Frequently asked questions

Height and spread come first, then what's under the tree. After that it's how easy the timber is to carry out, whether the wood is dead or split, and whether the stump goes too.

A roof, pool or fence under the branches means we cut the tree into smaller pieces and lower them down, which takes longer.

It depends on how wide the stump is, how much root sits near the surface and how close we can get the grinder. A stump grinder is a machine with a spinning cutting wheel that chews the stump into wood chips.

We quote it on its own, or with a removal if the tree is still standing.

A low quote can leave things out, like taking the timber away, the clean-up or the stump. Check what each quote covers before you compare the prices.

Ours is a fixed price agreed before we start, and it includes the clean-up and the green waste, meaning the cut branches and leaves.

Some trees do and some don't. It depends on the council, the tree and where it sits on the block. It also depends on the planning controls on your property, which are the rules the council sets for each area.

Eltham is in Nillumbik Shire Council's area, while Montmorency is in Banyule City Council's and Templestowe and Warrandyte are in Manningham Council's. Greensborough can come under Banyule or Nillumbik, depending on the address, so we find out which council covers your street before any work starts.

Not always. Depending on your council and the tree, you may need a permit even for a tree in your own backyard.

Check with your council before you cut, or send us the details and we'll check with them for you.

The tree belongs to your neighbour, so the first step is a friendly talk with them about the branches. Council rules can still apply to cutting them back, even from your side of the fence.

We can look at the branches and tell you what pruning them would involve, so you both know what's being done.

Removal means the whole tree comes down. Lopping means cutting branches back hard to make the tree smaller. Pruning means taking off chosen branches, such as dead or crossing ones, with clean cuts the tree can grow over.

Which of the three suits your tree depends on its health and what you want from it. We'll tell you once we've seen it.

Deciduous trees, the ones that lose their leaves, are easiest to prune in late winter, once the branches are bare and before spring growth starts. Gums and other evergreens can be pruned at most times of the year.

Dead, cracked or hanging branches shouldn't wait for a season. Get them off as soon as you notice them.

Stumps rot when fungi and insects break the wood down, and they work faster when the stump stays damp. Drilling holes in the top and keeping it covered and moist helps, but a big stump can still take years to go.

If you want the spot cleared for lawn or garden this season, grinding is the way to do it.

Grinding is the fastest way. It grinds the stump away until it's under the soil, so the spot can go back to lawn, garden or paving.

We grind stumps as a job on their own or straight after we've taken a tree down.

Be wary of anyone who knocks on your door offering to cut a tree today, or who asks for cash before they start. Ask for their full business name and a number you can ring back, and ask whether they're insured.

Get the price agreed before any work starts, and ask whether the tree needs a council permit. If they can't tell you, ring someone else.

Yes, we're fully insured for the work we do on your property. A qualified arborist, a trained tree specialist, works out how your tree should come down or be pruned.

Yes, every time. We rake up and load the branches, leaves and timber onto our truck, and that's part of the fixed price.

We work 7 days, so Saturdays and Sundays are normal working days for us. We also take emergency and storm call-outs for trees and limbs that have come down.

Ring and tell us what's fallen and where it's landed, and we'll tell you when we can get there.