Frequently Asked Questions

Most residential removals in Olympia fall between $400 for a small ornamental and $2,500 or more for a large conifer that needs crane or technical rigging work near power lines. Height, trunk diameter, how close the tree is to a structure, and whether a truck can reach it are the four things that move the price most.

Often, yes — Olympia regulates this under OMC Chapter 16.60. On a developed single-family lot under two acres, tree removal is generally exempt from the permit requirement provided the property maintains the minimum required tree density, which is the condition most homeowners overlook. On parcels of two acres or more the exemption covers trees within 125 feet of the residence. A landmark tree always requires a permit under OMC 16.56, with no exceptions. Hazard trees and genuine emergencies are exempt, but the determination is the City Urban Forester’s, not the crew’s. Check your address with City of Olympia Urban Forestry before non-emergency work.

It can, which is why it is worth asking. Crews mitigate this with plywood or ground protection mats and lighter tracked equipment, but wet South Sound soil in winter compacts and ruts more easily than dry summer ground. Ask how the crew plans to protect turf and what they will do about ruts if they happen.

Usually not by default — it is commonly priced as a separate line. Scheduling it with the removal is typically cheaper than bringing a grinder back on a second trip, so ask for it to be quoted both ways.

Typically 6 to 12 inches below grade, which is enough to reseed or sod over. Grinding deeper costs more and is only necessary if you intend to replant a tree or build in the same spot.

A straightforward residential removal is usually a half to full day. Technical jobs — tight access, crane work, trees over structures — can run longer, and weather delays are normal here in winter.

Standard practice is to chip the brush, buck the trunk into rounds, and haul it away. If you want to keep the rounds for firewood, say so before the crew arrives — it changes how they cut and it can reduce your disposal cost.

Generally only when a fallen tree has damaged an insured structure. Removing a standing tree because it looks risky is almost always the homeowner's cost. If a tree has hit your house, photograph it before anything is moved.

Stay away from it and treat the line as live. Call Puget Sound Energy first. No tree crew should be working on a tree in contact with a conductor until the utility has cleared it.

No. A tree that has grown at an angle its whole life is different from one that started leaning recently. Fresh soil heaving or cracking on the uphill side of the root plate suggests active root failure, which is urgent. A healthy tree with a long-standing lean can often be managed with crown reduction or cabling instead.

Emergency work is triaged, not first-come. Trees on structures, on vehicles, on utility drops, or blocking the only access to a property go first. After a major regional windstorm, non-urgent work can back up for days.

Yes — Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, West Olympia, Boston Harbor and the surrounding Thurston County communities. Access on rural and waterfront properties varies a lot, so mention driveway width and overhead clearance when you call.

Ask for their Washington L&I contractor registration number and a current certificate of liability insurance, and verify the registration at the L&I website. Any established company will provide both without pushback. Be wary of door-knockers after a storm who want payment up front.

Yes. Getting matched with a crew and receiving an estimate costs you nothing, and there is no obligation to hire. On larger removals it is worth getting more than one estimate.