Most people think of tree removal as a spring or summer job. It doesn’t have to be. If you’ve got a tree that has to come down, winter is one of the best times of year to do it.
Here’s why, what changes when it’s cold, and what it costs.
Why Winter Is A Good Time To Take A Tree Down
The ground is frozen. In summer, every log we drop and every trip across the yard leaves a mark in the lawn. In January the ground is hard as concrete. We can work in your backyard and leave it the way we found it.
Your garden is asleep. Flower beds, shrubs and perennials are dormant and usually under snow. Nothing gets trampled, and a little snow cover actually cushions things.
No leaves. A leafless tree is lighter, there’s less brush to chip and haul, and the climber can see exactly what he’s cutting. On a deciduous tree like a poplar, elm or maple, that makes the job cleaner and often quicker.
No nesting birds. Nesting season in Alberta runs roughly April 15 to August 15, and active nests of migratory birds are protected under federal law. When there’s a nest in the tree, the work has to wait. In winter that’s not an issue.
It’s easier to get booked. Spring and summer are packed. In winter you can usually get on the schedule a lot sooner and pick a day that works for you.
Don’t Let A Bad Tree Ride Out Another Winter
Edmonton winters are hard on trees. Heavy wet snow piles up on spruce branches, ice builds on everything, and the wind does the rest. A healthy tree handles it. A dead tree, a leaning tree, or one with a split trunk is a different story.
If you’ve been watching a tree for a year or two and wondering if it’s going to come down on the garage, the fence or the neighbour’s yard, that’s your answer. It’s a lot cheaper to take it down on a calm day than to deal with it after it falls. And if one does come down, we do emergency tree removal too, but nobody wants to be making that call.
What About The Cold?
Our crews work all year. Saws, chippers and the bucket truck all run in the cold, and the guys are dressed for it. If a deep cold snap or a big dump of snow pushes your job a day, we’ll text you and get you rebooked.
Elms: Winter Is The Only Time
If your tree is an elm, the rules are stricter. In Alberta elms can only be pruned between October 1 and March 31, and elm wood can’t be stacked, stored or kept for firewood. With Dutch Elm Disease now confirmed in Edmonton, that matters more than ever. We wrote a whole post on it: Elm Pruning Season Is Open.
What Winter Tree Removal Costs
Same prices as the rest of the year. The cold doesn’t change the work, and neither do we. A few real examples:
- A small front-yard tree: around $400 to $600
- A dead columnar aspen, or two mid-size trees: $600 to $1,000
- A mature backyard spruce: $1,500 to $2,400
- A big elm, willow or poplar over the house: a full day, around $3,900 and up
Prices are before GST. Backyard access, power lines and anything the tree is hanging over push the number up. Extra trees on the same visit cost less each. Seniors get 10% off. The full breakdown is on our tree removal cost page.
Want the stump gone too? Ask about stump grinding when you send your photos.
A Few Things People Ask
Do I need a permit? Not for a tree on your own property in Edmonton. Boulevard trees belong to the City, so call 311 for those.
Can I keep the firewood? Yes, we can leave it cut to length. The exception is elm, which has to be disposed of properly.
Get A Winter Quote
Send us a few photos of the tree and we’ll get you a price, usually the same day. Use the quote form or text pictures to (780) 266-1919. More on how we do it on our tree removal in Edmonton page.
