Getting a tree removed or pruned is a big project that requires planning, skill, and the right equipment. If you’re thinking about hiring a tree service company to do some work on your trees, you probably have a number of questions you’d like to have answered before you get started.

We’ve done our best to answer the most common questions we get asked. If you can’t find the right answer below, you can contact us directly by calling 717-502-4707 or click here to send us a message. We’ve broken down most of the questions below into categories, but we’ll start with the most important one that stands out from the rest…

What should I look for when choosing a tree service?

There are many important things to consider when choosing a tree service company, but some are most important.  Does the company carry liability, workers compensation, and commercial auto insurance? Some unscrupulous companies do not, or worse yet, they’ll tell you that they don’t need to! We carry all three, and have additional policies in place as well to keep us and you safe!

Are the employees using proper safety equipment, such as hardhats with eye and ear protection and chainsaw protective chaps or pants? Are they properly tied in to the tree or wearing a fall arrest harness in a bucket? Are there cones and signs on the street to mark off the work area? Our crews follow all of these requirements, and even wear hardhats with built in wireless communication systems to allow the crew to easily communicate without shouting.

How about the appearance of the company, are the crew wearing uniforms, and arriving with modern, clean equipment? If the crew does not look neat, do you think your property will look neat when they are finished?

And of course, we can’t forget the price of the job.  The price of the project should be a consideration, but it should not be the most important factor.  Often the cheapest guy in town is the cheapest for a reason.  Spending a bit more for a safe, efficient, and law-abiding company is always worthwhile.

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Cost, Quotes, And Payment

How much does it cost to remove a tree?

Tree removal costs very greatly, from as little as a few hundred dollars to as much as several thousand for each tree.  We recommend checking out our blog post about the cost to remove a tree for more information about tree removal prices. Reach out today for a free tree removal quote!

How much does it cost to prune a tree?

Like tree removal, tree pruning costs vary greatly, depending on the tree. It is often less expensive to prune a tree than it is to remove it, but tree pruning can still be expensive. However, the benefits of pruning a tree to keep it safe and healthy far outweigh the costs.  Give us a call for a free tree pruning quote.

How much does it cost to grind a stump?

The cost to grind a stump typically varies between $25 and $400 per stump, depending on the size of the stump.  We can usually provide a quote for stump grinding very quickly, often without even visiting your home, if you are able to give us a little basic information. What is the approximate diameter and height of the stump? Can we drive a machine a bit larger than a riding mower up to it? Are there any gates we have to get through? Or are there any steep slopes to climb? With that bit of information, we can typically send you a quote without needing to visit your home.  Give us a call today at 717-502-4707 for a free stump grinding quote.

What can I do to reduce the cost of my project?

There are a few ways to reduce the cost of a project. The simplest is to simply do less work. Or, alternatively, we can leave all of the brush and debris onsite, that will often reduce the cost of the project by as much as half, just tell us you wish for us to do the project with “no cleanup” and we will leave the mess to you!

How do I get an estimate or quote?

Give us a call or send a text to us at 717-502-4707, send us an email, or fill out the contact form on our website. We will need your full name, address, phone number, and an email address we can send the quote to (if you have one). We will also need the location and a description of each tree (whatever you know about it is fine, we are the tree experts so you don’t have to be!). Once we have all of that, we will visit your home within a few days and will send over a quote. No need for you to be there to meet the estimator, unless you wish to be there.

If I like the quote, what do I do next?

Approve the quote, and send in your deposit (if requested on the quote) – you can do this all online, using the link in the email we sent you with the quote and make your deposit with a credit card, or you can mail in the signed quote with a check. Once we receive your signed quote, we will put your project on the schedule and notify you about a week before the crew will arrive to complete the project. Our backlog varies, so feel free to check in when you approve the quote to see how far out we are scheduling.

Do you take credit cards?

Yes, of course! We take all major credit cards, and you can make the payments online, or pay the crew in person with cash, or mail in a check or money order – whatever you prefer is fine with us.

Do I need to be home for the estimate or the work?

No, you do not need to be home. For an estimate, just describe the location of each tree, or mark it so that we can find it. If you are not there when the work will be done, we ask that you simply mark the tree in some way (tape, paint, ribbon – anything you have handy) so that we can guarantee there are no mistakes.

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Questions To Ask a Tree Removal Company Before Hiring Them

Are you licensed, bonded, and insured?

We are fully insured, we carry more than $4,000,000 in combined coverage between our liability, commercial auto, and worker’s compensation policies, all three of which are legally required in the state of Pennsylvania. Does your current tree service carry all three? We do, and we attach a certificate of insurance to every quote we send!

There is no license in PA for tree services, so we do not have a license. If there was one, we would have it. Unfortunately, many tree services claim to be licensed, when there is no license they can get even if they want it! The only license that a tree service in PA can get is a Pesticide Applicators License, which is legally required to make any pesticide application, even RoundUp or Dormant Oils. We have this license, even though we do not currently make any applications. You can make sure your current service provider is licensed by checking with the state of PA here.

Pennsylvania does not require tree services to be bonded, except for very specific government projects, so we do not carry any performance bonds.

What areas do you service?

We service Lancaster and Chester counties, in PA. Cities such as Gap, Parkesburg, Coatesville, West Chester, Downingtown, Lancaster, Manheim, Quarryville, and Kennett Square.

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Difficult Jobs

My tree is in the backyard, how can you get to it?

Creatively. We use climbers, specialty backyard lifts on narrow tracks, and cranes that allow us to reach trees in the back yard. It is very rare that we encounter a tree we cannot safely access.

My tree is near power lines, is that a problem?

Yes and no. We can safely work around the lines that feed your house, but we are not legally permitted to work within ten feet of the high voltage lines that run along the street. Many companies violate this rule frequently, but it is very dangerous. There have been quite a few fatalities caused by working too near to power lines. However, we can work with the power company to temporarily shut down those lines so that we can safely and legally work on your trees.

Other tree services said my tree was not accessible, can you get to it?

Most likely. We like projects with limited access, and it is very rare that we cannot figure out a way to safely access a tree. We use climbers, specialty lifts that can fit through a 36″ gate, and large cranes to reach difficult trees. Give us a call, and we will figure out a way to get to your tree, difficult projects are our specialty! Be aware though, the harder it is to get to the tree, the more expensive it usually is to work on it.

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Tree Trimming, Pruning & Care Questions

How often should I prune my tree?

Tree pruning is dependent upon the tree. Some fast-growing or ornamental trees should be pruned every year, other trees may only need pruning every 3-5 years. We can put together a pruning plan for you to keep your trees healthy and safe.

My tree is too tall, will you top it?

No! Topping a tree is the single worst thing that can be done to a tree, and always causes far more problems in the future. A tall tree is not dangerous simply because it is tall, but it will be dangerous once the decay sets in after topping, and the new growth starts coming out. Most topped trees are actually taller 5-10 years afterward than they were before topping. The PennState Extension has a great article here about why you should never top a tree.

Why are my trees dying?

Trees decline, and die, like any other living organism. Sometimes a tree has simply reached the end of its natural life, and other times it may have a disease, an insect or mite infestation, or a fungus. Some of these are treatable problems if caught early enough, others are not. Give us a call and let one of our arborists take a look at your trees today!

How do I know if my trees are healthy?

Do they look healthy, full of leaves, strong trunk with no obvious holes or damage? If so, that’s a good start, but not a guarantee. There are many problems that require an expert eye to spot, problems like codominant stems with included bark, poor branch structure, stem girdling roots, root rot or other decay, or insect infestations. To be sure, give us a call and let us send a trained professional to assess your trees.

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Cleanup & Post-Project Questions

Will my driveway or lawn be damaged?

We will do our best to minimize damage, but often there is damage to a lawn, as trees are heavy and the equipment necessary to safely and efficiently work on them is heavy. We have ground protection mats that we can use for an additional charge to minimize our impact on your lawn, and we can often come up with creative solutions to keep your lawn as nice as possible. Driveways usually do not sustain damage unless they are in poor condition or were improperly installed. We will not drop large logs on your driveway, and will take reasonable precautions to keep from damaging your driveway, but it is still possible that there could be some damage.

Do you take away all the branches and logs?

We sure do! We will remove all the debris that we make, branches, logs, leaves – it all goes, unless you want something left behind.

Can I keep the firewood?

Of course! It’s your tree, you may keep anything you wish! If we can leave the logs in place at the tree stump, and leave them in log lengths (usually about 8-10′) we may be able to reduce the cost of the project a bit.

Why are there still logs in my yard after you left?

We work with a contracted log hauler, who will pick up the logs for you, usually within a week. You don’t need to do anything, we will coordinate with the truck and

What do you do with the woodchips you make?

We recycle them all, in one way or another. Some of our chips are used to make wood pellets for pellet-burning stoves to heat a house, many are used for mulch. None are wasted or dumped in a landfill, they are all recycled into another use.

What can I do with the stump grindings you left behind?

You can leave them in a place where they will slowly decompose, or you can remove them (they make good mulch to put around another tree) and plant something else in that place. We can also refer you to a landscape contractor who can remove the grindings, fill the hole, and plant grass, flowers, another tree – whatever you want.

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Miscellaneous Questions

Do you sell firewood?

We do not sell firewood. However, we sometimes have logs we can sell you if you can take a full log truckload. Also, we usually have large pieces of wood that are not suitable for normal firewood but are great to burn in a large outdoor wood furnace.

Can I plant a tree where the stump was?

Most likely, yes you can. There will likely be some roots to dig out or work around, but we can recommend you a local landscaper to plant your tree who can deal with them so that you don’t have to.

Do you treat for Spotted Lanternflies or other pests?

At this time, we do not offer pest treatments. However, we are happy to recommend a local expert who can provide the care your trees need.

Do I need a permit?

Maybe, but probably not. You should check with your municipality just to be sure. Some require permits, mainly the larger cities.

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