Common questions
Do I need council approval to remove a tree?
In Brisbane, often yes. Trees on the Significant Landscape Tree register, street trees, and anything inside a vegetation protection or waterway overlay all need approval. Plenty of ordinary backyard trees don’t. We check your specific address against the overlays before quoting, free — and if it’s protected we prepare and lodge the application rather than pretending we didn’t notice.
How much does tree removal cost?
$450–$850 for something under 5m, $900–$2,600 for the typical 5–12m backyard tree, and $2,800–$9,500 for mature figs and large eucalypts. Access drives the price more than height: a big tree with a clear drop zone is cheaper than a medium one that has to come down piece by piece over a pool.
Why won't you top my tree?
Because it makes the tree more dangerous, not less. Cutting the canopy to an arbitrary height leaves stubs that push out masses of weakly attached regrowth, and the open wounds let decay in. In three to five years you have a taller, weaker tree and a bigger bill. We’ll do a proper crown reduction instead, which achieves the same thing and the tree survives it.
Are you insured, and can I see it?
$20m public liability plus workers’ compensation, and we attach the certificates of currency to every quote without being asked. Worth checking with anyone quoting: if an uninsured operator puts a limb through your roof or a worker gets hurt on your property, you can end up carrying it.
What happens to the timber and mulch?
It all goes, included in the price. Chip goes through the truck and becomes mulch — which we’ll leave for you if you want it, free, or deliver a load to you another time. Larger hardwood gets split for firewood or goes to a recycler. Nothing gets left stacked on your lawn.
Can you work near power lines?
Up to a point. There are legal clearance distances from Energex conductors that only accredited crews can work inside. We hold that accreditation for vegetation work near low-voltage lines. For anything touching high-voltage, the network has to de-energise it first — we’ll tell you honestly which situation you’re in and coordinate it.
My neighbour's tree overhangs my yard. What can I do?
In Queensland you can generally prune branches overhanging your boundary back to the fence line, at your own cost, and you’re meant to offer the cuttings back. For anything more — a tree you believe is dangerous, or roots damaging your slab — there’s a formal notice process under the Neighbourhood Disputes Act, and it works far better with an arborist’s written assessment attached. We write those regularly.
Do you do storm callouts at night?
Yes, 24/7 through the season, targeting two hours. If wires are involved, ring Energex on 13 19 62 before you ring us — we can’t legally touch it until they’ve made it safe. Don’t try to cut anything yourself: a hung-up limb holds enormous stored tension and that’s how people get killed.