Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Calling and getting connected with a local tree service or land clearing company doesn't cost you anything. Any charges come from the company you're connected with, based on the estimate they give you for the actual work.

No. We're a referral service. When you call, you're connected with an independent, local tree service or land clearing company that covers your area. See our About page for more on how that works.

It depends on the job. National cost guides put tree removal around $400 to $1,100 on average, tree trimming or pruning around $175 to $800, and stump grinding around $150 to $300 for a typical stump. Land clearing and forestry mulching are priced per acre instead. Local pricing depends on tree size, access and condition, so treat any range as a starting point and get a written estimate.

There's no broad program that removes healthy trees at no cost. The one common exception is a tree or limb that's actively touching or about to touch a power line: report it to your electric utility, since keeping lines clear is part of their own maintenance, not a special favor. Outside of that situation, expect to pay for the work, though it's worth asking a company about a senior or military discount.

An untreated stump can attract wood-boring insects and fungus, and it's a tripping hazard in the yard. Some species will also send up new sprouts around the base of the old stump. Grinding it down, or removing it and the roots, clears the ground if you want to plant, build, or just clean up the yard.

Tree companies are often less busy in late fall and winter, after storm season slows and before spring cleanup ramps up, so scheduling then can mean more flexible pricing. A genuinely hazardous tree should still come down when it's a safety risk, not just when the calendar happens to be convenient.

Usually not through a dedicated program. If you're on a fixed income, ask the company you're connected with about a senior discount or a payment plan. If the concern is a tree touching a power line, that's the utility's responsibility to clear, not something you should have to pay a tree company for.

Get more than one estimate, ask whether stump grinding and debris haul-off are included or billed separately, and describe your property's access (gate width, fences, overhead lines) accurately so the quote doesn't change on arrival. Removing a tree in sections instead of needing a crane, and avoiding same-day emergency service when it isn't a true emergency, also tend to lower the price.

National cost guides put average stump grinding around $150 to $300 for a typical stump, often priced at roughly $2 to $5 per inch of diameter. Many companies charge a base rate for the first stump and a lower add-on rate, often $40 to $75, for each additional stump ground in the same visit.

Grinding destroys the visible stump and the top of the root system, which stops most regrowth from that point, but it doesn't remove the entire root system underground. Some species can still send up occasional shoots from remaining roots. Full removal, which pulls out the root ball, is more thorough if regrowth is a concern.

The terms are often used interchangeably by homeowners and even by companies. In practice, trimming usually refers to general shaping and cutting back overgrown branches, while pruning often refers to more targeted cuts aimed at tree health, like removing dead, damaged or crossing limbs. Ask the company what's included either way, since the actual work matters more than which word is used.

National cost guides put land clearing at roughly $500 to $5,000 per acre, with lightly wooded lots running toward the low end and heavily forested acreage running toward the high end. Forestry mulching, which grinds brush and small trees into mulch left on the ground instead of hauling it away, typically runs less, around $400 to $600 per acre. See our full land clearing cost guide for a breakdown by scenario.

It depends on your city or county and what the land will be used for, so there's no single statewide answer we can give here. Check with your county or city before clearing, especially if the property is near a floodplain, wetland or waterway, or if you plan to burn debris, since outdoor burning in Texas can be restricted by a county burn ban declared by the county judge or commissioners court during dry conditions.

Generally, a tree or large limb that's already fallen on a structure or vehicle, a tree actively touching a power line, or a tree that's clearly about to fail and threatens people, a home, or a road. A dead tree that isn't leaning or a stump you've been meaning to deal with usually isn't an emergency, even if it feels urgent to you.