Cedar Grove is a residential township in the northern part of Essex County. Much of its housing dates from the middle of the twentieth century: ranches, split levels and colonials on lots that are roomier than in the older towns to the south. What sets it apart is the land. Some neighborhoods sit on fairly level ground, while others rise sharply toward the Watchung ridges, with driveways and backyards that drop away from the house.
Holding a sloped yard in place
On the hilly streets, grade is the main design problem. Old timber and dry-laid walls lean and fail, and lawns wash out after storms. A properly built retaining wall in segmental block or stone, with a gravel base, drainage pipe and clean stone backfill, turns an unusable slope into flat ground you can garden or sit on.
Steps that follow the hill
When the front door sits well above the street, a single long run of steps can feel steep. Breaking it into shorter flights with landings is safer and looks better. We build steps in concrete, block or stone, often worked into the wall itself, with railings wherever the rise calls for them.
Patios on split-level and ranch lots
Split levels often have a back door several feet above the yard. Options we build in Cedar Grove include:
- a raised terrace on a block wall with steps down to the lawn
- a ground-level paver patio reached by new stone steps
- a two-tier layout that follows the natural fall of the yard
Level lots have it easier, and a simple patio with a walkway to the driveway is often all that is needed.
Driveways on a grade
A sloped driveway sheds a lot of water. When we replace one, we pay attention to pitch, a trench drain where the drive meets the garage if needed, and a solid base that will not wash out.
Before you build
The township building department may require permits for walls, steps and driveway changes. On steep lots, an engineered wall design may be part of that.
Cedar Grove borders Verona and North Caldwell, and we cover the rest of Essex County too. Set up a free estimate and we will walk the slope with you.
