Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's national guide puts removal at $200 to $500 for trees under 30 feet, $500 to $1,500 for 30 to 60 feet, and $850 to $2,000 for 60 to 80 feet. Oaks and trees leaning over a roof run higher than a small elm in an open yard. We give a written price after seeing the tree.

The City of Lawton's monthly bulky waste pickup takes tree debris in lengths of 6 feet or less and up to 24 inches in diameter, placed within 10 feet behind the curb. Up to four cubic yards is free, and larger loads add a charge to the utility bill. You can also haul brush to the city landfill on SW 11th Street.

Limbs near primary distribution lines are the electric utility's responsibility, and in Lawton that is usually PSO. We do not cut within reach of energized lines. If limbs are in the line to your house, the utility may need to disconnect service first, and we coordinate the timing with you.

Not always, but it is worth a look. Bradford pears form many narrow forks that are prone to splitting in wind and ice. A young tree can sometimes be corrected with pruning. An older one that has already split or has large codominant stems is usually a removal candidate, especially if it hangs over the house or driveway.

Late winter, before spring growth, is a good time for most pruning because the structure is easy to see and the tree recovers quickly once growth starts. Oaks are often pruned in the dormant season too. Dead or broken limbs can come off any time of year.

Only if you want it. Stump grinding is priced as its own line so you can decide. Many people grind right away so the yard can be leveled and seeded; others wait or leave the stump.

Yes. Eastern redcedar is one of the most common removal requests around Lawton. Cedars cut below the lowest green branch do not resprout, so a clean cut at the ground ends the tree. We can chip the brush on site or haul it away.

We are not aware of a general permit for removing a tree from private residential property in Lawton, but rules can change and trees in the street right-of-way or a utility easement are a different matter. If a tree sits near the curb or in an easement, we check with the City of Lawton before cutting.

A small or medium tree in an open yard is often done in a few hours. A large oak or elm over a house, taken down in sections and hauled, can take most of a day. The estimate includes a time frame.

Yes. Tell us at the estimate and we will cut the trunk into rounds and stack them where you want. Leaving the wood usually lowers the price because there is less to haul.

Often, yes. Dead wood is brittle and can break unpredictably when a climber puts weight on it or a limb is lowered. Dead trees are frequently taken down with a bucket truck or with more rigging, which can affect the price.

We use plywood or mats where heavy equipment crosses soft ground when needed, and we lower wood instead of dropping it near lawns and beds. Some flattened grass is normal and recovers within a few weeks in the growing season.

For most mature shade trees, every three to five years is enough, with deadwood removed sooner if it appears. Young trees benefit from a light structural trim every year or two while their form is being set.

Removing too much leaf area at one time stresses the tree. A common rule of thumb is to remove no more than about a quarter of the live crown in a season, and less on older or stressed trees.

Sometimes. If one side of a split is small, removing it and reducing the rest can leave a sound tree. If the split runs deep into the main trunk, removal is usually safer. We tell you which one you have.

Generally you can trim limbs that cross onto your side, as long as the work does not damage or kill the tree. It is good practice to talk to your neighbor first, and we will not climb into or cut from their property without their consent.

No. Iced branches are brittle, and hitting or shaking them usually breaks more wood than the ice would. Let the ice melt on its own and stay out from under loaded limbs until it does.

It depends on your policy. Coverage is commonly tied to whether the tree damaged a covered structure such as the house or a fence. Call your insurer, and we will provide photos and an estimate that separates structure-related work from general cleanup.

Often, if the trunk is sound and enough live crown is left. Torn limbs are cut back to clean wounds and the tree is watched for a season. If most of the crown is gone or the trunk is split, removal is usually the better choice.

Not until the utility has made it safe. Limbs on primary lines are the electric company's job. For the line running to your house, the utility may need to disconnect power before we can work.

For most yards, yes. Grinding is faster, cheaper and leaves a small hole. Full removal digs out the root ball with a backhoe, which tears up much more of the yard and is usually only needed for construction.

A small or medium stump is often done in under an hour. Large oak or elm stumps with big root flares take longer, and rocky ground slows things down.

Some species, like elms and Bradford pears, may push up a few sprouts from leftover roots. Mowing or clipping them for a season usually ends it. Eastern redcedar does not resprout from a stump.

Usually, yes. Compact grinders can work close to fences and walls, though some stump right against a foundation may need to be cut by hand. We will tell you at the estimate.

No, as long as gates are unlocked, pets are inside and lines have been marked. We walk the job with you at the estimate and can send photos when it is finished.

Not from the stump. Eastern redcedar does not resprout when it is cut below the lowest green branch. New cedars can sprout from seed dropped by birds, so mow or check cleared areas every year or two.

No. Since cedar does not sprout from the stump, a low cut is enough. Herbicide is a waste of money on cedar stumps.

They can be. Redcedar burns readily, and low branches carry fire from the ground into the tree. Removing cedars close to the house or limbing up the ones you keep reduces that risk.

Small yard cedars are mostly brush and are best chipped. Larger, straight trunks are sometimes kept for posts or woodworking. Tell us if you want trunks left in lengths.

A lightly overgrown quarter-acre residential lot can often be done in a day. Dense cedar on several acres can take several days. The estimate includes a time frame based on what we see.

Only where they need to go. Stumps under a future house, shop or driveway are ground or removed. Elsewhere they are cut flush and left, which is cheaper and keeps the soil in place.

A machine with a rotating drum of teeth grinds standing brush and small trees into mulch right where they stand. It clears dense growth quickly and leaves a layer that holds soil and breaks down over time.

Yes. Selective clearing is common. We flag the trees you want to keep and keep heavy machines out from under their crowns as much as possible to protect the roots.