took it one step further and corrected and improve the drainage In my yard, keeping the water away from my house. The workmanship was top notch and your common sense approach to my yard and the water flow made all the sense in the world. Thanks to you, we do not have water seeping into our basement that we had for over 25 years. I would recommend Green Side Up to anyone interested in working on drainage issues, hardscaping, landscaping or just plain cutting grass. Thanks again and keep up the good work!

Pete and his crew did a wonderful job with the massive project that we had done in Summer 2015. They were very professional and courteous and even let our two little boys check out the equipment that they brought in. Pete kept us informed of the progress and any changes that should/needed to be made to the original plan. Pete was very easy to work with, listened to all of our questions and concerns, and explained each part of project so that we understood why things were done as is. We will be using him again for another major project we have.

It turns out that the patio & retaining wall installed in the back of our home 22 years ago was improperly constructed. In addition to the pavers sinking in areas several times over the years, a crack recently developed in the stucco which covered the retaining wall. We asked 4 contractors to give estimates for repairs. Three of the four were concerned that the retaining wall had been improperly installed, and that it would have to be removed and replaced. Pete Castrovona, who has 35 years of experience doing this kind of work, took the time to explain what the problem might be. Given the worst case scenario (cracked wall ), he also explained the logic of using geogrid to add strength to a new retaining wall, should the wall be a big part of the problem. I selected Pete for this project for 2 reasons: his thorough and honest explanation of the potential problem, and his 5 year guarantee on his work. His quote also included removal of refuse (one of the contractors came in with same quote, however, refuse removal was the responsibility of the homeowner). The job turned out to be the worst case scenario. The entire cinderblock wall, which had not been filled with any stone, had to be removed, and the patio area required excavation. Fortunately, we were able to observe a great deal of this major construction project which was similar to a highway project and which required 112 tons of stone for the base of the patio and steps. Pete installed a drainage system along the retaining wall and beneath the patio to prevent damage from water flow. The patio was also graded to divert water from the house and prevent areas of pooling. In addition to LED lighting, Pete suggested aesthetic changes to the original contour of the patio. This change added additional space to our grilling area. Except for the stairs to the patio, Pete was able to re- use all of the original pavers that had been in place. Pete is a hands on project manager, does meticulous work and does not do anything without consulting the homeowner. He briefed both of us @ the end of every workday, and alerted us to potential problems as they arose (like possibly running out of pavers unless there was a paver design change). He and his crew were fabulous. Neatness counts and we were extremely pleased with their diligence in their daily clean up procedures. We highly recommend using him for your project.

I cannot say enough about the honesty, professionalism and integrity of Pete and his company. My family was "taken" by another contractor, “raked over the coals” and were left with an unusable disaster. Pete helped us plan a solution, explained a path forward and went to work. He was open, honest and built trust by explaining everything that needed to be done. Pete is an artist and has a clear vision for what could best work given the space and what you are looking for. He has a high standard for quality and I invite you to see his work. I will gladly provide, and have provided references to explain our experience. Thanks Pete..... we will see you for many more projects to come.

Kodos to Pete and his crew for the job they did for us. He installed an outdoor drain in existing concrete where we had a water problem from rain and snow. The work and the cleanup were both impeccable. Again, a big thank you.

Pete and his crew did an outstanding job building our outdoor fireplace and patio. We were impressed with the quality of the construction and the attention to detail. Pete made sure that the new project complimented our existing patio and landscaping. Pete was always willing to answer questions and make changes as the project progressed. With the changes we made, the project was still completed on time. We have received numerous compliments on the fireplace and patio. Our son was so impressed that he hired Pete to install a paver patio. We highly recommend Pete and his crew.

I just wanted to thank Pete and his crew for the fantastic job they did with my yard and landscaping needs. They are truly masters at what they do and were very reasonable when it came to the quote. I honestly feel I got a great deal and continue to get great feedback from friends and family on how well my yard looks. Thanks Guys I couldn't be happier!!!

Pete, thank you so much for the stone work you did to the outside of our home. We could not have asked for a more professional contractor to work with and the transformation was amazing to watch. Our friends and family have offered many compliments since our project's completion. We feel we have gotten a great finished product at a very reasonable price. We look forward to working with you in the future.

Pete, I just wanted to take the time to say THANK YOU, for the excellent job you and the guys did in rebuilding our patio walls and pond. This has been a very good learning experience for my wife and I. This job very much enlightened us about the shody workmanship that exists out there (as was evident with our pond and walls before you arrived). It's a shame that people of that caliber exist and get away with what they do. We, as home owner's depend on the word of the contractor's to educate us, not buffalo us. Your knowledge and workmanship seem to be next to impeccable, we are VERY pleased with your work, and you will be highly recommended to anyone we know of looking to build, or rebuild a patio or pond. Thanks again for the fine job.

Pete is completing my pond, waterfall and stream installation. It has been a pleasure working with him and his crew as they are always helpful and informative. Together we are creating a place of beauty where I am enjoying the peace and serenity of a waterfall and stream flowing into the Koi pond in natural surroundings. The restful gardens and walkways are bringing unending joy in which I enjoy nature at it’s finest. What a wonderful area I now have surrounding the new sunroom. It is my own private serene retreat to interact with nature and her beauty in a private garden area in my own back yard.

Thank you so much for the job you’ve done on my lawn. I was extremely impressed by your professionalism and your quality of work. Prior to starting the work, you took all the time necessary to answer any questions and make helpful suggestions. You were always very prompt to follow up on my numerous lists of questions or changes with regard to the work to be completed on my lawn. On starting day, you arrived on time and completed the project exactly when you said you would, not to mention it was one of the hottest days of the summer. Thanks again for all of your help. My lawn is now transformed from an overgrown forest to a beautiful lawn. Looking forward to working with you again in the future.