Tree Removal in Marin County
Dead, leaning and problem trees taken down safely, with full cleanup.
Free estimate, no obligation.
or get a free estimateSome trees have to go. A Monterey pine that died in the drought, an oak that's started to lean toward the bedroom, a eucalyptus dropping limbs on the driveway every winter. Living under a tree like that is stressful, and in Marin, where houses sit tucked under big trees on small lots, it's a big share of the calls we get. We've taken down trees on steep lots in Mill Valley, in narrow side yards in San Rafael and over pools and decks all across the county. Each job begins with the same three questions: what's wrong with the tree, what's around it, and what's the safest way to bring it down.
Below: when a tree needs to come out, how removal works on a tight lot, our step-by-step process, and the permit rules worth knowing first. If the tree just needs to be lighter or safer, our tree trimming and pruning service may be all you need.
Questions about a tree?
Call TRACKING NUMBERSigns a Tree Needs to Come Down
Not every scary-looking tree has to go. But a few signs mean it's time to take a hard look. A tree that's dead or mostly dead is the clearest case: bare branches in spring, bark falling off, brittle twigs that snap instead of bend. A new or growing lean is another, especially if the soil is cracking or lifting on the side away from the lean. Deep cracks in the trunk, a hollow you can see into, or mushrooms growing at the base all point to decay inside. And sometimes a healthy tree is simply in the wrong place, with roots lifting the foundation or limbs growing into power lines. In Marin, sudden oak death is a big one. Tanoaks and oaks hit by it can go downhill fast and become brittle, so they often need to come out sooner rather than later.
How We Take a Tree Down on a Tight Lot
Most Marin trees can't just be cut at the base and dropped. There's a house on one side, a fence on the other and a neighbor's garage behind it. So we take them down in pieces. A climber works up the tree and cuts limbs in sections. Heavier pieces are tied off and lowered on ropes, called rigging, so nothing free-falls onto a roof or deck. Once the crown is gone, the trunk comes down in short rounds from the top. On the steep hillside lots above Sausalito and Mill Valley, where a truck can't get close, we carry or lower wood down by hand. It's slower than felling a tree in one piece, but it's how you take out a 70-foot tree next to a house without a scratch on anything.
Our Tree Removal Process
- We walk the property and check the tree, the drop zone and access for equipment.
- We tell you whether a permit is likely needed in your town.
- You get one written price, cleanup included.
- On the day, we set up, protect the lawn and beds, and take the tree down in sections.
- We chip the branches, cut or haul the wood and rake the area clean.
Stump grinding is a separate job. We'll leave the stump cut low and flush unless we've agreed on something else.
Tree Removal Permits in Marin
Many Marin towns protect large trees, and the rules aren't the same across the county. Novato, for example, calls any tree with a trunk 24 inches across or more, measured two feet off the ground, a heritage tree, and it needs a city permit to remove. On land that hasn't been built on yet, the city protects even smaller trees. Dead trees and fallen trees are generally handled differently, and a tree a professional confirms is hazardous can often move through the permit process faster. Other towns have their own size limits and protected species. Before any work is scheduled, you'll know whether your tree likely needs a permit, so nothing surprises you halfway through.
If a storm already dropped the tree or it's hanging over the house right now, skip the wait and call our emergency storm tree service line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Small trees in open yards often take under two hours. A large oak or pine next to a house usually takes most of a day, because it comes down in sections with ropes. Steep lots, tight access and a lot of brush to chip all add time. We'll give you a realistic estimate of how long your job will take when we come out to look at the tree.
We work to make sure it doesn't. We lower heavy pieces on ropes instead of dropping them, lay down mats or plywood over lawns where equipment rolls, and keep chippers on the driveway or street. You'll see some flattened grass for a few days, but beds, patios and fences should look the way they did before we arrived.
We cut the stump as low and flat as the job allows. Grinding the stump below the soil line is a separate service with its own equipment, so it isn't part of a standard removal. If you plan to replant, lay sod or build in that spot, plan on having the stump ground out.
Call for a free estimate
Call [TRACKING NUMBER]