Tree Service FAQ - Port Orchard & the Kitsap Peninsula

Do you really answer at night?

Yes. A real person answers the phone at night - not a voicemail, not a call center - and we come out at night. Corey answers his own phone, day or night.

How fast can you get to my house?

Port Orchard and Bremerton - typically within 30 minutes. Silverdale, Gig Harbor, Belfair and the rest of our service area - typically about an hour. Open 24/7.

What should I do while I wait for you to arrive?

Stay away from the tree and the area it could still reach. If any part of it is touching a power line, stay well back and call your electric utility first. Don't try to cut a loaded or hanging tree yourself. Keep everyone out of the rooms underneath a tree that has come through the roof.

What counts as storm damage versus an emergency?

If a tree is on your house, your car, or blocking your only way in and out, that's an emergency - call right away. If the storm has passed, the tree is down in the yard, and there's no ongoing danger, that's cleanup. Either way we haul away the debris.

There's a broken limb still hanging up in the tree. Is that dangerous?

It can be. A hanging or 'widow-maker' limb can drop without warning, sometimes hours or days later. We get it down safely before it comes down on its own. Don't stand or park underneath it in the meantime.

How do you remove a tree that's right next to my house?

When a big machine can't fit, we climb the tree and lower pieces down on a rope so nothing drops freely. Each section is cut small and controlled, guided past your roof, gutters, and landscaping. That's how we take down tight Douglas firs and cedars all over South Kitsap without touching the house.

Do you bring extra help for big trees?

Corey is on every job. On bigger removals he brings in additional help when the job calls for it - a second set of hands for a tall fir or a tree in a tight spot. You still deal with one owner-operator from estimate to cleanup.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree?

Some cities, shorelines, and steep slopes require a permit before a tree can be removed. We check before we cut and can help with the application. Rules vary by town and by whether the lot is near the water or on a bank, so we sort that out with you up front.

What's the difference between trimming and pruning?

In practice they overlap. Pruning is the selective removal of specific branches - deadwood, crossing limbs, branches heading for your roof - to keep the tree healthy and shaped. Trimming is the broader cleanup work. We do both as part of the same visit, and we haul away every branch.

Can you thin a crowded tree without hurting it?

Yes. Thinning removes select branches to let light and air move through the canopy, which actually helps the tree. The key is not over-thinning - we take out what needs to go and leave the structure intact.

Should the whole tree come down, or just the limb?

Often just the limb. A healthy tree with one bad branch over the roof doesn't need to come down - that branch does. If the whole tree is the problem, we'll tell you that too.

The limb is touching the power line. Can you cut it?

If a limb is touching or very close to a power line, call your electric utility first. They have to clear the line before we work near it. Once the utility has made it safe, we take the limb down and haul it away.

Do you haul everything away?

Yes. On every job we haul away the branches and wood. We chip the brush and load the logs, and you're not left with a pile in your yard.

What do you do with the stump hole?

On stump grinding we remove the chips and fill the hole. We don't grind it and leave you with a pile of mulch and a crater. You end up with a level spot you can seed or build over.

Can you grind multiple stumps at once?

Yes. One stump or a whole line of them from an old hedge removal - we can do them all in the same visit. Tell us how many and roughly how big when you call.

I already cut the branches myself - will you still haul them away?

Yes. That's exactly what our debris haul-off is for. If you did the cutting and the pile is more than you can handle, we load the branches, logs, and yard waste and haul it off. You did the work; we take care of the mess.

Do you take shrub roots out too?

Yes. We remove shrubs and bushes roots and all, so they don't just grow right back. Getting the root system out is the difference between a removal and a trim.

Are estimates really free?

Yes. Every estimate is free. Corey comes out, looks at the job, and gives you a straight number before any work starts. There's no charge to come out and look.

What payment do you take?

Card, check or cash. You get a straight price before we start, and you can pay however works for you.

Do you charge extra for nights and weekends?

Every emergency is priced for the work it actually takes, and you get a straight number before we start. Call and tell us what's going on - Corey will give you the honest answer.

Are you insured?

Yes. If you'd like details on our insurance, just ask and we'll be happy to share them.

Do you serve Bainbridge Island or Vashon?

Not currently. We serve the Kitsap Peninsula - Port Orchard, Bremerton, Silverdale and the surrounding Kitsap County towns - plus Belfair in Mason County and Gig Harbor in Pierce County.

Who actually shows up to do the work?

Corey, the owner, is on every job - he gives the estimate and runs the work. On bigger removals he brings in additional help when the job calls for it, but you always have one phone number and one point of contact from the first call to final cleanup.

Can you open up my view without killing the tree?

Yes. View pruning is selective - we remove specific limbs that block the sightline and thin to let light through, rather than stripping the tree. Done right, the tree stays healthy and you get your view back. We do not top trees.