Emergency Tree Removal After Wind, Ice or Snow
If a tree or large limb has come down on your house, car, fence or driveway, keep clear of it and stay away from anything that might be a wire. Emergency tree removal clears the tree from the structure or access point so the damage can be assessed and the property made safe again.
Describe the job and add your city. Free to request, no obligation.
A fallen tree can look settled while holding a great deal of tension. A trunk resting on a roof, or a limb hung up in a neighbour's tree, can roll or spring without notice, and cutting it the wrong way can send it onto the people doing the cutting. This is rigging work, often with a bucket truck or crane, and it is not a job for a chainsaw and a ladder.
Storm requests come in all at once, so describe the situation clearly: where the tree is, what it touches, whether anyone is blocked in, and whether wires are involved. If wires are down or touching the tree, the electric utility has to make the area safe before tree crews go near it.
What the work includes
- Assessing how the tree and its weight are loaded on the structure
- Rigging and lowering sections so the roof or wall is not hit again
- Crane lifts for trees too heavy to cut apart in place
- Clearing driveways, doors and walkways first, then the rest
- Removing limbs hung up in other trees
- Chipping brush and hauling away or stacking the wood
- Photos and a written scope you can pass to your insurer
- Temporary stump cut-down so a standing root ball can be dealt with later
Situations that need urgent attention
A tree or heavy limb resting on a roof, wall, vehicle or porch
A trunk split open or a tree uprooted and leaning on its side
A broken limb hanging in the crown above a walkway or door
A fallen tree blocking a driveway or the only way out
A tree in contact with a service line or street wires
Cracking sounds, creaking or ground heaving around a damaged tree
How the work goes, step by step
Make it safe
Stay away from the tree and wires, keep people and pets back, and ask the electric utility for help if a line is involved.
Document
Take photos of the damage from a safe distance, which your insurer will want before anything is moved.
Send the details
Use the quote form to describe the tree, what it touches and whether you are blocked in. Mark it as storm damage.
Written scope
A specialist reviews the situation and sets out the method, the order of work and what the quote covers.
Clearing
The tree is removed in a controlled sequence, with photos and cleanup, so the repair work can start.
What changes the price
- Tree on a structure
- Lifting a tree off a roof without more damage takes rigging, extra crew and slower work.
- Crane need
- A crane that hovers over a house raises the bill, but it can be the safest method.
- Time of day
- Night, weekend and holiday calls often carry a premium over normal scheduling.
- Volume of debris
- A single trunk and a yard full of broken branches are different jobs.
- Utility coordination
- Waiting for a line to be disconnected or cleared adds standby time.
- Demand after a big storm
- When many homes are hit at once, crews are stretched and prices rise.
What a good quote spells out
- A clear description of what is cut, lifted and hauled, in an order you can follow
- Whether a crane or lift is needed and how it is priced
- Premium rates for emergency or after-hours work stated before work begins
- A written scope and photos suitable for an insurance claim
- Whether temporary roof covering is handled by the tree crew or someone else
Emergency Storm Cleanup: questions people ask
Who should you contact first when a tree falls on a house?
Make sure everyone is safe, keep clear of wires, and contact the electric utility if lines are down or touching the tree. Take photos for your insurer, then send the details to a tree specialist and notify your insurance company.
Will home insurance pay to remove a fallen tree?
Policies often cover removal when a tree damages a structure or blocks access, and are narrower for a tree that fell on open lawn. Coverage varies, so read the policy and talk to your insurer before authorizing work.
Can a fallen tree be removed without a crew?
Small, plainly resting limbs sometimes can be. A trunk under tension, on a roof or near wires is dangerous because it can shift as you cut. Rigging and a trained crew are worth it in those cases.
Why is emergency work priced higher?
Crews are pulled from planned jobs, work in poor conditions, and often need extra people and gear. After a widespread storm, the same few crews serve many homes, which raises the price further.
Other Turnex services
A Tree That Needs Work? Get It Looked At.
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