Say you've got an old oak at the back corner of the house. The deck is on one side of it and the fence is on the other. The driveway runs past the front. Every storm this summer, you looked up at it and wondered.

Now you've decided it needs to come out. Or maybe you just want it gone. Either way, the next thought is the one that stops a lot of people. Where does a tree that big go when there's no room for it to fall?

Maybe you picture it landing on the roof. Maybe you picture a machine leaving tracks across a lawn you've spent years on. Both are fair things to wonder about.

Tree removal close to the house is a regular part of our tree removal work. It just isn't done the way most people picture a tree coming down. Here's how it works when the space is tight, and what the yard looks like afterward.

Why a Tree Close to the House Comes Down in Pieces

A tree is heavy, and a lot of that weight is up high. Out in the open, it can be cut at the base and dropped whole onto clear ground.

Next to a house, there's no clear ground to drop it on. So it comes down a piece at a time instead.

Each piece is small enough to control. Depending on the tree and the property, limbs and sections of trunk are lowered carefully with ropes, or removed using climbing equipment or a bucket.

If there's enough open space, a tree may come down as a whole. In tighter spaces, it usually comes down in sections. Neither one means something has gone wrong. It's the method matched to the room there is.

What David Looks at Before Anything Is Cut

A removal near the house starts with everything around the tree, not just the tree. When David walks it with you, he's looking at:

• The size and condition of the tree
• Which way it naturally leans
• The weight and shape of the canopy
• What's close by, like the house, the deck, the fence, the drive, and the beds
• Access for equipment, and whether any needs to come in
• Slopes and ground conditions
• How much room there is to work safely

Then he'll explain how he'd approach your tree. You'll hear whether it comes down whole or in sections, and what has to cross the yard to do it. All of that comes at the estimate, before any work is scheduled.

If a power line runs through or near the tree, that part starts with your power company. David will tell you if the line is going to be a problem. He'll also tell you what to say when you call them.

Keeping Heavy Equipment Off the Lawn

A lawn takes years to get right, so it's a fair thing to ask about.

We do our best to keep equipment from damaging your lawn and landscaping. Where equipment is going to run across the yard, we lay mats down first.

Sometimes no heavy equipment comes in at all. A climber can take the tree down from up in it, and nothing heavy has to cross the grass to get there.

When the work is done, we go back over the ground and straighten things up. The goal is to prevent damage. Where we can't prevent it, we do our best to put it right before we leave.

Not Every Tree Near the House Has to Come Down

Sometimes the trouble is one limb over the roof, not the whole tree. Tree trimming can take care of that and leave you the shade. If that's the better answer, David will tell you.

Some trees that look rough still have years of healthy life left. Others have damage or decay that isn't obvious from the ground. If removal is the right call, you'll hear why. If the tree can safely stay, you'll hear that too.

What the Yard Looks Like When We Leave

Taking the tree down is only part of the job. Once it's on the ground, there are limbs, brush, logs, wood chips, and often a stump to deal with.

Before the job starts, we'll talk with you about what you want kept and what you want gone. Most customers have us haul the debris away. There's an additional cost for hauling and disposal, and the estimate tells you what it includes. If you'd rather keep the wood, we can leave it stacked where you want it.

When the job is complete, we rake the work area and blow off nearby drives and walkways.

The stump is its own decision. You can have it ground when the tree comes down, schedule stump grinding for later, or leave it in place. Near a house, access matters. A steep slope, a narrow gate, or a retaining wall can keep a grinder from reaching a stump. David can look at it during the estimate and tell you what's possible.

Cleanup is one of the things customers mention most. Anne Koplan left this Google review about a removal in about as tight a spot as they come:

The team took down a dead hickory that was 3 feet from our house and 2 feet from our deck. The tree was in a corner of the 2 structures. It came down without mishap to anyone or anything. The stump is a few inches tall, but there was no way to get a grinder to the stump due to being on a ridge and the slope of our yard. I highly recommend this company.

What to Look For in Any Tree Service Working Near Your House

Whoever you call, a few things are worth checking first. The International Society of Arboriculture's guide to hiring an arborist suggests asking for proof of insurance, then calling the insurance company. It also says to get it in writing.

For tree removal close to house, deck, or fence, add one more question. Ask how they'd bring it down. A careful crew can tell you whether it comes down whole or in sections, what gets lowered with ropes, and what has to cross your yard. If the answer stays vague, it's fine to ask again.

Out On A Limb For You is an insured Georgia LLC based in Flintstone. We work throughout the Greater Chattanooga Area, on both sides of the state line.

Deciding About the Tree You Watched All Summer

If a tree had you watching the sky every time a storm rolled through, there's no need to rush the decision now. Our post on the best time to remove a tree gets into when it's urgent and when it can wait.

Once it's been looked at, you'll know whether it comes down whole, in sections, or not at all. After that, the next storm doesn't get to decide for you.

Estimates are free. Call or text (423) 443-4533, or request a quote online.

Sources

• International Society of Arboriculture (TreesAreGood.org), Why Hire an Arborist? (v02.2021): https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Why%20Hire%20An%20Arborist_0321.pdf