Georgia Tree Response removes trees for Roswell homeowners, HOAs, builders and commercial property owners. We take down dead, storm-damaged and hazardous trees. We also clear building lots and grind stumps. Before anything is cut, we check whether your tree needs a City of Roswell permit. That keeps the job legal and your property protected.
Most Roswell properties need more than one type of tree work over the years. A tree may need pruning today and removal a decade later. Here is what each service involves and when it makes sense.
Pruning is about the health and structure of a tree. We remove dead, diseased and rubbing branches so the tree puts its energy into sound growth. On young trees, we correct weak forks early. Two competing trunks can split apart in a storm years later. Good pruning removes the right branches at the right point without leaving stubs or tearing bark. Most healthy shade trees in Roswell only need structural pruning every few years.
Stump grinding turns the stump into wood chips below the soil line. A grinder with a spinning cutter wheel chews through the wood in layers. The result is a level spot you can mow over, seed or plant near. Grinding also removes a hiding place for termites and carpenter ants. The chips can stay in the hole as mulch or be hauled away.
Trimming focuses on clearance and shape. It keeps limbs off your roof and gutters. It also raises the canopy over driveways and sidewalks and lets more light reach your lawn. For commercial sites, trimming keeps signs visible and parking lots clear for delivery trucks. Roswell’s code also covers trimming of protected trees, so we check the rules before we cut large limbs.
Land clearing removes trees, brush and undergrowth from a defined area. Common reasons include new home construction, additions, pools, fence lines and overgrown back lots. We clear only the marked area and leave the trees you plan to keep. Construction-scale clearing and its permit steps are covered in more detail below.
Storms in the Roswell area often leave damage you cannot see from the ground. Broken limbs can hang in the canopy for days before they drop. Uprooted trees may lift their root plates and crack driveways. Trunks can split and look stable until the next gust. We remove hanging limbs, cut up fallen trees and assess the trees still standing. After a storm, we can tell you which trees are safe to keep.
Removal is the right call when a tree is dead, structurally failing or in the way of planned construction. It is also the answer when a tree is too close to your home to keep safely. Most removals near homes in Roswell cannot be done by felling the tree in one piece. Our climbers take the tree down in sections. They lower heavy pieces with ropes so nothing lands on roofs, fences or landscaping. Before removal, we confirm whether a permit is needed under the city’s tree ordinance.
Get everyone out of the damaged part of the house first. Stay away from any wires and call 911 if someone is hurt or a line is down. Once everyone is safe, photograph the damage, call your insurance company and have a tree crew remove the tree before any repair work begins.
Treat every wire near a fallen tree as live. Georgia Power’s safety guidance says to assume any wire on the ground is energized, report it right away to the utility or local public safety officials, and keep out of the area. To report an outage, Georgia Power customers can call its Customer Care Center at 1-888-891-0938.
After the immediate danger is handled, these steps protect your home and your claim:
• Take photos and video of the tree, the roof, the ceilings and any broken windows before anything is moved.
• Call your insurer and ask whether they need an adjuster visit before removal.
• Limit water damage by covering openings with a tarp only if you can do it from the ground or from inside.
• Keep receipts for tarps, temporary repairs and hotel stays.
Do not climb onto the roof or cut limbs yourself. A tree resting on a house holds stored tension. One wrong cut can shift the whole weight onto the structure or onto you. Our crew lifts the tree off in sections so the roof takes no extra load.
Construction projects in Roswell need tree approvals before clearing starts. The city’s Engineering Division says a Tree Removal Permit, including a Tree Survey, Tree Protection Plan and Tree Replacement Plan as applicable, is required for both commercial and residential projects when removal of trees over three inches in diameter or specimen trees is anticipated. Roswell Government
For builders and developers, the tree work has to match the approved site plan. We clear only what the plan allows. Before equipment arrives, we install protective fencing around the root zones of trees that will stay. Heavy machines driving over roots is one of the most common reasons saved trees die a few years after construction.
Our lot clearing work includes:
• Removing trees and brush inside the approved limits of disturbance
• Grinding stumps or pulling them for foundation and utility work
• Chipping or hauling debris so the site is ready for grading
• Coordinating timing with your builder so crews are not waiting on each other
For project questions about land disturbance permits, contact the City of Roswell Engineering Division.
A tree usually needs removal when it is dead, its trunk or roots are failing, or it has become a real risk to people or buildings. Some problems can be fixed with pruning. Others cannot. These are the signs that point toward removal:
Not every warning sign means the tree has to go. A professional assessment tells you whether pruning, cabling or removal is the right answer. This matters in Roswell because large healthy trees may be protected specimen trees.
We visit the property and look at the tree’s condition, size and surroundings. We note access for equipment and anything nearby that could be damaged. You receive a written estimate that lists exactly what is included.
We measure the trunk and identify the species. That tells us whether the tree needs a City of Roswell permit or counts as a specimen tree. If you live in an HOA community, we also help you get approval before work is scheduled.
On removal day, the crew sets up a work zone with cones and marks the drop areas. Fragile items are moved or protected. Everyone on site knows the plan before the first cut.
Depending on space, the tree is felled whole or taken down in sections. Near homes, our climbers use rigging ropes to lower each piece under control.
If you choose stump grinding, we grind the stump below grade. Then we fill the hole with the chips or with topsoil, depending on your plans for the area.
Branches go through the chipper. Logs are cut and hauled away or left for firewood if you ask. We rake the work area and blow off hard surfaces before we leave.
Roswell regulates tree removal through Article 12 of its Unified Development Code, or UDC. You can read the full text in the Roswell Unified Development Code Article 12 on Municode. The sections below explain the parts homeowners ask about most. Always confirm your situation with the city before work starts. Rules can change and exemptions depend on your property.
In most cases, yes. Article 12 states that no one may remove, poison, damage, trim or transplant a tree measuring 3 inches or more in diameter at breast height that normally reaches a mature height of 15 feet or more without first getting a permit. Diameter at breast height, or DBH, is the trunk width measured about 4.5 feet above the ground. Municode
The city’s own guidance says a Tree Removal Permit is required to remove any tree larger than 3 inches in diameter, and other situations may also require one. Waterfront properties have an extra step. Owners within 2,000 feet of the Chattahoochee River are in the River Corridor and must contact the Planning & Zoning office at (770) 817-6720 before removing any trees. Applications go through the City of Roswell permitting and licensing portal. Roswell GovernmentRoswell Government
A specimen tree is a large tree in fair or better condition that the city protects because of its size, species or condition. The city’s tree removal application sets these minimum sizes: 8 inches DBH for small trees such as dogwood, sourwood and cherry; 16 inches for mid-story trees such as maple, birch, magnolia and holly; 20 inches for overstory hardwoods such as oak, hickory, sweetgum and ash; and 30 inches for overstory softwoods such as pine. Northsidetreeprofessionals
Specimen trees face a higher bar for removal. Anyone applying to remove one must submit a written explanation of why the tree cannot be kept on the site, in addition to the normal permit requirements. Municode
Hazardous trees are handled differently, but the city still makes the call. Article 12 lists an exemption for removing a tree that has become or threatens to become a danger to human life or property, as determined by the City Arborist. Municode
In practice, this means you should contact the city before cutting a dead or dangerous tree. Send clear photos showing the dead canopy, cracks, rot or storm damage. Keep copies of everything you send. If a tree has already fallen or is actively failing, make the area safe first. Then document the tree before and after removal so you can show its condition. For guidance on your specific tree, call the city’s Landscape Architect at (770) 594-6445.
Removing a specimen tree comes with a required payment into the Roswell Tree Bank. The city uses tree density units, a value calculated from trunk size, to set the amount. Under Article 12, approved specimen tree removals require a contribution of $500 per tree density unit before the permit is issued. The penalty for skipping the permit doubles that figure. If a specimen tree was removed without or before a lawful permit, the contribution rises to $1,000 per tree density unit. MunicodeMunicode
There are two other points to know. Tree Bank contributions can be reduced by planting trees. And work done without the permit displayed counts as a violation, and the person or company involved can face enforcement under Sec. 13.14 of the UDC. MunicodeMunicode
Permit paperwork is often what stalls a Roswell tree job. We take care of the groundwork so you are not guessing:
If a Tree Bank contribution applies, we explain it before you commit. That way the cost is not a surprise.
Roswell’s older neighborhoods and wooded lots have a mix of native hardwoods and pines, plus a few problem ornamentals. These are the trees we are asked about most:
Tall pines tower over many Roswell homes. They are vulnerable to bark beetles and wind throw in saturated soil. Pines only become specimen trees at 30 inches DBH, so many can be removed with a standard permit.
A fast grower that often develops internal rot as it ages. Heavy limbs can drop without warning.
Very tall with a straight trunk. It can shed large branches during summer storms.
Common in yards and along property lines. Homeowners often remove it for spiky seed balls and surface roots.
Weak branch attachments make it prone to splitting in half, often around 15 to 20 years of age.
Popular for privacy screens. Older plantings frequently decline from disease and topple in wind.
Smaller trees, but a dogwood reaches specimen size at just 8 inches DBH. Check the rules before removal.
The right tree company should reduce your risk, not add to it. Here is what you can expect from Georgia Tree Response:
Always ask any tree company for proof of insurance before work begins. If an uninsured crew damages your home, you may have little recourse.
Our crews work across Roswell in the 30075 and 30076 ZIP codes. That includes the Historic District around Canton Street and homes along the Chattahoochee River corridor. We also serve established neighborhoods such as Martin’s Landing and Horseshoe Bend. We work east and west of GA 400, along the Holcomb Bridge Road corridor and on commercial properties near Mansell Road.
Tree rules depend on the jurisdiction, not just the mailing address. Mountain Park is a separate city surrounded by Roswell with its own requirements. Some Roswell mailing addresses also fall in unincorporated or neighboring areas. We confirm which rules apply to your property before we quote. We also serve nearby Alpharetta, Sandy Springs and Marietta.
Tree removal cost depends on the tree’s size, condition and how close it is to structures. Access for equipment and whether the tree must be taken down in sections also matter. Stump grinding and debris hauling add to the total. In Roswell, a specimen tree also requires a Tree Bank contribution of $500 per tree density unit. We give a written, itemized estimate after seeing the tree in person. [BUSINESS INFO REQUIRED: typical price ranges, if you choose to publish them]
Yes, for most trees. Roswell requires a permit to remove a tree 3 inches or more in trunk diameter that normally grows to 15 feet or taller. This applies to both residential and commercial properties. Properties within 2,000 feet of the Chattahoochee River must also contact Planning & Zoning before removing any trees. Some exemptions exist, but the city confirms whether yours qualifies.
Possibly, but only after the city agrees. Roswell’s code exempts trees that are a danger to life or property as determined by the City Arborist. The determination comes from the city, not the homeowner. Contact the city first with photos of the dead canopy, rot or damage. Keep your records in case questions come up later.
You can face enforcement action and extra costs. Removing trees without a displayed permit is a violation of the UDC, and enforcement is handled under Sec. 13.14. For specimen trees, the Tree Bank contribution rises from $500 to $1,000 per tree density unit if removal happened without or before a lawful permit. Checking first is almost always cheaper.
The City of Roswell treats it as a private civil matter. The city says a tree falling from a neighbor’s property onto yours is a civil issue, and each owner is responsible for cleaning up debris on their own property. In most cases, you file with your own insurance. If the neighbor ignored a known hazard, your insurer may pursue them. The City of Roswell tree FAQ explains the city’s position. Roswell Government
Usually only when the tree damages a covered structure. Georgia’s insurance commissioner has noted that a typical homeowner’s or commercial policy does not cover removal of downed trees unless the tree falls on a covered structure such as the house. Coverage also depends on the cause. If a tree fell because of rot, age or poor maintenance, a claim may not be accepted. Review your policy’s limits for debris removal. daltoncitizenbankrate
[BUSINESS INFO REQUIRED: confirmed emergency response time and availability hours]. After major storms, demand across metro Atlanta rises quickly. Priority goes to trees on homes, trees blocking the only exit and trees threatening people. If lines are involved, the utility must make them safe before any tree crew can work near them.
Not always. Many tree companies price stump grinding separately because some customers want the stump left or plan to have it dug out during construction. Your written estimate will state whether grinding is included. [BUSINESS INFO REQUIRED: confirm whether Georgia Tree Response includes stump grinding by default]
Whether it is one dead pine near the house or a full lot being cleared for construction, the first step is the same. We look at the tree, check the Roswell permit rules and give you a clear written price. You will know what the job involves, whether a permit or Tree Bank contribution applies and what the cleanup includes before you decide.
Have a tree in Roswell that worries you? Contact Georgia Tree Response to schedule an on-site assessment and get a free written estimate for removal, trimming or stump grinding.
Professional tree cutting, removal, trimming and emergency services handled safely by experienced local experts since 2010.