Tree and stump removal
Tree and stump removal, planned properly
Tight lots, steep ground, trees hard against a house. I come and look, tell you how I'd take it down, and quote the whole job, stump included.
ISA Certified Arborist PN-7893AT · Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ) · 17 years in trees
Method
The two ways a tree comes down
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Felling it in one piece
If there's room, the ground works and the tree's in decent shape, it can be dropped whole in a planned direction. That's faster and cheaper when the site allows it.
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Taking it down in sections
Most Tri-Cities properties don't have that room. So I climb it and take it down in pieces, lowering the heavy ones on a rope instead of letting them fall.
That's how a tree beside a house, over a fence, or above a garden comes out without wrecking what's underneath.
Stumps
Stump grinding
Taking the tree down leaves the stump. I grind it out with a machine. That can be the same visit, or on its own if the tree came down years ago.
How deep it goes
The wheel takes the stump down to about four to six inches below ground. Deeper if you're replanting or putting a path or a patio over it, so tell me what's going there.
What stays in the ground
Roots running out past the stump stay where they are. They stop growing once the tree is gone and rot down over the years that follow. Maple and poplar can push shoots up off them for a while. That's how grinding works, not a fault in the job.
The hole afterwards
It's left as a mound of grindings and loose soil. That settles over the next six to twelve months, sometimes into a dip. If you want lawn there, rake the loose chips off and top it with real soil.
Planting in the same spot
Give it a year or two first. Then put the new tree a few feet off the old stump, not straight on top of it.
Before I bring the machine in
I call BC 1 Call first so the buried utility lines get marked. That won't show anything you put in yourself: sprinkler lines, garden lighting, an invisible fence. Tell me roughly where those run and I'll work around them.
Access decides a lot of it. The machine has to reach the stump. A narrow side gate, a set of steps or a soft lawn changes the plan. A photo of the way in tells me most of what I need.
In Anmore a removal permit can come with a condition that the stump stays in the ground. I check that before I quote.
Tree work in Anmore and BelcarraPlanting
Tree planting
I plant trees too. A new one where an old one came out, or a replacement tree if your permit asks for one.
The main thing is picking a tree that suits the spot, so it isn't the next problem in twenty years. Tell me where it's going and I'll tell you what would do well there.
Cost
What a removal costs depends on
Height matters less than people expect. What actually drives the price:
- How big the tree is and what condition it's in
- Whether there's anywhere to drop it
- How close it is to the house, fence, wires or the neighbour's place
- Whether I can fell it or have to take it apart
- Slope and access, and how close I can get the truck to the tree
- What happens to the branches and the wood
- Whether the stump gets ground out as well
- Whether a permit or report is needed first
That's why I quote on site rather than over the phone. Free estimate, and there's a $175 minimum on booked work.
Permits
Sort the permit out before you book
Every Tri-Cities city has its own rules, and a dead tree usually still needs a permit. Anmore needs one for every removal. Port Moody and Port Coquitlam each set their own rules about which trees are covered.
Birds nest in spring and summer, and some cities won't issue a permit then without a bird survey. If your removal isn't urgent, autumn and winter are easier.
Tell me the address and I'll tell you where to start. The city makes the decision.
Permit rules for each Tri-Cities municipalityFive steps
What happens
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Contact me. Address, a bit about the tree, a photo if you have one.
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I come out and look. The tree, the way in, what's underneath, and where I can park.
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I explain how I'd do it and what's included, and give you the estimate.
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You decide. No pressure, no follow-up sales calls.
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The work happens the way we discussed it, and the site gets cleaned up.
FAQ
Questions
Can you remove a tree right beside my house?
Usually yes. That's what climbing the tree and lowering the pieces on ropes is for. I need to see it first to tell you how I'd do it.
How much does tree removal cost in Coquitlam?
There's no flat rate. It depends on the tree's size and condition, the access, and what's underneath. It also depends on whether it can be dropped whole or has to come down in pieces. Estimates are free and I quote the whole job on site. There's a $175 minimum on booked work.
What about a backyard with no machine access?
I climb the tree, so no machine has to reach it. Getting the wood out is the part worth planning, so I'll look at the route when I'm there.
Do you grind the stump?
Yes, it's a separate line on the estimate. Mention it when you get in touch so I can look at the size and what's around it.
Can I keep the grindings from the stump?
Yes. Say so and I'll leave them. Give them a few months before you spread them on a bed, because fresh chips pull nitrogen out of the soil while they rot down. Keep a gap around the base of anything you mulch.
Will the grinder wreck my lawn?
It's a heavy machine, so crossing soft ground can mark a lawn. I'll walk the route with you before I bring it through. If it needs boards down, it gets boards down.
Do you take the wood away?
I'll tell you exactly what's included in the estimate. If you want to keep the firewood or the wood chips, say so when I'm there and I'll leave them. Otherwise it all goes with me.
Can you remove my neighbour's tree?
Only with the owner's permission. If the trunk sits on the property line, some cities want that in writing from both owners. A branch hanging over your fence doesn't give you the right to have the tree taken down.
Do you do emergency removals?
I generally help when a tree has come down on someone's property. Call 604-315-3512. I'm one person with one phone, so I can't promise I'll always be free. Stay well clear of it, and call BC Hydro if there are lines involved.
Is the estimate really free?
Yes. Estimates for tree work cost nothing. Written assessments and arborist reports are a separate paid service and I'll quote those before I start.
Next step
Send me the address
Tell me which tree and what's going on with it. I'll come look and give you a free estimate.
Get a free estimate