Tree removal in Florence, SC
When a tree is still standing but needs to go, there's time to plan it properly. Here's how a planned removal usually goes in the Florence area.
Most removals around Florence aren't emergencies. A loblolly has grown tall over a bedroom, a water oak is thinning at the top, a tree sits where the new carport or pool will go, or a Bradford pear keeps losing limbs every spring. The tree company looks at what's under and around the tree, how equipment can reach it and how sound the wood is, then decides how to bring it down.
How does the tree come down?
- Felled in one piece. Only when there's a clear landing zone, which is more common on rural lots outside Lake City and Marion than in Florence neighborhoods.
- Taken down in sections. A climber or bucket truck works from the top, cutting limbs and trunk pieces and lowering them on ropes.
- Crane removal. For a big tree leaning over a house with no room to drop pieces, a crane lifts sections out. It needs firm ground to set up on.
What should the written quote cover?
- Which trees are coming down, by location
- Whether brush is chipped and hauled off or left
- Whether logs are hauled, left in rounds or cut to firewood length
- Whether the stump is ground and how deep
- How the crew will protect the lawn, driveway, septic tank and drain field
- A certificate of liability insurance and proof of workers' comp
What changes the cost?
- Height, trunk size and species
- What's in the drop zone: the roof, a fence, a shed or service wires
- Whether a lift can reach the tree or someone has to climb
- How soft the ground is, since wet low spots can keep heavy trucks off the lawn
- Cleanup, hauling and stump grinding
Could the tree be saved?
Sometimes. Clemson horticulturists recommend an ISA Certified Arborist when you can't judge a tree's condition yourself. A large oak with one bad limb may only need pruning. A beetle-killed pine or a pear split at the main fork usually can't be fixed. For trees that are already failing, see dead and beetle-killed pine removal.
The tree company sets the price after it has seen the tree, what it could hit and how a truck, lift or grinder can reach it. We don't quote prices, and a number given over the phone before anyone has looked at the job is only a guess.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my own lot in Florence?
Trees on private residential lots are usually the owner's call, but rules can differ for trees in the street right of way, in HOA neighborhoods or on commercial property. Check with the City of Florence or Florence County planning, or your HOA, if the tree is near the street or a property line.
Can a tree right beside the house be taken down safely?
Usually. Crews take close trees down in small sections, lowering each piece on ropes or lifting it out with a crane instead of dropping it.
Related services
More background: Florence, SC tree removal guide.
A pine leaning toward the roof, a split Bradford pear, or a stump you're tired of mowing around?
Call the number above and get connected with a tree company that works in Florence and the Pee Dee.