Landscaping in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ
Ho-Ho-Kus is older, well-kept homes on the Saddle River with mature trees and historic character. We match stone and fence styles to the house and protect root zones during any excavation.
Working in Ho-Ho-Kus
Ho-Ho-Kus is a 1.75 square mile borough bordered by Hillsdale, Ridgewood, Saddle River, Waldwick, and Washington Township. The Ho-Ho-Kus Brook flows through the center of town, and the USGS keeps a stream gage on it at Ho-Ho-Kus and has published flood maps for a 6 mile reach running from Waldwick through the borough into Ridgewood. Before we design anything on a property near the brook, we check where it sits on those maps.
The borough treats flood-prone land carefully. Its soil chapter says any property in a floodplain or floodway, with wetlands, or subject to periodic flooding is not exempt from the soil permit hearing requirement. On those lots, grading and drainage work has to be engineered and reviewed before we dig.
Ho-Ho-Kus also protects its trees. The tree ordinance defines a tree as any deciduous tree 6 inches or more in caliper at 54 inches above the ground, or any evergreen at least 15 feet tall, and it sets protection zones for construction. Since mature trees stand close to many houses here, root protection is part of our excavation plan from the start.
What we build in Ho-Ho-Kus
Stone or paver patio with a lot coverage calculation
In Ho-Ho-Kus a paver patio needs a zoning permit backed by a survey showing the patio and an improved lot coverage calculation. We prepare the drawing and the coverage numbers, build on a compacted base with the right pitch, and choose bluestone or a stone-look paver that suits an older house.
Hardscape & LightingFence built to the borough's style and height rules
Residential fences are limited to 4 feet in the front yard and 6 feet in side and rear yards, and front yard fences can be no more than 50 percent solid. The dressed side faces out, posts and rails go on the inside, and split rail is limited to 4 feet with posts at least 8 feet apart. We build to those details so the zoning review is quick.
Fencing & PrivacyGrading and yard drainage near the brook
Disturbing more than 2,000 square feet of a lot, or moving up to 150 cubic yards, needs a minor soil moving permit that the Borough Engineer reviews in the field. We map the disturbance area, keep it as small as the fix allows, and install leader lines, swales, or a French drain to move water away from the foundation.
Drainage & ExcavationExcavation inside tree protection zones
The borough's tree permit guidance asks for protection barriers at least 10 feet from the trunk or at the drip line, whichever is farther, and a protected radius of 1.25 feet for each inch of trunk diameter. We fence those zones before equipment arrives, hand dig where a line has to cross roots, and keep machines and material piles outside the barrier.
Drainage & ExcavationLow-voltage lighting for walks, steps, and trees
Ho-Ho-Kus requires an electrical permit for the outlet connection that powers landscape lighting, but not for the low-voltage fixtures themselves. We lay out and install the fixtures and cable, and a licensed electrician installs the outlet and transformer connection under that permit.
Hardscape & LightingFall cleanups timed to three leaf pickups
The DPW makes three full leaf pickups in each of four zones, and after the third one only bagged leaves are taken until a set cutoff in December. We schedule cleanups so the heaviest leaf drop reaches the curb before your zone's final pass, and we bag or haul the late leaves.
Seasonal & SpecialtyText a few photos of the area or send the form. We come out, walk it with you, and send a written scope and a fixed price.
Before you build in Ho-Ho-Kus
Permits and rules in Ho-Ho-Kus
The Zoning Official issues zoning permits, which are needed before any structure is built, moved, or altered, and specifically for fences, sheds, driveway repaving or expansion, and generators. The borough's permit chart lists a $50 zoning permit with a survey for fences, driveways, and retaining walls. Retaining walls also go to engineering, and walls over 4 feet need a building permit. We keep walls at 4 feet or under.
Soil movement falls under Chapter 63. Moving 25 cubic yards of topsoil or less in a year is exempt. A minor permit covers up to 150 cubic yards or disturbance of more than 2,000 square feet, and more than 150 cubic yards goes to a Soil Moving Review Committee. Importing 50 cubic yards or more needs a permit, and the permit chart notes Bergen County soils approval for disturbance over 5,000 square feet.
Under tree ordinance 76-C, a no-cost tree removal permit covers up to six trees or tree equivalents every 12 months and ten in five years on a lot with a house, and larger removals need a replacement plan. Pruning a tree that is entirely on your property needs no permit. We do not remove trees, but we plan the work around the permit rules and the protection zones.
When to schedule work in Ho-Ho-Kus
For 2026 the leaf schedule runs from early November to mid-December, with the last zone passes between December 14 and December 18. After the third collection, bagged leaves are taken until noon on December 21, 2026, and after that the DPW takes none. We book fall cleanups from late October so each property is ready for its first pass.
Patio, drainage, and wall work near the brook is best scheduled for late spring through early fall, after the wet season, when the ground is firm enough for equipment. Soil permit reviews add time, so we file in winter for spring construction.
All services in Ho-Ho-Kus
Guides for Ho-Ho-Kus homeowners
- Hudson Valley seasonal yard checklist. The lower Hudson Valley gets hard winters, wet springs, and a long leaf season, and a yard that is checked at the right times avoids most of the expensive repairs.
- Fence permits and property lines. A fence is one of the few projects where a few inches of placement can start a legal dispute.
- Downspout drainage options: where roof water should go. Most wet basements and soggy foundation beds we look at in Rockland and Bergen start at a downspout that empties within a foot or two of the wall.
- Regrading a yard to slope away from the house. When the ground next to a house is flat or tilts toward the foundation, rain runs to the wall and soaks in beside it.
Nearby
We also work in Ridgewood, Midland Park, Saddle River, Glen Rock, Allendale, Wyckoff, Hillsdale, Paramus, and across Bergen County.
Questions
Do I need a permit for a paver patio in Ho-Ho-Kus?
Yes. The borough requires a zoning permit with a survey showing the patio and an improved lot coverage calculation. We prepare both.
How tall can my fence be?
Up to 4 feet in the front yard and 6 feet in the side and rear yards. Front yard fences can be no more than 50 percent solid and must sit at the front property line or 5 feet from the curb, whichever is farther back.
Is there anything extra for a front yard fence?
Yes. Before the permit is issued, the fence location has to be staked and approved by the Zoning Official, the Police Chief, and the Superintendent of Public Works and Water.
Does landscape lighting need a permit?
The outlet connection needs an electrical permit, which a licensed electrician pulls. The low-voltage lighting itself does not.
Can you regrade my yard without a soil permit?
Only if the work is small: 25 cubic yards of topsoil or less. Disturbing more than 2,000 square feet needs a minor soil moving permit, and properties that flood are not exempt.
How do you protect my big trees during construction?
We follow the borough's protection zone guidance: barriers at least 10 feet out or at the drip line, and 1.25 feet of radius per inch of trunk. Inside that zone we dig by hand.
Can I prune my own trees without a permit?
Yes, if the tree is entirely on your property. Work on borough trees, usually within about 10 feet of the curb, needs a permit.
When is the last leaf pickup?
In 2026, the final zone passes run December 14 to 18, and bagged leaves are taken until noon on December 21.
Have a project in Ho-Ho-Kus? Tell us about it.
Three quick steps. We call you back to set up a free on-site estimate, usually the same day.
- Call or text(845) 367-4123
- Emailgeneral@landtechenterprise.com
- Based inPomona, NY
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If it is urgent, call or text (845) 367-4123.