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Storm Damage Tree Cleanup in El Dorado Hills
Dial (530) 670-0330 and leave the rest to us. Our area is El Dorado Hills and the places around it. A real person finds you a local tree pro and books the visit, so you can skip the hold music.
Describe what fell and where it landed. A few questions later, someone is on the way.
What a bad night leaves behind
Usually it's a nuisance, not a disaster. Twigs across the grass. A branch on the patio table. Wet leaves jammed in the gutters. A rake and a free Saturday handle that.
Some messes are bigger. In a neighborhood where fences, pools and roofs sit close together, a single heavy limb can hit all three.
- A broken limb still caught in the branches above. Tree folks call it a hanger, and it can let go any minute.
- A big limb draped over the back fence, with the neighbor's side bearing the weight.
- A whole tree lifted out of the ground, roots and all, leaving a hole.
- A trunk that split where two big stems join.
- Branches in the pool skimmer, on the cover, or on the pump shed.
- A tree that was straight yesterday and leans at the house today.
Wind gets the blame, but water does half the work. El Dorado Hills collects about 26 inches of rain a year, and each winter month brings close to 5 inches. Fixr notes that a tree can come up out of the ground in a wet stretch or a storm, because soaked soil lets go of roots.
The weather service uses two wind alerts. A Wind Advisory means strong wind, so put away loose items. A High Wind Warning means strong steady wind with stronger gusts is under way, so go indoors. Every local office sets its own trigger levels, and Sacramento sets ours.
Fixr adds a sober note. A tree that took a beating from wind or snow is frequently a tree you cannot save.
How the work goes
Safety is the first job. The pro scans for wires, for hung-up limbs overhead, and for wood under tension. A bent limb pinned beneath a trunk can snap back with real force the moment it's cut, which is why this isn't a casual weekend project.
Next come the hangers, then the ragged stubs, trimmed back so the tree can seal over. Ground work follows. Large pieces get cut into rounds, and brush is stacked, chipped or hauled.
A tree torn out whole is its own animal. The trunk comes apart in sections. The root plate, that tall wall of roots and soil, may be tipped back down or cut free.
In a tight yard, crews often carry wood out by hand through a side gate. A pro will say if that stretches the job.
Where the wood goes
That's your decision. Some homeowners want every scrap gone, and some keep rounds for the fireplace. Say which before the saw starts.
Brush can be chipped right in the yard. Free chipping is offered on the Western Slope by the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council, whenever grant money is there. A primary home gets two visits a year, and the count resets every January 1. Branches up to 7 inches across are fine, but heaps of pine needles or leaves are not.
That program does not run on Red Flag warning days, and its crews leave the chips behind. For a full haul-away, ask your pro to quote it separately.
What storm cleanup costs
Prices swing wildly. A few limbs on a lawn are cheap. A big oak limb through a fence is not. The figures below are taken from cost guides, so use them as a starting point only.
| Job | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Trunk already on the ground | $75 | $150 |
| Tree pulled up by the roots | $300 | $500 |
| Cutting back broken limbs | $175 | $750 |
| Height 30 to 60 feet | $450 | $700 |
| Height 60 to 100 feet | $900 | $1,200 |
| Crane, tight spot | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Grinding one stump | $100 | $500 |
Figures come from the Fixr cost pages for tree removal and tree trimming.
What raises the bill? Height, for one. A tall tree costs more than a short one. Cutting a tree down in pieces over a pool costs more than dropping it in the open. Fixr says trees of 80 feet and up may call for a crane, and a crane day can run $1,500 to $2,500.
What trims it? Doing the small stuff yourself. Collect the sticks you can lift, and leave heavy wood and anything overhead to the professional. Chipping on site often beats hauling.
If the tree hit your house, garage or fence, phone your insurer before paying anyone. Shoot photos first. Consumer Reports reports that insurers generally cap removal pay at $500 or $1,000, though they may also cover repairs to what was damaged.
And if a tree falls and hits nothing? Usually there is nothing to claim, says the same article.
Why hand the calling to us
After a blow, tree pros are swamped. Phoning around can eat a whole morning, and most of it ends in voicemail.
We make those calls for you, aiming for somebody close to El Dorado Hills with room in the schedule. If the wait looks long, you'll hear that from us straight.
You pay us nothing. Money changes hands only with the pro you meet, and you are free to decline.
When it turns out to be nothing but sticks, we'll say so. A rake is cheaper than a visit.
The first hours, in order
- Glance up before stepping under any tree. Hangers are the main risk.
- Steer clear of wires, and phone 911 about any that are down.
- Photograph the damage and whatever it touched.
- Keep children and pets inside until the yard is safe.
- Phone (530) 670-0330 or use the estimate form.
- We line up a pro who already drives your side of town.
- The pro walks the yard, names a price and explains what happens to the wood.
- You choose. A yes puts the job on the calendar.
Cleanup questions
Could the Fire Safe Council chip my brush?
Possibly, when it is your main home on the Western Slope and grant money exists. Leave needles and leaves out of the heap, and keep branches under 7 inches thick.
A limb is stuck high in my oak. Can it wait?
Stay out from under it, including with the car. A hung-up limb may fall with no warning. Phone us and we will push for a quick visit.
The limb dropped into my neighbor's yard. Now what?
Take pictures and have a friendly word with the neighbor. Then ring your own insurer. Consumer Reports says a neighbor's tree landing on your house is your problem, and your insurer can explain how that plays out under your policy.
Should I tell my HOA first?
Not in an emergency. Make things safe first. For repairs later, look at your neighborhood rules, because the local community services district runs CC&Rs and design review.
Tree on the house? Read about emergency tree removal. Worried about what is still standing? Look at hazard tree inspection. Or start from the home page.