Questions we get asked in the driveway.

It depends on the size and species of the tree, where it is standing, and what is underneath it. A small pruning job and a sixty-foot removal between a house and a pool cage are not the same work and should not carry the same number.

The fastest way to find out is to send us a photo. We can usually size up a job from a picture and a street address before anyone drives out. The estimate is free and it comes in writing.

Height and spread. The health of the tree, because a rotten trunk cannot be climbed or rigged the way a sound one can. How close it is to a structure or a service drop, since that determines whether pieces can be dropped or have to be lowered on ropes. And how much debris has to leave the property.

Access is the one people forget. A tree in an open front yard is straightforward. The same tree behind a fence with a thirty-six inch gate takes smaller machines and more hours.

Yes. After-hours and storm response carries a higher rate, because it means crews at night, additional safety measures, and equipment committed at short notice.

The way to avoid paying it is to have the tree looked at before the season. Almost every emergency we respond to was visible as a defect months earlier.

Most trees do well on a one to three year cycle depending on species and location. Palms are usually more often, and fast-growing hardwoods near a roof can need attention every year.

The important part is the timing rather than the frequency. Pruning should be finished before the first of June. Once a storm is named, every crew in four counties is booked.

Sometimes, and it varies by city and county. Some municipalities in Pinellas protect particular species or anything over a certain trunk diameter, and removing one without approval can carry a real penalty.

Florida law also provides an exemption for residential property owners when a certified arborist or licensed landscape architect documents in writing that the tree presents a danger. That written opinion is something we can prepare for you. We will tell you which situation you are in during the estimate, before any work starts.

Yes to all three, and here is how to check rather than take our word for it.

Kenneth Johnston is ISA Certified Arborist #5826A, and that number is registered with the International Society of Arboriculture and publicly searchable. We carry full liability on the work and workers' compensation on every man who steps onto your property. We are accredited with the Better Business Bureau and have held an A+ rating since 2016. Certificates are available on request and we are used to sending them to HOA boards and property managers.

It leaves with us unless you ask otherwise. Brush is chipped where access allows, which cuts the number of loads. Rounds and firewood we will leave stacked if you want them, and plenty of people do.

Yes. If you are filing a claim, say so when you call. We can photograph and document what we find before anything is moved, which is far easier than reconstructing it for an adjuster after the driveway is already clear.