What storm work costs
Emergency jobs run $325 to $2,600. What moves the price: whether the tree is resting on a structure and needs careful section-by-section removal versus lying free in a yard, whether a crane is needed to lift a tree off a roof safely, and how many properties are involved if it's a multi-tree event. We quote on arrival, before cutting, even in an emergency. No blank-check pricing.
Our response
- Call goes out, we ask what's down, whether anyone's trapped or in danger, and whether power lines are involved.
- If it's a live power line situation, we tell you to call the utility first. We don't touch a tree in contact with an energized line.
- We aim for on-site within 2 hours for storm callouts, island wide, when we're not already dispatched on another hazard.
- On arrival, we assess structural risk. A tree resting on a roof gets stabilized before any cutting starts.
- Remove the hazard in the safest order, not necessarily the fastest, sectioning limbs off a roof takes longer than dropping a tree in an open yard.
- Clear the drive, the road, or the walkway so you can get in and out.
- Haul debris and, once things calm down, come back for any secondary trim or stump work the storm left behind.
What makes storm work harder than a normal removal
A tree under load, meaning it's leaning on a roof, a fence, or another tree, stores energy in the bend. Cut the wrong piece first and it can spring or roll unpredictably. That's the single biggest difference between planned removal and storm work, and it's why we stabilize before we cut instead of just grabbing a chainsaw and going. Salt water storm surge is a second, slower problem. A tree that survives the wind can still die over the following months if surge pushed saltwater into the root zone, so we flag those for a follow-up look even after the visible hazard is gone. And during a major storm, every tree crew on the island gets the same calls at once, so we prioritize life-safety hazards, blocked emergency access, and power line contact ahead of a fallen limb sitting harmlessly in a side yard.
How long it takes
A single downed limb blocking a driveway: an hour or two. A tree resting on a roof needing careful sectioning: a half day to a full day. Multi-property storm response after a direct hit spreads our crew across the island over several days, hazard triage first, full cleanup after.
What sets this apart
We service Tiki Island and Jamaica Beach storm calls directly, not as a subcontract to a mainland crew. Both are reached by causeway and both can get cut off from easy mainland access after a storm surge event, so having a crew that already knows the roads and canal-lot access out there matters when hours count.
We don't cut anything touching a live power line. That call goes to the utility, every time, no exceptions.