Most residential tree removals in Pasco, Pinellas, and Hernando County cost between $300 and $3,000 per tree, with the average homeowner paying around $750 to $1,200. Tree size drives most of the price.

Here’s a typical breakdown by tree size in our service area:

• Small trees (under 30 ft): $300–$700
• Medium trees (30–60 ft): $700–$1,500
• Large trees (60–80 ft): $1,500–$3,000
• Very large or complex jobs (80+ ft, near structures): $3,000–$5,000+

Beyond size, the price depends on how close the tree is to your house or power lines, whether the crew can get equipment into your yard, the tree’s condition (dead trees are more dangerous and cost more), and whether you want the stump ground. Every job is different, which is why we always come out and provide a free, no-obligation written estimate before any work begins.

The biggest cost drivers are tree size, location, and access. A 30-foot pine in an open backyard costs a fraction of what it costs to remove a 70-foot oak leaning over your roof and near power lines.

Specifically, these factors push the price up:

• Size: Height plus trunk diameter — bigger trees take more time and heavier equipment
• Proximity to structures: Trees near houses, fences, pools, or vehicles require rigging instead of straight felling
• Power lines: FPL and Duke Energy safety zones require insulated tools and extra crew
• Access: Narrow gates or tight yards mean manual climbing instead of crane work — typically adds $300–$700
• Condition: Dead or diseased trees are unpredictable and require extra caution
• Stump grinding: Usually charged separately, adds $100–$400 per stump
• Debris hauling: Some companies leave the wood; we haul everything away as part of the job

We give you a flat written quote that includes everything — no surprise add-ons after the work starts.

Not usually — stump grinding is typically priced separately. But most tree services (including us) will bundle the two and offer a discount if you book them together.

Stump grinding on its own runs $100–$400 per stump in our service area, depending on the diameter, root spread, and accessibility. If we’re already on-site removing a tree, adding the stump grind on the same day is the cheapest path — our crew brings the equipment with us, so there’s no second mobilization fee.

If you’re planning to plant a new tree in the same spot or pour a slab over the area, you may need full stump removal (extracting the root system entirely) rather than grinding. We can explain both options when we come out for an estimate. Learn more on our stump grinding service page.

Yes — emergency tree removal generally costs 20–50% more than a scheduled job because we’re dispatching crews after hours, working in unsafe conditions, and the risk to our team is higher.

A typical emergency removal on a structure (tree on roof, tree blocking driveway, tree on a car) runs $1,000–$3,500+ in our area. The price reflects the urgency, the danger of working around damaged trees that can fail unpredictably, and the after-hours labor.

The good news: if a tree caused damage to your home, garage, or fence, your homeowners insurance usually covers both the repair and the tree removal, typically up to $500–$1,000 per tree. We help you document the damage for your claim. Just Us & Trees is on call 24/7 across Pasco, Pinellas, and Hernando County — call (727) 945-3915 anytime.

Most likely yes — Pasco County requires a permit to remove any tree with a trunk 5 inches or more in diameter at breast height (DBH), unless it meets a specific exemption.

DBH is measured at 4.5 feet from the ground. Trees under 5″ DBH usually don’t require a permit on residential property. Larger trees (10″+ DBH on single-family lots, or 5″+ DBH on non-single-family parcels) require a Type IV tree removal permit unless another permit covers the work.

Common exemptions include:

• Dead trees (no permit needed)
• Trees with severe structural decay, fungal infection, or hollow trunks
• Trees actively damaging permanent infrastructure (driveway, foundation, pool)
• Trees within 10 feet of a permanent structure that pose a documented safety risk
• Trees documented as dangerous by a certified arborist under Florida SB 518

Permit application fees in Pasco County are typically $30–$50. We help our customers navigate the permit process and provide arborist documentation when needed — at no extra charge as part of our service.

Florida SB 518 (passed in 2019) allows homeowners to remove any tree without a local permit if a certified arborist or licensed landscape architect documents that the tree presents a danger to people or property. This law applies statewide and overrides local ordinances.

Beyond the arborist-documented danger exemption, you can typically remove:

• Trees that are dead or visibly dying
• Trees with severe fungal infection or hollow trunks
• Trees actively damaging your home, driveway, foundation, or septic system
• Trees under 5″ DBH on residential property (Pasco County rule)
• Non-protected, non-specimen species under certain conditions

Trees you should NOT remove without checking first: live oaks above 18″ DBH, specimen trees, heritage trees, mangroves (state-protected), and any tree in a designated conservation area or wetland.

We provide certified arborist documentation as part of our service when applicable. If you’re unsure, call us — we’ll come out, look at the tree, and tell you straight whether you need a permit or not.

Generally yes — but Florida law overrides HOAs when a tree is documented as dangerous. Florida SB 518 explicitly states that no HOA can prohibit removal of a tree that a certified arborist or licensed landscape architect has determined poses an unacceptable risk to people or property.

For healthy, non-hazardous trees, your HOA’s CC&Rs (covenants, conditions, and restrictions) usually govern. Many Florida HOAs require:

• Written approval before any tree removal
• Replacement with an approved species
• A specific size of replacement tree (often a minimum caliper)

If your HOA is pushing back on a removal you believe is necessary, an arborist’s written assessment is the strongest tool you have. We provide that documentation as part of our service and have helped dozens of Pasco, Pinellas, and Hernando County homeowners navigate HOA disputes over dangerous trees.

Yes — each county protects certain tree species and any tree above a specific size, regardless of where it sits on your property.

Commonly protected trees in our service area include:

• Live oaks (Quercus virginiana) — protected above 18″ DBH in many municipalities
• Specimen trees — any tree designated as historically or ecologically significant
• Mangroves — state-protected statewide, federal protection in coastal zones
• Heritage trees — designation varies by city and county
• Trees in conservation easements or wetlands — additional review required

Removing a protected tree typically requires a permit application, an arborist’s written assessment, and sometimes mitigation (replacement trees on a 1:1, 2:1, or higher ratio). Pasco County in particular has detailed rules about specimen trees and heritage protection. We know the local code and can walk you through exactly what your specific tree requires before you commit to anything.

In most cases, your own homeowners insurance pays for the damage to your house — even if it was your neighbor’s tree. Florida follows the rule that whoever owns the damaged property is responsible for the repair, unless the neighbor was negligent.

If the tree fell during a storm and was healthy beforehand, it’s considered an “act of God.” Your neighbor becomes liable only if you can prove they were negligent — meaning the tree was visibly dead, diseased, or leaning before it fell, AND they were warned about it. Without that documentation, their insurance won’t pay.

What this means for you:

• File a claim with YOUR insurance first
• Photograph everything before any cleanup begins
• If you previously warned the neighbor in writing about a hazardous tree, save those records — that paper trail is essential
• Florida’s pending “Fallen Tree Act” could change these rules; we keep our customers informed when it does

We provide written hazard assessments that homeowners use to put neighbors on notice. That paper trail is the only way to shift liability if the worst happens.

Usually only if the tree caused damage to a covered structure — your house, garage, fence, or detached buildings. Most Florida policies include $500–$1,000 of tree removal coverage when damage occurs.

What’s typically covered:

• Tree fell on your house, garage, or fence — removal AND structural repair
• Tree blocking your driveway after a covered storm — removal often covered
• Tree damaged a covered vehicle — auto insurance handles this, not homeowners

What’s typically NOT covered:

• A healthy tree you want removed preventatively
• A tree that fell in your yard but didn’t hit anything
• Removal of a dead tree before it falls
• Damage from flooding (you generally need separate flood insurance)

If your tree fell because of a covered peril (windstorm, lightning, hail), your policy almost certainly responds. We’re happy to provide the documentation, photos, and itemized invoices most insurance companies require — at no extra charge.

You have three legal options in Florida, in order of escalation: (1) trim any branches or roots that cross onto your property at your own cost, (2) send your neighbor written notice with photos creating a paper trail, or (3) pursue legal action if they refuse and damage occurs.

Step by step:

• Document everything. Photograph the tree, the lean, any visible decay or dead branches, and date the photos.
• Trim what you legally can. Florida law lets you trim branches and roots up to your property line at your own expense — but you cannot trespass to cut the trunk.
• Notify your neighbor in writing. Send certified mail with photos. State that you believe the tree is hazardous and request action. This is the single most important step — it shifts liability if the tree later falls.
• Get an arborist assessment. A written report from a certified arborist documenting the tree’s condition strengthens your case enormously.
• Escalate if needed. Code enforcement, civil suit, or HOA complaint depending on your situation.

We provide arborist hazard assessment documentation as a stand-alone service for exactly this situation. Call (727) 945-3915.

Generally no — unless you knew or should have known the tree was dangerous and failed to act. Florida applies a “reasonable care” standard. If a healthy tree falls during a hurricane, that’s an act of God and your neighbor’s insurance covers it.

You become liable when:

• The tree showed visible signs of decay, lean, or disease before it fell
• A neighbor or arborist previously warned you in writing about the tree
• You ignored the warning and the tree later caused damage
• A reasonable homeowner would have seen the danger and acted

Protect yourself by:

• Getting an annual tree inspection (especially before hurricane season)
• Documenting maintenance and trimming with receipts and photos
• Acting quickly if anyone tells you a tree looks dangerous
• Carrying adequate homeowners liability coverage

If you’re worried about a specific tree on your property, we provide written hazard assessments at no charge as part of any service consultation. The assessment itself shifts the “should have known” question in your favor if you then act on our recommendation.

Removal is necessary when the tree is structurally compromised; trimming is for trees that are otherwise healthy but need shape, deadwood removal, or clearance work.

Remove the tree when:

• More than 50% of the canopy is dead or dying
• The trunk has large cavities, cracks, or visible decay
• The tree has a significant recent lean (especially with raised soil at the base)
• Roots are exposed, rotting, or heaving the soil
• Disease has spread throughout the tree
• The tree is dangerously close to a structure and can’t be made safe with pruning

Trim instead when:

• Only specific branches are dead or hazardous
• The canopy needs thinning for better storm resistance
• Branches are too close to your roof, power lines, or driveway
• The tree is healthy but unbalanced or overgrown
• You want to improve fruit production, light, or aesthetics

When you’re not sure, we come out for free and give you a straight answer. Sometimes a $400 trimming job saves a tree we’d otherwise have to remove for $2,000.

The seven biggest red flags are: (1) a new or worsening lean, (2) visible decay or hollow areas, (3) mushrooms or shelf fungus on the trunk or roots, (4) large dead branches over 3 inches in diameter, (5) cracks in the trunk or major limbs, (6) raised or exposed roots, and (7) more than 30% of the canopy is dead.

The most dangerous signs you should never ignore:

• Mushrooms at the base or on the trunk — strong indicator of internal rot
• A lean that wasn’t there a year ago — root system is failing
• Bark falling off in large patches — tree is dying
• Hollow sound when you knock on the trunk — structural integrity is gone
• Cracks running vertically up the trunk — imminent failure risk
• Co-dominant stems with included bark — a common failure point in Florida storms

If you see any of these, especially before hurricane season, schedule an inspection now. After June 1, every tree service in Florida gets slammed and availability disappears for weeks. Free assessment, no pressure — call (727) 945-3915.

Yes — if a tree shows any signs of being dangerous, the best time to remove it is March through May, before hurricane season starts on June 1. After that, demand spikes, prices go up, and availability drops to weeks of wait time.

Ideal hurricane-season tree work timeline for Florida:

• March–April: Risk assessments, structural pruning, removal of high-risk trees
• May: Final canopy thinning, palm trimming, deadwood removal
• June 1 onward: Emergency-only work as crews shift to storm response
• After a hurricane: Crews work around the clock — life-safety calls are prioritized first

Trees that should come down before storm season:

• Trees with significant lean toward your house
• Trees with visible decay or dead canopy
• Tall trees (60+ ft) within fall distance of your roof
• Trees with co-dominant stems and weak attachments

We schedule hurricane-prep removals starting in February. Book early — by May we’re usually fully scheduled.

We dispatch 24/7 across Pasco, Pinellas, and Hernando County, with typical response times of 30–90 minutes for life-safety emergencies — tree on house, tree on a car with people inside, tree blocking the only access to your home.

For non-life-safety urgent calls (tree blocking driveway, large limb hanging over walkway, tree partially down but stable), we typically arrive same-day during business hours and first thing the next morning for overnight calls.

During major storm events: Response times stretch because demand surges across the entire Tampa Bay region. We prioritize calls in this order:

• People trapped or injured
• Trees on occupied structures
• Blocked emergency access
• Property damage
• Debris cleanup

We’ll always tell you a realistic ETA when you call. Call (727) 945-3915 anytime — we answer day or night. Learn more about our 24/7 emergency tree service.

The ideal trimming window for most Florida trees is late winter through early spring (November to March), when trees are dormant and recovery is quickest. However, palms and oaks have specific schedules that differ from this general rule.

By tree type:

• Oaks: Strictly November 15 to March 31 (oak wilt risk during warmer months)
• Palms: May–June, just before hurricane season
• Citrus: Late winter, after fruit harvest
• Most other hardwoods: Late fall through early spring
• Pines and other conifers: Late winter

Always OK to trim, any time of year: dead, broken, or storm-damaged branches; branches that suddenly become hazardous; limbs touching the roof or power lines.

Avoid heavy trimming in summer because pruning wounds attract pests and spread disease (especially oak wilt). And never do major trimming right before a forecasted storm — fresh wounds on green wood are vulnerable.

Young oaks (under 15 years) benefit from structural pruning every 2–3 years; mature oaks need light maintenance every 3–5 years. Over-pruning a mature oak does more damage than under-pruning it.

Florida oak trimming schedule:

• Years 1–5: Establish structural pruning — train a single dominant leader, remove competing stems
• Years 5–15: Every 2–3 years for shape and deadwood
• Mature trees: Every 3–5 years for deadwood, clearance, and storm prep
• Never more than 25% of the canopy in a single trim — 10–15% for mature trees

Florida live oaks are hurricane-resilient when properly maintained. Laurel oaks and water oaks decay faster and need closer attention. We can identify your specific oak species and recommend the right schedule for your tree.

Because of oak wilt — a fungal disease spread by sap-feeding beetles that are most active April through November. Fresh pruning cuts release sap, which attracts the beetles, which carry the fungus from infected trees to healthy ones. Oak wilt can kill an otherwise healthy oak within weeks.

The rules:

• Safe pruning window: November 15 to March 31
• Avoid pruning: April 1 to November 14
• Emergency exceptions: If a branch is broken or hazardous, you can still remove it — but seal the cut immediately with pruning paint or latex paint

Oak wilt is present in Florida and has been documented in the Tampa Bay region. Following the seasonal window is the cheapest, easiest way to protect your trees. If a tree service offers to prune your oaks in July, they either don’t know about oak wilt or don’t care — find a different crew.

No — never. A “hurricane cut” (stripping a palm down to just a few top fronds in a feather-duster shape) actually makes your palm WEAKER and more likely to fail in a storm, not stronger. It’s one of the most damaging myths in Florida tree care.

Why hurricane cuts hurt your palms:

• Palms store nutrients in their fronds — cutting them off starves the tree
• Healthy fronds protect the central growing bud during high winds
• Over-pruned palms grow back weaker, with thinner trunks
• Repeated hurricane cuts can permanently damage or kill the palm
• Palms are naturally adapted to hurricane winds when properly maintained

The right way to trim a palm: the “9 and 3” rule. Imagine a clock face on the palm crown. Only remove fronds that hang BELOW the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions (horizontal). Never cut green fronds above horizontal. Only remove fully dead (brown) fronds and old seed pods.

If a tree service recommends a hurricane cut, find someone else. We’ll tell you straight what your palms actually need.

Late spring to early summer (May–June) is the best time to trim palms in Florida — right before hurricane season, when the palm is actively growing and can recover quickly. The University of Florida IFAS recommends the same window.

What to remove:

• Fully brown (dead) fronds hanging below horizontal
• Loose palm boots (old leaf bases) that peel off easily
• Heavy seed pods that could become projectiles in high winds
• Dead spear leaves or broken petioles

What to LEAVE alone:

• Any green fronds above the 9 o’clock or 3 o’clock position
• The crown shaft (the smooth area where fronds attach)
• The newest unopened frond (the spear leaf)

Tools and technique: Use sharp, sterilized pruners (wipe between trees with alcohol to prevent disease spread). Cut close to the trunk but never INTO the trunk. Never use tree-climbing spikes — they cause permanent damage. For palms over 15 feet, hire a professional with a bucket truck. Most Florida palms need trimming only once a year; over-trimming is the #1 cause of palm decline in our service area.

No more than 25% of the canopy in a single trimming session, and that limit drops to 10–15% for mature trees. Removing more stresses the tree, slows recovery, and can trigger a survival response (rapid weak regrowth, “water sprouts,” and dieback elsewhere).

Why the 25% rule matters:

• Trees store energy in their leaves and branches — removing too much starves them
• Over-pruned trees become MORE vulnerable to storms, not less
• Heavy pruning wounds attract pests and disease
• “Topping” (cutting branches back to stubs) is the worst thing you can do — it permanently damages the tree

Signs a tree was over-trimmed:

• “Water sprouts” — clusters of weak vertical shoots emerging from cut stumps
• Sun scald on suddenly-exposed bark
• Dieback in the upper canopy a season later
• Visible decay around large cuts that don’t heal

If you need significant work done on a large tree, spread it out over 2–3 trimming seasons rather than doing it all at once. We follow ANSI A300 industry standards on every job — proper, conservative cuts that keep your trees healthy and storm-ready.