Frequently Asked Questions

Usually, yes, for a living tree. The City of Alpharetta reviews tree removal requests through Community Development and its city arborist, and the application asks for each tree's trunk diameter and a sketch of the lot. Dead trees on single-family detached lots and trees posing imminent danger have been exempt. Replanting can be required, so ask before you cut, and check with your HOA too.

LawnStarter's Alpharetta averages, updated October 2026, put tree removal at about $336 for a small tree, $912 for a medium one and $2,185 for a large one, with trimming from about $132 to $736 and stump grinding around $263. Trees over a house, on a steep slope or with dead wood cost more. We give a written price after seeing the tree.

It is a tree the city gives extra protection because of its size, type, condition or history. Reported thresholds are 20 inches in diameter for listed conifers, 20, 24 or 30 inches for overstory trees depending on species, and 8 or 10 inches for understory trees. Removing one generally takes more justification, such as declining health, and may mean replacement planting.

If the needles are fading and you see pitch tubes, red boring dust or frass at the base, probably not. The Georgia Forestry Commission notes that once Ips beetle symptoms show, insecticides will not save the tree. A dead pine near the house should come down before it gets brittle, and nearby pines should be watched.

The utility. Parts of Alpharetta are served by Georgia Power and parts by Sawnee EMC, so check your bill. Georgia Power says its contractors prune trees that pose a hazard to its lines, following ANSI and ISA standards. If a tree is touching a line, stay away and call the utility; we handle the rest of the tree once the line is clear.

Get two or three written quotes that list each tree, the cleanup and the stump. Georgia does not currently license tree care companies, so ask each company for a certificate of liability and workers' compensation insurance sent directly from the insurer. If the job involves judging a tree's health or safety, ask whether an ISA Certified Arborist will look at it; that credential can be checked on the ISA website.

Late winter, before spring growth, works well for most hardwoods: the branches are bare and easy to read, and wounds close as the season starts. Pines are better pruned outside hot, dry stretches, since the Georgia Forestry Commission advises against thinning during drought when beetles are active. Broken or hanging limbs should come off right away.

Often, when a tree falls on a covered structure in a covered event like a windstorm. This Old House notes that insurance may cover part or all of emergency removal in that case. A tree that falls in the yard without hitting anything is usually the owner's cost. Take photos before any cleanup and call your insurer early.

LawnStarter's Alpharetta averages put a small tree at about $336, a medium tree at about $912 and a large tree at about $2,185. National guides such as HomeGuide run from about $200 for a small tree to $2,500 or more for a very large one. Height, what the tree hangs over and the condition of the wood matter most. We give a written price after seeing it.

The city has exempted dead trees on single-family detached properties, and trees that pose an imminent danger, from its removal permit. Living trees generally need review, and replanting may be required. If you are not sure whether a tree counts as dead, we can look at it, and the city's Community Development Department can confirm.

Possibly. Alpharetta requires a certain number of trees per property, which can be met by trees you keep, by replanting, or both. City staff have said replacement trees can go on the same property, another property or city land. The permit review tells you what applies.

Yes, and it gets worse with time. Beetle-killed pines dry out and lose strength, so limbs break unpredictably and the trunk can be unsafe to climb. Removing it within a few months of dying is usually simpler and cheaper than waiting a year or two.

You can talk to your neighbor about removal, but a whole tree can only come out with its owner's approval and, in Alpharetta, the city permit if it is living. Overhanging limbs are a common case for pruning instead. We can quote either once ownership is clear.

The city's permit process is built around tree removal, and routine pruning has been excused from it. Cutting so hard that a tree is effectively lost is a different matter, so if you plan to take off most of a crown, ask Community Development first. Your HOA may have its own rules.

Usually far less than people expect. Removing too much live canopy at one time stresses the tree and triggers weak sprouts. Our quotes describe the pruning type and amount so you know what to expect.

Yes. Limbs touching or close to the roof are reduced back to a lateral branch or removed at the collar, and lowered on ropes so they do not land on shingles or gutters. Keeping a few feet of clearance also cuts down on leaves and pine needles in the gutters.

Pines shed lower branches naturally as they grow taller, and dry summers speed that up. A large number of dead branches high in the crown, or a crown that is fading in color, can point to beetles or root problems. We can look and tell you which it is.

It is common, but it is not good for the tree. Cutting to the same stubs each winter creates swollen knuckles and thin, floppy shoots. Thinning out crossing and crowded stems keeps the natural shape and still produces flowers.

LawnStarter's Alpharetta average is about $263 per stump. HomeGuide's national guide puts most grinding at $2 to $6 per inch of diameter, with minimum fees of $80 to $160 and additional stumps at $30 to $60 each. We price each stump in writing after measuring it.

Not quite. Grinding cuts the stump to chips below the surface and leaves the deeper roots to rot. Full removal digs out the stump and main roots, which tears up much more of the yard. For most lawns and beds, grinding is enough.

Yes, but plant slightly off the old spot if you can, or ask for a deeper grind and replace the chips with soil. Fresh wood chips tie up nitrogen as they break down, which can slow a new tree.

Pine stumps generally will not. Some hardwoods, such as sweetgum, can sprout from roots. Grinding the stump and the largest roots reduces it, and any sprouts can be cut as they appear.

Usually, yes. Smaller machines handle slopes and tight spots, though very steep or wet clay banks may need a dry day. We check the slope during the estimate.

Get everyone out of the affected rooms, and if any wire is involved, stay away and call the utility. Take photos if it is safe, then call your insurer and a tree company. Do not try to cut a tree that is resting on the house yourself; it can shift as weight comes off.

The city has exempted trees posing imminent danger and dead trees on single-family detached lots from its tree removal permit. A tree that is down or split and threatening the house fits that. A standing tree that only looks damaged may still need review, so have it assessed first.

It often depends on whether the tree was visibly dead or neglected beforehand. Usually each homeowner files with their own insurer for their own damage. Talk to your insurer before arguing over the tree; they deal with this regularly.

The utility restores the line and handles trees in contact with it, but Georgia Power states that storm debris cleanup is the property owner's responsibility. Once the line is safe, we can remove the tree and the debris.

Not entirely, but it can be reduced a lot. Removing dead pines, thinning dense crowns and shortening long limbs over the roof before hurricane season or winter takes away the most likely failures.

Warning signs include large dead limbs, cracks in the trunk, cavities, mushrooms at the base, a new lean with heaved soil, and bark falling off in patches. Any of those on a tree near the house deserves a professional look.

That description fits hypoxylon canker, which the USDA Forest Service says affects oaks weakened by drought, root damage or construction. By the time the crust shows, the tree is usually in serious decline. We can confirm what we see and tell you whether the tree should come down.

Not once symptoms show. The Georgia Forestry Commission says preventive systemic insecticides may protect high-value pines before attack, but a pine already showing fading needles and pitch tubes cannot be saved. Nearby pines can be watched or protected.

Often, if the root zone is protected. That means fencing off as much of the area under and beyond the canopy as possible, keeping equipment and materials off it, and avoiding trenching close to the trunk. A look before construction starts is far more useful than one after.

It involves drilling small holes for anchors, which the tree seals off over time. Properly installed hardware does far less harm than a failed fork that tears the trunk open. Poorly placed or neglected cables can cause problems, which is why inspection matters.

Steel hardware can last many years, but the tree keeps growing and conditions change. Plan on periodic inspections and a check after any major wind or ice storm, with adjustments or replacement as needed.

Sometimes. A fresh crack at a fork can often be bolted with rods and supported with cables if the wood is otherwise sound. A split that runs deep into the trunk, or decay at the crack, usually means removal is the safer choice.

It can be. If a large protected tree has a weak fork but is otherwise healthy, support and pruning may let you keep it safely instead of seeking removal. We will tell you honestly which option fits the tree.