We trim oaks over roofs and pines near driveways. Palms get only what they need. Every cut follows ANSI A300 pruning standards, so your tree stays healthy and keeps its natural shape.
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Trimming shapes a tree and clears space around it. Pruning targets health and structure by removing dead, weak or crossing branches. Most visits combine both. Topping is neither. It cuts main branches to stubs and damages the tree for years.
Clearance and shape. Think roofs, driveways and sightlines.
Health and strength. Think deadwood, crossing limbs and weak forks.
Cutting the tree’s top off. We do not offer it.
⚠ If a company offers to “top” your tree to make it safer, get a second opinion. Topped trees regrow fast, weak shoots that break more easily.
Pick the problem closest to yours. Each one has a different fix.
We cut them back to a healthy side branch. This keeps 6 to 10 feet of clearance without butchering the tree.
Crown thinning opens the canopy so light and air reach the grass below.
Deadwood removal takes out the branches most likely to fall in the next storm.
Crown raising lifts the canopy so cars, trucks and people pass safely underneath.
We remove weak and rubbing limbs and reduce heavy ends before summer storms.
Selective pruning clears the line of sight and keeps the tree intact.
Good trimming is a set of specific cuts. Here’s what each one does in plain words.
Every cut sits just outside the branch collar. That’s the slight swelling where a limb meets the trunk. Cutting there lets the tree seal the wound. Flush cuts and stubs invite decay.
Late winter is best for most Georgia shade trees. They are dormant, the cuts close well in spring, and the crew can see the branch structure clearly. Spring-flowering trees are best pruned right after they bloom. Dead or dangerous limbs can come off any time of year.
Main pruning season for oaks and most hardwoods.
Prune dogwoods, azaleas and other spring bloomers after flowering.
Light clearance and storm damage only. Maples and birches bleed less now.
Deadwood and small cuts. Save heavy pruning for winter.
Water oaks and willow oaks are everywhere in metro Atlanta. Water oaks often decay from the inside, so we inspect before we climb. We prune oaks in winter and remove no more than about a quarter of the live canopy in one visit.
Loblolly pines rarely need shaping. We remove dead lower limbs and storm-damaged tops. We also check for pine beetle signs while we’re up there.
Chopping them back to knuckles each winter weakens them. We thin the inner branches instead so they bloom on strong stems.
We time the cuts to avoid heavy sap bleeding and lost blooms.
Windmill palms and sabal palms are common from Savannah up to metro Atlanta. We remove only fully dead fronds and spent flower stalks. The popular “hurricane cut” strips green fronds and leaves palms weaker in storms and cold. Green fronds feed the palm, so they stay on.
Most Georgia homeowners pay $300 to $800 per tree. A small ornamental tree can cost under $300. A large oak over a house can pass $1,500. Height, canopy size, access and nearby lines set the price. We quote a fixed price before any work starts.
[$X to $X]. Ornamentals, young trees, palms.
[$X to $X]. Most yard oaks, maples and pines.
[$X to $X]. Mature oaks near roofs or lines.
Cleanup and haul-away are included. Several trees in one visit usually lower the price per tree.
Young trees do best with light structural pruning every 1 to 3 years. Most mature shade trees need trimming every 3 to 5 years, or sooner if limbs reach the roof.
Other signs of a bad job include flush cuts against the trunk and stubs left behind. Another is “lion tailing,” where the inner branches are stripped bare. If your trees look like the left photo, we can help them recover over several seasons.
Georgia Power trims trees that threaten its lines on its own schedule. Branches near the line to your house may be your responsibility. We never cut near a live line until the utility confirms it’s safe.
In Georgia you can generally trim branches that hang over your side, up to the property line. You can’t harm or kill the tree in the process. When in doubt we talk to both owners first.
Need the whole tree gone?
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“We had a large oak with several branches hanging over the roof and driveway. I was worried they would just cut everything back too hard, but they explained which limbs needed to come off and why. The tree still has a natural shape, there’s much better clearance over the house, and they cleaned up every branch before leaving. Really happy with how careful they were around the roof and landscaping.”
“We had several dead limbs high up in an older oak and a few branches rubbing against each other. They cleaned up the canopy without making the tree look stripped. Everything was hauled away afterward and the yard was left very clean.”
“Our trees had gotten too low over the driveway and were starting to scrape taller vehicles. They raised the canopy just enough to solve the problem without taking too much off. Looks much better now.”
Our crews are based in Oakridge Heights and serve these cities.
Outside these areas? Call and ask.
Most homeowners pay $300 to $800 per tree. Small trees under 30 feet cost less. Large oaks over a roof or near power lines can cost $1,500 or more. The price depends on height, canopy size, access and cleanup. You get a fixed written quote before work starts.
January and February are best for most shade trees, including oaks. The trees are dormant and cuts close quickly in spring. Spring-flowering trees are the exception. Prune them right after they bloom. Dead or hanging limbs can be removed any time of year.
Industry pruning standards advise removing no more than about 25 percent of the live canopy in one growing season. Taking more stresses the tree and triggers weak sprouts. If a tree needs more work, we spread it over two or more visits.
Yes. Topping cuts main branches to stubs. The tree answers with fast, weakly attached shoots that break easily and it often decays at the cuts. Crown reduction is the proper alternative. It shortens limbs back to a healthy side branch and keeps the tree’s shape.
Only remove fully dead fronds. Cutting green fronds weakens palms and leaves them less able to handle wind and cold. The tight “hurricane cut” look is harmful. A healthy palm keeps a full, rounded crown of green fronds.
In Georgia you can generally trim branches that cross onto your property, up to the property line. You can’t damage or kill the tree doing it. Talk to your neighbor first. Check with a lawyer if the tree is large or the situation is disputed.
Georgia Power trims trees near its main lines on its own schedule. Branches near the service line to your home may be your responsibility. Never trim near a live line yourself. A qualified crew coordinates with the utility before cutting.
A single medium tree usually takes 1 to 3 hours. Large oaks or several trees can take most of a day. Cleanup is included in that time. We give you an estimated schedule with your quote.
Light trimming for clearance or storm damage is fine in summer. Heavy pruning is better left for winter. Oaks in particular are best pruned while dormant. Summer is actually the better time for maples and birches because they bleed less sap then.
Yes. Every branch is chipped or hauled away. Lawns and beds are raked and hard surfaces are blown clean. If you’d like to keep the wood chips as mulch, just tell the crew.
Take one photo of the whole tree and one of the problem branches. We’ll reply with a price within 30 minutes.
Professional tree cutting, removal, trimming and emergency services handled safely by experienced local experts since 2010.