Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the tree's height, its condition, and what it could land on. National 2026 cost guides put most tree removals between about $200 and $2,000, with Angi listing a national average of $750, and put most tree trimming between about $400 and $900 per tree. Trees over houses or near power lines cost more; Angi puts difficult-access jobs at 25% to 50% above normal. We give a written price after seeing the tree.

For a tree on your own property, the city's tree ordinance does not set out a general removal permit. Trees growing in the street right of way are public trees, though, and the ordinance says only the City Arborist or city contractors may work on them without a permit. If your lot backs onto a creek, check whether it has a streamside buffer, because Water Resources limits clearing there. HOAs in many subdivisions have their own rules too, so read your covenants.

Middle Tennessee Electric clears its own lines. MTE says its vegetation crews must cut back or remove trees within its 40-foot right of way, 20 feet each side of the line, and its vegetation management team can be reached at (877) 414-7685. Do not let anyone, including us, cut limbs touching a live line. We can handle the rest of the tree once the line is clear.

Inside Murfreesboro, the city collects brush and limbs at the curb for free, aiming to come through every 14 days. Pieces must be no longer than 6 feet and no thicker than 8 inches, in one pile parallel to the street, out of ditches and with room for the boom truck under any wires. Larger tree jobs produce more than that, so most of our quotes include chipping and hauling or leaving wood for you.

Often, yes, especially if it is over 15 years old, has already lost a limb, or stands over a driveway or roof. Bradford pears form many narrow forks that split under wind and ice, and their typical lifespan is under 25 years. A young pear can sometimes be pruned to fewer, stronger limbs, but on mature trees removal and replanting with a sturdier species is usually the better choice.

The City of Murfreesboro's Community Development office runs a Tree Removal Program offering a five-year to fifteen-year forgivable loan to eligible homeowners for removing trees that have become hazards. Eligibility rules are set by the city, so call Community Development at 615-890-4660 to ask. We can give you a written estimate to use in the process.

Yes. We work across Rutherford County, including Rockvale, Eagleville, Christiana, Lascassas, Walter Hill, Smyrna and La Vergne. Rural lots often have more cedar and fencerow work and less curbside brush pickup, so we plan the cleanup accordingly.

National 2026 guides put most removals between about $200 and $2,000. HomeGuide lists $500 to $1,500 for a tree 30 to 60 feet tall, which covers many yard trees here. A tree over a roof or near wires costs more. We give a written price after seeing it.

The city's tree ordinance does not describe a general permit for trees on private property. Trees in the street right of way are public trees and need a permit before anyone other than city staff or contractors works on them. Check your HOA covenants and whether your lot has a creek buffer.

Usually. Bradford pears split at their narrow forks, and their typical lifespan is under 25 years. Taking one down in a planned way costs less than cleaning a split tree off a car or fence after a storm.

Yes. We lower limbs on ropes so nothing lands where it should not. We may need to step onto the neighbor's side, so it helps to let them know. Make sure the tree is yours; if the trunk sits on the property line, get the neighbor's agreement first.

A small or medium tree with good access is often done in a few hours. A large tree over a house, or several trees, can take a full day or more. We tell you the expected time when we quote.

HomeGuide's 2026 national figures put most tree trimming at $400 to $900 per tree, from about $250 for a tree under 30 feet to $1,000 or more for trees over 60 feet. Access, the amount of deadwood and work over a roof change the price. We quote after seeing the tree.

If it grows in the street right of way, it is a public tree under Murfreesboro's ordinance, and only the City Arborist or city contractors may work on it without a permit. The permit is free; request it at least 48 hours ahead through the city's Urban Forestry office at 615-893-4380.

The city's guidance says good pruning rarely removes more than a quarter to a third of the crown. Taking more than that can starve the tree and trigger weak sprouts. If a tree needs more reduction than that, it may be better to spread the work over several years or consider removal.

Late winter, while trees are dormant, suits most structural pruning. Spring-flowering trees are best pruned right after bloom. Dead, broken or hanging limbs should come off as soon as you notice them.

It helps. Thinning and shortening long, heavy limbs reduces the load ice can build up, and removing weak forks and dead wood takes away the parts most likely to fail. It does not make any tree storm-proof.

HomeGuide's 2026 national figures put the first stump at about $120 to $400, with each additional stump about $30 to $60 and extra-large stumps $300 to $800. Size, wood type and access drive the price. We quote each stump in writing.

Typically a few inches below grade for lawn repair, deeper if you plan to replant in the same spot. Where limestone sits right under the stump, we grind to the rock and tell you.

No. It removes the stump and the root flare near it. Surface roots can be ground separately; the deeper roots decay over time.

You can, but many species resprout, and a rotting stump can attract insects and fungi and leaves a hollow when it breaks down. If it is out of the way, leaving it is a reasonable choice.

Buried lines should be located before any grinding. Tennessee 811 marks public utility lines; private lines like irrigation and dog fences are not marked, so point those out to us.

Middle Tennessee Electric, at 1-877-777-9020 or through its outage page. Stay away from the line and anything it touches. Once MTE has made it safe, we can remove the tree.

Usually. HomeGuide notes that emergency removal often costs 2 to 3 times the standard rate, and Angi puts the upper end at around $5,000, more if a crane is needed. You still get a written price before we cut.

It depends on your policy and on what the tree hit. Trees that land on a covered structure are treated differently from trees that fall in open yard. Ask your insurer, and take photos before anything is moved.

Small limbs on open ground, maybe. A tree that is hung up, resting on a house, or under tension can spring or roll when cut. Leave those to a crew with rigging.

The city's Street Department handles public streets, at 615-893-4380 during the day and through police dispatch at 615-893-1311 after hours. Trees on your own lot and driveway are yours to clear.

HomeGuide's 2026 figures put a single cedar removal at $600 to $2,000 and clearing at $1,200 to $2,500 per acre for light growth, rising to $4,500 to $8,000 for heavily wooded land. Thickets of small cedar usually fall at the lower end per acre. We price your land after walking it.

Eastern red cedar is a pioneer tree that moves into open, disturbed ground and old pastures, and it does well on the shallow limestone soils of the Central Basin. Without mowing, grazing or fire, it fills in quickly.

They can be. Eastern red cedar burns very readily, and its low branches can carry flames from the ground into the crown. Clearing or limbing up cedars close to a house or shed reduces that risk.

Check first. In Murfreesboro, lots in many newer developments carry a streamside buffer of 35 to 60 feet where Water Resources prohibits clearing, with limited exceptions such as trees likely to fall on a home. Call Water Resources at 615-890-0862 if you are unsure.

Warning signs include a new lean with lifted soil, large cracks, cavities, mushrooms at the base, dead branches high in the crown and narrow forks with bark pinched inside. If the tree could hit your house or a play area, have it looked at.

HomeGuide's 2026 national figures put an inspection or risk assessment at $100 to $250, and a consultation with a written report at $150 to $450 for one tree. When you are already getting an estimate for pruning or removal, our walk-through is part of the free estimate.

Sometimes. A healthy, valuable ash can be protected with systemic insecticides applied by trunk injection or soil drench, usually every one to three years, by a licensed applicator. If the crown has already thinned badly, removal is often the safer choice.

If the tree is otherwise healthy and the split is caught early, cabling or bracing can support a weak union. A tree that has already split badly, or one with internal decay, usually cannot be made safe this way.

The city's Community Development office offers a Tree Removal Program with five- to fifteen-year forgivable loans for eligible homeowners whose trees have become hazards. Call 615-890-4660 to ask about eligibility.