Questions to Ask a Tree Removal Company

The short version

Ask who will physically be in the tree, whether the trunk and brush leave your property, whether a written quote separates the work from the disposal, and whether the quote changes if a hidden defect appears.

• Who climbs or operates the equipment, and who supervises?
• Is disposal included, and where does the wood go?
• What is excluded from the quote, and what triggers an extra charge?
• How is the work sequenced if the tree sits over a structure?

A tree is leaning toward the house. What do I ask before anyone touches it?

Start by asking whether the tree can be worked from the ground or whether it requires climbing, and whether any part of it must be rigged down rather than dropped.

A leaning trunk over a roof is a different job from a straight trunk in an open yard. The crew has to control where every piece lands. That usually means ropes, pulleys and a lowering system anchored to a sound part of the tree or to a separate anchor point, with a ground person taking the weight. Ask how they intend to keep the pieces off the roof, the gutters and the fence. Ask what happens if the tree is hollow at the base, because a hollow base changes what can be used as an anchor.

Also ask who is in charge on site. On a straightforward removal that may be one person, but on a tree that has to be taken down in sections over a structure, there is usually a climber and a ground crew working as a pair. You want to know the name of the person who decides to stop if something looks wrong.

If a limb is already resting on the roof, do not climb up to it. Wood under tension can move when it is cut or when the weight shifts. Keep people and pets out from under the limb, and describe the situation on the phone so the person you speak to can tell you what to do while you wait.

What does the quote include, and what does it leave out?

Ask for the quote in writing, and ask it to state three separate things: the removal itself, the disposal of the material, and any cleanup of the ground.

Those three are the parts that most often turn into a surprise. A removal quote may cover cutting the tree down and leaving the wood where it falls. It may cover chipping the brush but leaving the trunk. It may cover neither. Ask directly: does the number include hauling the trunk away, chipping the branches, and raking the sawdust and small debris off the lawn?

Ask where the material goes. Some wood can be left for you as firewood, which changes the job and the cost. Some goes to a yard or a transfer station. Ask who pays any disposal charge and whether that is inside the quoted number or on top of it.

Ask about the stump. Grinding a stump is normally a separate operation from removing the tree, and the grinding depth matters. A stump ground a few inches below grade is usually enough to plant grass over. A stump ground deeper costs more and is not always necessary. Ask what depth is included and whether the grindings are left in the hole or hauled away.

Ask what the quote does not include. A written quote that lists exclusions is easier to compare with another quote than one that only lists a total.

What drives the price, and how do I get a number I can trust?

The price depends on height, trunk diameter, species, lean, access, proximity to structures and wires, and how much of the material has to be hauled away. There is no honest way to price a tree from a photograph or a description over the phone.

Height and trunk diameter set the scale of the work. A tall tree needs more rigging and more time. Species matters because some wood is heavier, some splits unpredictably, and some holds together well enough to be climbed safely.

Access is often the largest single variable. A tree in an open back yard where a truck can reach it is quick. A tree behind a fence, over a shed, or in a tight side yard where every piece must be carried or lowered by hand takes far longer. Ask how they plan to get equipment to the tree and whether anything in the yard needs to be moved first.

Wires change everything. If the tree is anywhere near a service drop or a distribution line, ask who is responsible for the part near the wire. Utility companies handle their own lines, and the work near them is not the same as the work on the rest of the tree. Ask the question before the visit, not on the day.

For a number you can trust, ask for an on-site visit and a written quote that itemises the removal, the disposal and the stump. Ask whether the quote is a fixed price or an hourly rate, and if it is hourly, ask what the estimate is based on. Ask what happens if the tree turns out to be hollow or if a hidden defect makes the job harder than it looked. A quote that says what changes the price is more useful than one that only gives a total.

How do I check the work is being done the way it was described?

Ask for the plan in writing before the day and compare it with what you see when the crew arrives. If the plan says the trunk is chipped and hauled and you see a truck with no chipper, that is worth a question.

Ask these on the day:

• Is the person who quoted the job the same person directing the work?
• Are the pieces being lowered or dropped, and is the drop zone clear of people and property?
• Is the stump being ground to the depth stated in the quote?
• Is the brush being chipped on site or loaded whole?
• Is the lawn being protected where equipment crosses it?

Ask about the cleanup before the crew leaves, not after. Sawdust, small branches and ruts from equipment are easier to deal with while the equipment is still there.

When should I stop and get a second opinion?

Get a second opinion if the quote is verbal only, if the person quoting will not put the scope in writing, or if the plan for a tree over a structure is vague.

• Watch: the quote is written but does not say what happens to the trunk or the brush.
• Soon: the quote is verbal, or the person quoting has not looked at the tree from more than one angle.
• Now: the tree is leaning more than it was, the ground at the base is lifting, or a limb is resting on a roof or a wire. Keep clear and describe it clearly when you call.

A second quote is not an accusation. Two written scopes side by side tell you more about the job than either one alone, because the differences show you what each one is leaving out.