Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the tree's height, what it hangs over, and how easy it is to reach. HomeGuide's 2026 national figures put most tree removals between about $400 and $1,200 and most trimming jobs between about $400 and $900, with very large trees costing more. We give you a written price after seeing the tree.

No. The city's Parks and Recreation FAQ says it does not work on trees on private property. For trees in an alley, each neighboring owner is responsible for the vegetation on their half. If you think a tree is in the public right-of-way, call the city's Forestry office at 316-268-4003 before anyone cuts it.

The property owner, in most cases. The city says private debris is the owner's responsibility, though after a widespread disaster it may announce a pickup for a set time and area. Brooks Landfill in Wichita accepts tree debris for a per-ton fee, and our quotes say up front whether we haul the brush away.

It may be, especially on a Scots or Austrian pine. K-State says pine wilt symptoms usually show from August through December, with needles turning gray-green, then yellow and brown while staying attached, and cut branches giving off little resin. Infected trees should be removed to ground level and the wood burned, buried or chipped before April 1.

Only with a Wichita Fire Department burn permit, and only trees, wood and vegetation from that site. The permit rules require 250 feet of clearance from property lines, buildings and roads unless the department approves otherwise, and no burning in winds over 15 mph, so it rarely works on a city lot. Chipping or hauling is the usual answer.

Late winter, while most trees are dormant, works well for shade trees: you can see the branch structure and the cuts have spring to start closing. For oaks, K-State advises avoiding pruning in late spring, when fresh wounds can attract the beetles that spread oak wilt. Storm-damaged or cracked limbs over a house should not wait for any season.

Ask for a written quote that lists each tree, the cleanup and whether the stump is included. Ask for a certificate of liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage sent by the insurer. If the question is whether a tree is healthy or safe, ask whether an ISA Certified Arborist will look at it; you can check that credential on the International Society of Arboriculture website.

HomeGuide's 2026 national figures put most removals between about $400 and $1,200, with small trees under 30 feet from about $200 and very large trees over 80 feet at $1,200 to $2,500 or more. Access, what the tree hangs over and its condition matter as much as height. We give a written price after seeing it.

The city's Parks and Recreation FAQ says it does not work on trees on private property, and we have not found a city permit for removing a private yard tree. A tree that stands in the street right-of-way is a different matter, so ask the city's Forestry office at 316-268-4003 first. Some HOAs also have their own rules about removing trees.

Often, yes. Dead wood can snap without warning, so climbing and rigging take more care and sometimes a lift instead of a climber. HomeGuide notes dead trees often cost more to remove for that reason. Taking out a declining tree before it is fully dead is usually easier and safer.

Yes, by lowering limbs on ropes so nothing lands where it should not. The crew may need to stand on the neighbor's side for part of the job, so it helps to let them know. Make sure the tree is yours first; for alley trees, the city says each owner keeps up their own half.

Only if you want it. Stump grinding is priced as its own line on the quote, so you can add it, leave it, or have it done later. Some trees, like Siberian elm and hackberry, sprout back from the stump if it is left, so grinding is worth considering for those.

HomeGuide's 2026 national guide puts an average trimming job at about $400 to $900 per tree, from about $250 for a tree under 30 feet to $1,000 or more for one over 60 feet. Most companies also have a minimum fee. We price each tree in writing after seeing it.

Young trees benefit from light structural pruning every couple of years while their shape is forming. Mature shade trees usually need attention every few years, or after a storm leaves broken limbs. Fast growers like silver maple and Siberian elm may need it more often near a house.

It lowers the odds; nothing makes a tree storm-proof. Removing dead wood, shortening long limbs and thinning crowded crowns all reduce the weight and leverage that break branches. A tree with a split trunk or major decay may be better removed than pruned.

Not while the line is live. Lines to a house and along the alley carry current, and work near them is for the utility or crews qualified for line clearance. Call the electric company about branches in the wires; we can prune the rest of the tree once it is safe.

Call (316) 512-2394 or send the form with a few details and photos of your tree. We will set a time for the free estimate and schedule the work once you approve the written quote.

HomeGuide's 2026 national guide puts the first stump at about $120 to $400, or roughly $2 to $6 per inch of diameter, with additional stumps around $30 to $60 each and minimum fees of about $80 to $160. Size, wood hardness and access drive the price. We quote each stump in writing.

It may send up a few sprouts from roots left in the ground. K-State notes Siberian elm and hackberry resprout after cutting and recommends digging them out or treating the cut stump with herbicide right after cutting. Grinding removes most of the sprouting wood, and any suckers that appear later can be ground or cut.

No. Grinding chews the stump down below the surface and leaves the roots to rot. Stump removal digs out the stump and its main roots, which takes heavier equipment, leaves a larger hole and costs more. Grinding is enough for most yards.

You can, but it is usually better to plant a few feet away. The old roots and chips take years to break down and can leave poor soil and settling. If you want the same spot, ask for deeper and wider grinding and replace the chips with soil.

Get everyone out of the damaged part of the house and stay away from any wires. Report downed lines to the electric company, take photos if it is safe, and call your insurer. Then call (316) 512-2394 to leave details; do not try to cut a tree resting on the roof yourself.

Usually. HomeGuide's 2026 guide says same-day or next-day emergency service often costs two to three times the standard rate, because crews work under time pressure on damaged, unpredictable wood. Trees on buildings take more rigging and sometimes a crane or lift. We give a written price before the cleanup beyond the immediate hazard.

Usually not. The city says private debris is the owner's responsibility, though after a widespread catastrophic event it may remove debris for a set time and area and announce it through local media. Brooks Landfill accepts tree debris for a fee.

Small trees that tipped in soft soil can sometimes be straightened and staked. A large tree with roots torn out of the ground on one side, or soil heaved up around the base, is usually unstable and should come down. If the lean is new, keep people and cars out from under it until it is checked.

You can call (316) 512-2394 any time to leave details and photos of the damage. Work is scheduled by danger, so trees on houses and blocked exits are handled before trees lying in open yards.

Not once it shows symptoms. K-State says removing and destroying infected trees is the only control measure in landscapes and windbreaks, and that infected trees usually die within about three months.

It is better not to. Pine sawyer beetles and the nematodes overwinter in the dead wood and come out in spring to infect other pines. K-State advises burning, burying or chipping the wood before April 1, and burning inside Wichita requires a fire department permit, so chipping or hauling is the usual choice.

Fast browning of a Scots or Austrian pine between August and December, with needles that stay on the tree and little resin from cut branches, fits pine wilt. Other problems, such as tip blight, needle blight or drought stress, can look similar. If you want a lab diagnosis, the Sedgwick County Extension office can help with samples.

HomeGuide's 2026 national guide lists pine removal at about $250 to $1,600, with stump grinding extra at roughly $120 to $400 for the first stump. Height, what the tree stands near and how many trees are done at once change the price. We give a written price after seeing the trees.

No. K-State Research and Extension says eastern redcedar will not resprout after cutting, so a cedar cut flush with the ground is gone. New seedlings can still come up from seed that birds drop, so check fence lines every year or two.

HomeGuide's 2026 national guide lists cedar removal at about $600 to $2,000 per tree, with small trees under 30 feet often less. Size, closeness to buildings and how many trees are done together change the price. We give a written price after seeing them.

Heavy feeding year after year can strip a cedar or juniper badly, and junipers often do not regrow foliage on bare branches the way leafy trees do. K-State advises spraying in the latter half of June, after the larvae have hatched, and says August sprays are often a waste. If a tree is mostly bare, removal and replanting may make more sense.

Yes. Windbreak and fence-row clearing in Sedgwick County and the surrounding area is a common cedar job. Tell us roughly how many trees, how tall, and how a truck and chipper can reach the row.