Why does the ordering pattern change in September?
Three deadlines land at once. Seed goes down while the soil is still warm, now through mid-September. Digging and compaction must happen before the ground freezes. And drainage is easier to plan in September than to fix in November.
Haverhill adds a wrinkle. The old Merrimack terraces, under the mill district and across Bradford, are sandy and drain freely. The higher ground toward Kenoza sits on denser till, where water stands and a downspout with nowhere to go becomes a soft spot by spring.
What are the five materials?
1. Screened loam
Levelling low spots, topdressing thin turf, patching where drought took out sections. One yard of screened loam topdresses about 1,300 sq ft at a quarter inch.
2. Compost
Beds and gardens going into winter. An inch spread in September has all winter to work in, and it is the right answer when a bed needs life, not depth.
3. Mulch
Bed top-up before leaf drop, and the optional one on this list. If beds still hold 2–3 inches, wait for spring.
4. #57 stone
Drainage, before the autumn rain makes the case for you: french drains, dry wells, downspout trenches. #57 is washed and open, so water moves through rather than sitting in it.
5. Dense pack ¾-inch minus
Driveway repair and base under a patio, walk or shed pad, compacted before frost. Unlike #57 it has fines and locks up tight — what you want under something, not in a drain. A worked 6-yard example is in our Bellingham shed pad spotlight.
| Material | Fall job | Price / yd | Load cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screened loam | Lawn repair | $55 | 6 yd |
| Compost | Beds and gardens | $50 | 6 yd |
| Mulch (pine bark / black / hemlock) | Bed top-up | $55 / $58 / $63 | 10 yd |
| #57 stone | Drains | $79.50 | 6 yd |
| Dense pack ¾-inch minus | Driveway, patio base | $76 | 6 yd |
What does a load cost to Haverhill?
The fee is $100 plus $4 for each driving mile beyond 30. Haverhill measures 35.9 miles from our Dispatch Office in Dorchester, 5.9 past the line: $100 + (4 × 5.9) = $123.60, rounded to $124 per load.
Its ZIPs do not all route the same, so that is the bottom of the range: 01831 is $124, 01835 is $136. The ZIP checker gives the exact figure for your address. Most of Essex County is inside the flat zone, a real advantage of this side of Boston:
| Per load | Town |
|---|---|
| $100 flat | Lynn, Saugus, Swampscott, Nahant, Salem, Marblehead, Lynnfield, Peabody, Beverly, Danvers, Middleton, Topsfield, Wenham, Hamilton, Andover, North Andover |
| $102 | Boxford |
| $104 | Lawrence |
| $105 | Rowley |
| $106 | Methuen |
| $109 | Ipswich |
| $110 | Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea |
| $115 | Georgetown |
| $124 | Groveland |
| $124–$136 | Haverhill |
| $130–$134 | Gloucester |
| $133 | West Newbury |
| $142 | Newburyport |
| $149 | Rockport |
| $153 | Amesbury, Salisbury |
| $159 | Merrimac |
How many loads is my order?
The fee is charged per load, and loads are counted per line item — 4 yards of loam and 3 of compost are two loads and two fees. Stone, sand and soil cap at 6 yards a trip, so a 10-yard loam order is two trips. There is no minimum order, but one yard carries the same fee as six. Browse all materials or soil, and check seeding timing against UMass Extension Landscape.
What else do Haverhill customers ask?
How late can I get a delivery?
Until the weather stops us. Seeding, planting and compaction all want unfrozen ground, so aim for material on site before mid-November.
Do I need to be home?
No. Curbside is the default, so tell us where the pile goes. On-property placement needs a signed waiver.
Loam or compost for a thin lawn?
Loam to level or add depth, compost when depth is fine and the soil is tired.
Order by the cubic yard for Haverhill delivery, confirm your fee with the ZIP checker, or text (617) 286-2740.
