10 best tree removal companies in Watertown Town, Massachusetts

Healthy trees can increase your home's curb appeal and bring shade to your yard, but unhealthy trees pose risks to your property. You may need to remove a tree if it's decaying, diseased or threatening your home's architecture. Tree removal is also essential for mitigating fire risk, as dead trees are more flammable than live ones. Licensed professionals have the equipment and experience to remove a tree from your property safely.

It's crucial to remove diseased trees with higher fall risk, as well as trees impacting your home's foundation and structural integrity. The task, however, is extremely dangerous if done improperly. Attempting to do the job on your own could lead to property damage or personal injury.

When you hire a reputable tree removal company in Watertown Town, you'll have a skilled team to safely remove trees with specialized cutting equipment and techniques in accordance with local ordinances and permit requirements.

Find the best local tree removal companies for you in Watertown Town

Look for tree removal companies in Watertown Town with at least 3.5 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews and a good rating on Better Business Bureau (BBB). Use the filters below to help you find the right company for your needs.

How do you know a tree needs to be removed?

You should trim or remove a tree if it’s displaying evidence of severe damage or decay, or if it’s encroaching on your home. The number of decayed trees in Watertown Town is comparatively high compared to other parts of the country. It's wise to contact a professional tree removal contractor if you notice any of these warning signs:

The tree is visibly dead or severely burned. The tree has mold, diseases or pests weakening its structure. The tree's branches or trunk are cracked and won't heal. The tree or its branches are too close to your home, garage or shed. The tree has damage from heavy rain or thunderstorms. The tree's roots are causing your home's foundation to lift or crack. The tree is dropping an unusual amount of sap, needles, leaves, branches or seeds.

Leaning trees or trees with raised dirt surrounding the tree trunk base are at a high risk of falling. Contact a tree removal service immediately to examine the tree and help remove it if necessary.

What is a hazard tree?

Hazard trees, sometimes referred to as danger trees, have structural defects that cannot be fixed, increasing the chance they will fall. Falling trees can cause considerable property damage and gravely hurt people and pets. A few signs that a tree has structural defects include large cracks, rotten wood, dead branches, loose bark and hollow cavities near the tree base. If you have a hazard tree on your property, have it removed as soon as possible.

What other tree services might you need?

Apart from cutting down trees, some tree removal companies offer a range of supplementary services, including the following:

• Wood chipping: Tree removal teams often use wood chippers to chip tree trunks and branches. If you'd like, you can use the chips as mulch to nourish your garden plants.
• Debris removal: Tree removal usually leaves behind large debris such as leaves, logs and branches. A professional can use a dump truck or flatbed to haul away debris.
• Stump removal: After removing a tree, only the stump is left. Based on your budget and needs, a service professional can completely remove the stump or grind it down so what's left of it will decompose. Removal is more expensive than grinding, but it guarantees the tree won't regrow.
• Landscaping services: Some tree removal companies also offer landscaping services. These services might include leveling and repurposing the area where the tree stump was or planting a new tree.

How to choose the best tree removal service in Watertown Town

Follow these steps to make the right tree removal company decision for your needs.

Ask whether the company has a licensed arborist on staff

A licensed arborist can assess your tree's health and offer suitable solutions, such as restoring its health or safely removing it to mitigate fall risk. Arborists also offer guidance on moving, pruning and planting trees. Massachusetts doesn't have arborist licensing rules, so we recommend looking for an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Arborists must have at least three years of experience and pass an exam to obtain the certification. ISA-certified arborists have the knowledge, experience and skills to help with your tree removal.

Make sure the company is licensed and insured

When hiring a tree removal company, ensure it has comprehensive insurance coverage, including general liability, workers compensation and business liability. This coverage safeguards you, your property and the company's employees if an accident occurs during the job. County and city governments often set their own tree removal licensing requirements. No state license is required for contractors in Massachusetts that only remove trees. We recommend contacting Watertown Town officials and your county to ensure a prospective contractor is properly licensed.

Request a tree risk assessment

To determine if removing a tree is necessary, get a tree risk assessment (TRA). During a TRA appointment, an arborist will assess the chance the tree could fall and what damage could result. They'll begin by visually examining the tree from afar for clear damage indicators. Next, they'll circle the tree up close, inspecting its crown, roots and trunk. Some arborists use specialized equipment to analyze the tree's interior.

Get a free estimate

Many tree removal companies offer free consultations and estimates. We recommend getting multiple estimates to compare prices and recommendations.

Read reviews from homeowners

Ask friends and family for tree removal contractor recommendations. While referrals from trusted sources can be valuable, it's still wise to read online reviews on Yelp, Google Reviews and BBB before making your choice.

Our methodology for selecting tree removal companies

The Homefront Local team employs a proprietary scoring algorithm that evaluates companies based on key factors you value, such as average customer review ratings and trustworthiness indicators. Our method for determining trust involves a comparative analysis of the number of reviews a company receives compared to its local competitors. This leads to companies that have earned more trust from your local community being awarded a higher score.