Tree Removal in Lake & Porter County

When a tree needs to come down

Most homeowners don’t remove a tree on a whim. Usually there’s a reason: it’s dead, it’s leaning toward the house, roots are lifting the driveway, or it’s simply too big for the spot it was planted in thirty years ago. Common signs it’s time to call:

• Large dead limbs, bare upper branches or bark falling off in sheets
• Deep cracks or splits in the trunk, or a new lean after a storm
• Mushrooms or soft, crumbly wood at the base (a sign of root or trunk rot)
• Ash trees with thinning crowns, woodpecker damage or D-shaped exit holes
• Branches over the roof, garage or a neighbor’s yard that can’t be fixed with trimming

Ash trees and emerald ash borer

Emerald ash borer kills ash trees that aren’t protected with insecticide. Purdue Extension advises that a tree with more than about 30% of its canopy gone generally isn’t worth treating, and that dead ash should be removed quickly because it becomes brittle and dangerous (Purdue EAB management). If you’re not sure whether an ash can be saved, ask the tree pro to look at the canopy.

Callery (Bradford) pear removal

Callery pear is invasive and prone to splitting in storms. The Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District has offered a cost-share program to help Lake County homeowners remove and replace them; check the LCSWCD cost-share page for current terms before you schedule.

What affects the price

Tree removal is priced by the job, not by a chart. Height and trunk size, how close it is to the house or lines, whether a bucket truck can get in or the crew has to climb and rig, and whether you want the stump ground and the wood hauled away all change the number. Get the scope in writing.

Before the crew shows up

• Confirm the tree is on your property, not the town’s parkway strip.
• Ask for proof of liability insurance.
• If the tree touches a power line, stop and call NIPSCO first.

Where we connect homeowners

• Crown Point, IN
• Merrillville, IN
• Schererville, IN
• Dyer, IN
• Munster, IN
• Hammond, IN
• Hobart, IN
• Highland, IN
• Cedar Lake, IN
• St. John, IN
• Lowell, IN
• Valparaiso, IN
• Portage, IN
• Chesterton, IN