Tree service FAQ

Pruning typically runs $400–$1,800 per visit and removals $600–$4,500+ depending on size and access. Stump grinding adds $120–$400 per stump. Every estimate we give is a fixed written price, not an hourly guess.

Yes. On-site estimates for tree work are free. Formal diagnostic consultations and written risk assessment reports are billed separately because they involve arborist analysis and documentation.

Yes. We carry general liability and workers' compensation insurance, and certificates can be sent directly from our insurer on request. Never allow tree work on your property without verifying both.

Most residential jobs require no deposit. Large projects and crane work may require a scheduling deposit, always documented in writing. We never ask for cash.

Routine work is typically scheduled within one to two weeks. After major storms, lead times extend and emergency hazards take priority.

Yes. We maintain commercial properties, HOAs, and multifamily communities across the Austin metro with scheduled maintenance and documented tree inventories.

Check, major credit cards, and ACH. Payment is due on completion unless other terms are agreed in writing.

Mid-July through January. Avoid February through June, the peak oak wilt transmission window. Any oak wound should be sealed immediately regardless of season.

Most mature shade trees benefit from pruning every three to five years. Young trees benefit from light structural pruning every two to three years.

No. Topping permanently damages tree structure and creates hazardous regrowth. We use crown reduction to appropriate lateral branches instead.

No more than 20–25% of live canopy per year on a healthy mature tree, and less on stressed or older specimens.

No. Pruning removes food-producing foliage. It improves structure, safety, and clearance — it does not accelerate growth.

Yes, clearance pruning is one of our most common services. We generally recommend maintaining six to ten feet of clearance from the roofline.

Always. Debris is chipped and hauled, beds are raked, and hard surfaces are blown clean. If you want chips left as mulch, tell us where.

Often. Trees 19 inches or more in diameter are generally protected, and certain species 24 inches and larger are heritage trees. We identify permit requirements during your estimate.

Common indicators are more than 50% canopy dieback, large cavities or fungal conks at the base, a split trunk, or a lifted root plate. A certified arborist should confirm before you commit.

Most residential removals take three to eight hours. Large or crane-assisted removals over structures can take one to two days.

Standard grinding is six to ten inches below grade. Replant-depth grinding goes 18 inches or deeper and removes major lateral roots.

Yes, with replant-depth grinding and soil backfill. Planting into wood chips causes nitrogen tie-up and poor establishment.

We use plywood matting where equipment travels and protect beds and irrigation. Minor turf impression is normal and recovers.

It is chipped and hauled by default. If you want rounds left for firewood, ask — but never store unseasoned oak firewood near your oaks.

Live oaks show veinal chlorosis — yellow or brown veins on otherwise green leaves — with out-of-season leaf drop. Red oaks brown rapidly over three to six weeks. Have it diagnosed before pruning anything.

Yes, often. Trenching severs root grafts to contain spread, and propiconazole macro-infusion protects individual high-value trees. Early detection matters enormously.

That is iron chlorosis, caused by Austin's high-pH soils locking up iron. Chelated iron treatment usually restores color within a season.

Likely hypoxylon canker, which colonizes drought-stressed trees. It signals significant decline and usually leads to removal for safety.

Some do. Urban trees in compacted, nutrient-poor, or high-pH soil benefit from deep-root feeding. Fertilizer is not a fix for drought, root damage, or disease.

Not necessarily. Central Texas trees shed leaves to conserve water during drought. Consistent thinning year over year is a bigger warning sign than a single summer drop.

Deep, infrequent soakings out at the drip line — roughly every two to three weeks during drought — beat daily lawn irrigation, which promotes shallow roots.

Yes. Three inches of mulch from near the trunk out toward the drip line moderates soil temperature, holds moisture, and reduces mower and trimmer damage. Never pile mulch against the trunk.

Yes. Crews are on call around the clock for trees on structures, blocked exits, and hanging limbs. Call (512) 291-8844 for immediate triage.

Get everyone out of the affected area, assume all wires are live, call 911 if lines are involved, photograph the damage from a safe distance, then call us and your insurer.

Generally yes when a tree damages a covered structure. We provide photo documentation and a written arborist assessment for your claim.

Often, if it kept most of its canopy, has an intact trunk, and the root plate did not lift. Restoration pruning over several years rebuilds sound structure.

Never pay cash deposits, verify insurance directly with the insurer, and get scope in writing. Prefer established local companies with a verifiable history.

The full Austin metro, including Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Northwest Hills, Tarrytown, Hyde Park, Allandale, Barton Hills, Oak Hill, Lakeway, Cedar Park, and Round Rock.

Not usually. As long as we have access and the scope is agreed in writing, most jobs are completed without the homeowner present.

We reschedule for safety when conditions are unsafe for climbing or rigging, and contact you as early as possible.

Yes. We regularly work within HOA and municipal landscape standards and provide documentation where approval is required.

Austin Tree Specialists has served Austin and Central Texas since 1975 — more than fifty years in the same market.