Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the tree's height, its condition, and how hard it is to reach. National 2026 guides put most tree removals between about $200 and $2,000 (Angi) and most trimming jobs between about $400 and $900 per tree (HomeGuide), with large or hazardous trees running higher. We do not quote from a phone description; we look at the tree and give you a written price.

For a tree on your own lot outside a historic district, Boise's Community Forestry pages do not describe a removal permit, though an HOA or a development approval can add conditions. In a historic district, the city says removing a tree likely needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. Trees in the public right-of-way cannot be removed by homeowners; the city decides and removes dead, diseased or hazardous ones at no cost.

In Boise, routine pruning of right-of-way trees is the adjacent property owner's responsibility, while the city handles removal of dead, diseased or hazardous ones. You can get a free permit from Community Forestry to hire a city-licensed tree service to prune it, or request a free inspection by calling (208) 608-7700.

Idaho Power prunes trees near its distribution lines at no separate charge, on a cycle of roughly three to six years, and says never to trim or remove a tree near a power line yourself. Pruning away from the service wire that runs to your house is not part of its routine work, but the utility can de-energize that line during business hours so the tree can be pruned. Call Idaho Power at 208-388-2323.

Late winter, while deciduous trees are dormant, suits most structural pruning: the branches are easy to see, and cuts have the spring growth flush to begin sealing. Dead, broken or hanging limbs should come off whenever you find them. Light summer pruning to clear a roof or sidewalk is fine, but avoid heavy cuts during the hottest weeks, when trees are already under water stress.

Boise's Curb It compost cart takes branches cut to fit in the cart, and up to 10 paper leaf bags of extra yard waste a week. If the branch came from a city street tree, Community Forestry removes the debris; if it came from your own tree, city crews may move it out of the street but you are responsible for hauling it. We can chip and haul everything as part of the job.

Yes. Ada Fire Adapted, run with Boise Fire, offers free wildfire home safety evaluations and a free neighborhood chipping program for at-risk Boise neighborhoods. Residents must sign up, and the chipper takes woody limbs up to 12 inches thick, stacked in piles no larger than five feet on a side near the road. Call (208) 570-6500.

Get a written quote that lists each tree, the cleanup and whether the stump is included. Ask for proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation sent directly from the insurer. For street tree work in Boise, the company must be one licensed by the city, and if you want a diagnosis of a sick tree, ask whether an ISA Certified Arborist will look at it; that credential can be checked on the ISA website.

National 2026 guides put most removals between about $200 and $2,000 (Angi's average is $750), with trees over 80 feet and hazardous trees running higher. A tree over a roof or in a back yard with no access costs more than the same tree in an open front yard. We give a written price after seeing it.

Not on your own. Boise says homeowners cannot remove a right-of-way tree, and if the city finds removal is not warranted, it will not be permitted. Call Community Forestry at (208) 608-7700 for a free inspection; if the tree is dead, diseased or hazardous, the city removes it at no cost to you.

If you want it. We can leave logs in rounds, cut them shorter, or haul everything away. Tell us at the estimate so it is written into the quote.

It can if nobody plans for it. We ask where the irrigation lines and heads run, keep heavy pieces off them where we can, and use plywood or mats under equipment on soft ground. Any risk we cannot avoid, we point out before the job.

Only if you want it. Stump grinding is a separate line on the quote. Many people grind it the same day; others leave the stump for later or keep it.

HomeGuide's 2026 national figures put most trimming between about $400 and $900 per tree, from around $250 for small trees to $2,500 or more for very large or neglected ones. Height, how much wood comes out, and access drive the price. We quote after seeing the tree.

Many mature trees do well with a cleaning every three to five years, with dead or broken wood removed whenever it appears. Young trees benefit from lighter structural pruning more often in their first years. Fast-growing trees near roofs may need clearance pruning more frequently.

Within limits, by reduction pruning: shortening limbs back to side branches big enough to take over. That keeps the tree's form and health. We will not top it, because topping causes weak regrowth and decay. If a tree needs to lose much more than a quarter of its crown, removal may be the better choice.

If it is in the public right-of-way, yes. Boise issues a free permit for a homeowner to hire a city-licensed tree service to prune right-of-way trees. Trees on your own lot do not need a city pruning permit.

HomeGuide's 2026 national figures put a first stump at about $120 to $400, with additional stumps around $30 to $60 each. Very large stumps can run $300 to $800. Size, hardness of the wood, and access to the spot set the price; we quote after measuring.

Standard grinding goes about 4 to 6 inches below the surface, which is enough for sod or a bed. If you plan to pave, pour concrete or set posts over the spot, we can grind deeper for an added cost.

In most species the roots die once the stump is gone and break down over time. Some trees send up sprouts from roots for a season or two; mowing or clipping them off usually ends it. Tell us the species and we will tell you what to expect.

Usually. Smaller grinders fit through a standard gate, and we can lay boards across the lawn to spread the weight. If the only route is through a narrow side yard with steps, tell us when you call so we bring the right machine.

Get everyone out of the affected rooms and stay away from any wires. Call 911 if anyone is hurt, Idaho Power at 208-388-2323 if a line is involved, and then call us. If it is safe, photograph the damage before anything is moved.

For a City of Boise public tree, Community Forestry removes the debris; call (208) 608-7700 during business hours or (208) 489-6638 after hours. If the tree was yours, the city may clear the street, but hauling the wood is your responsibility.

It depends on the policy and what the tree hit. Many policies cover removal when a tree damages a covered structure, and often less, or nothing, when it just falls in the yard. Ask your insurer; we provide a written description of the work for the claim.

Yes. You can call any time to leave the details, and we will get back to you. Tell us what fell, what it is on, and whether anyone is at risk, so the most dangerous calls are handled first.

The Ready, Set, Go! guidance used by Ada Fire Adapted says to prune branches touching or overhanging the roof back at least 10 feet, and farther out to keep at least 10 feet between tree tops. It does not require removing every tree near the house; it is about keeping branches off the roof and breaking up continuous fuel.

The same guidance calls for removing ladder fuels up to 10 feet above the ground in the outer zone, while keeping at least 75 percent of the tree's foliage. On small trees that would lose too much, we limb up gradually over a few years or recommend removal.

Yes. Ada Fire Adapted offers a free wildfire home safety evaluation by its mitigation team; you request it online or by calling (208) 570-6500. Residents in Boise's designated wildland-urban interface who sign up also become eligible for free neighborhood chipping.

We know of no rule that requires it on private property. But a dense shrub that branches to the ground beside a wall or deck is exactly the kind of ladder fuel the guidance asks homeowners to remove or separate from tree canopies. Moving that fuel away from the house is often the most useful single change on a foothills lot.

In Boise, the most common cause is a change in water: lawn removed, irrigation reduced, or roots cut by construction. Top-down dieback can also come from root rot, girdling roots or old trunk damage. It is worth having it looked at early, while some of the crown can still be saved.

Only if it is a public tree. Boise Community Forestry inspects right-of-way trees for free, but it cannot inspect trees on private property. For your own trees, a tree company or a consulting arborist is the route.

ISDA's Japanese beetle program reports eradication work in Caldwell and Pocatello, not Boise. Caldwell's infestation was confirmed as established in 2022 and has been treated each year since. If you think you have seen them, report it to ISDA at (208) 332-8620.

Sometimes. A small crack in a sound tree may be reduced or supported with cabling, while a crack that runs through a fork or into decayed wood usually means the limb or tree should come out. Where it is and what it would hit decide it.