Tree Service Questions & Answers

Call (608) 571-1326 or send the form at the foot of this page. We set a time to walk the yard with you, look at the tree, the access and what is underneath it, and then send an itemized quote in writing. The visit and the quote are free, and you are under no obligation.

Because two trees of the same size can be completely different jobs. What is underneath, how equipment gets in, the condition of the wood and whether it is an oak in season all change the work. A quote written without seeing the tree is a guess, and guesses cause arguments later.

Which trees, and exactly what is being done to each. Whether the stump is included and to what depth. Whether brush and logs are hauled or left. How the lawn is protected. Who handles the oak permit and the Diggers Hotline ticket. And the cleanup standard you can hold the crew to.

Ask for a certificate of insurance sent by the insurer, not a photocopy. Ask for the quote in writing. Ask whether they top trees; the right answer is no. Ask who files the Diggers Hotline ticket for stump work, and who gets the City permit if the tree is an oak.

We send a certificate of insurance on request, before any work starts. Ask every company you consider for the same. Wisconsin has no state license for tree work, so proof of insurance is the first thing worth checking, and the one most often missing after a storm.

Not if we have walked the yard together and everything is marked and agreed. We do need access: unlocked gates, cars moved from under the tree, pets indoors. Many customers meet us at the start, leave us to it, and walk the finished job with us at the end.

Warning signs are a dead or mostly dead crown, a deep crack or hollow in the trunk, a new lean with soil lifting at the base, fungus at the base with dieback above, or an untreated ash losing its crown. Many worrying trees only need pruning, and we will say so.

Yes. On tight lots a climber takes the tree apart from the top and lowers every piece on ropes to a small drop zone, then brings the trunk down in short sections. Nothing free-falls. It takes longer than felling a tree whole, and it is how most Madison removals are done.

It shouldn’t. We lay mats or plywood where machines cross, lower limbs on ropes instead of dropping them, and rake out any ruts before leaving. Frozen ground in winter is gentlest of all, which is one reason non-urgent removals are worth booking for the cold months.

Yes. Tell us at the estimate so it goes on the quote. Logs can be cut to firewood length and stacked where you want them, and chips make good mulch for beds and paths. Ash firewood should stay local, and oak from a tree that died of oak wilt should not leave the property.

Late fall through winter for most species: the crown is bare, insects and diseases are inactive and the ground is frozen. Oaks must wait for that season. Dead, broken or hanging limbs are the exception and can come out on any day of the year.

No. Topping removes the leaves a tree feeds itself with, leaves large stubs that rot, and triggers fast, weakly attached sprouts that are more dangerous than the original limbs. If a tree is too tall for its spot, crown reduction to proper side branches is the correct method.

Young trees every two to three years while their structure forms. Mature shade trees every three to five years, sooner if deadwood builds up or limbs reach the roof. Fast, soft-wooded trees like silver maple and willow need attention more often than oaks do.

From October 16 to March 31. Between April 1 and October 15 any oak work inside the City of Madison needs a free City permit, and the Wisconsin DNR advises against pruning oaks from April through July anywhere in the state, because fresh cuts spread oak wilt.

Grinding suits lawns and planting beds. It chips the stump to below grade and leaves the roots to decay. Full removal takes out the main roots too, and makes sense only where something permanent is going on top: concrete, a footing, fence posts, or a new tree in the same spot.

Six to eight inches below grade as standard, which is enough for topsoil and grass. If you plan on planting or a garden bed, tell us and we grind deeper where the stump allows. Large surface roots can be chased out on request. The depth is written on the quote.

It is Wisconsin’s utility locating service. State law requires a locate at least three working days before anyone digs or grinds. We file the ticket for our stump jobs. It marks public lines only, so tell us about private ones: dog fences, irrigation, lighting, gas to a grill.

The City of Madison. A stump between the sidewalk and the street is on public right-of-way, and Urban Forestry grinds it on the City’s schedule, which can take a few months. Report it at 608-266-4816. We grind and remove stumps on private property only.

Get everyone out of the damaged rooms. Call 911 if anyone is hurt, wires are down or you smell gas. Stay off the roof and out from under the tree. Photograph everything from a safe spot, call your insurer, then call us at (608) 571-1326.

Call 911 if the line is sparking or on a car or building, then the electric utility: in Madison that is MGE at 608-252-7000. Treat every wire as live, even a silent one. No tree crew can touch the tree until the utility has made the line safe.

Often, when the tree damaged a covered structure such as the house, garage or fence. A tree that falls without hitting anything is generally not covered. Policies differ, so call your insurer early. We photograph the damage and separate structure work from yard debris on the paperwork.

In most cases your own policy responds to damage on your property, wherever the tree came from. It can be different if the owner had been warned the tree was dangerous and did nothing. That is a question for your insurer. The tree has to come off safely either way.

Not for most trees in your own yard. You do need a free City permit for any work on an oak between April 1 and October 15, and you cannot remove a terrace tree at all, because it belongs to the City. We check both before quoting.

The City of Madison. Terrace trees are public property, and Urban Forestry prunes, removes and replants them. Report a problem at 608-266-4816. Private crews, ours included, cannot work on them without a City permit.

Talk to them first, and put your concern in writing. You can generally trim what overhangs your side, back to the property line, without harming the tree. If the owner won’t act, the City’s Building Inspection office takes reports of hazardous private trees at 608-266-4551.

No. Madison’s ordinances stop at the city line, and each suburb manages its own street trees. The oak work permit is a Madison rule. We follow the Wisconsin DNR’s oak wilt guidance everywhere we work, whether or not the local code requires it.

All of Madison, plus Fitchburg, Verona, Middleton, Monona, McFarland, Sun Prairie, Waunakee, Oregon, Cottage Grove, DeForest, Windsor, Stoughton, Mount Horeb, Cross Plains, Shorewood Hills and Maple Bluff, and the rural towns between them. Our shop is on the Beltline at Seminole Highway.

Yes, and for a lot of jobs it is the best season. Frozen ground protects the lawn, bare crowns are easier to read, oaks can be cut without a City permit, and diseases and insects are inactive. Dead ash in particular is worth taking down before another summer.

Move cars out from under and near the tree, unlock the gates, bring pets indoors, and clear furniture, planters and toys from the work area. Tell us about anything fragile or buried: a new patio, a septic cover, an irrigation line. We handle the rest.