Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the tree's height, what is under it and how easy it is to reach. Homeyou's 2026 South Bend figures put a medium tree removal at about $606 to $821 and pruning at about $375 to $525, with trees over 60 feet around $1,000. National guides from Angi and HomeGuide put most removals between about $200 and $2,000. We give a written price after seeing the tree.

For a tree in the tree lawn, the grass strip between the sidewalk and the curb, yes. The city requires a permit before planting, trimming or removing tree lawn trees; call Forestry at 574-299-4766. The permit is free and good for one year. The city's permit page covers tree lawn trees only, so a tree in your back yard is not part of that program.

In South Bend, the property owner. The city's forestry pages say owners are responsible for planting, trimming and removing tree lawn trees, but the work needs a city permit first. That surprises people who assume the city takes care of street trees.

In the dormant season. Purdue's Landscape Report recommends November through February and advises against pruning or wounding oaks from March through August in areas with oak wilt, because sap beetles carry the fungus to fresh cuts. Red and black oaks can die within months of infection. A storm-broken oak limb should still be cut cleanly right away.

It can, but it gets riskier the longer it stands. Emerald ash borer has been found in every Indiana county, and ash killed by it dries out and becomes brittle, so limbs drop without warning and climbing gets less safe. If the tree could hit the house, the garage, a driveway or the street, plan the removal before the next storm season.

Indiana Michigan Power says clearing trees from the service drop is the property owner's responsibility, and asks you to call 800-311-4634 at least two business days ahead so it can disconnect the line. Don't try it yourself. If the branch is on the main lines along the street or alley, report it to I&M; those lines are theirs.

South Bend's yard waste program has run from April through November with rented bins, and extra branch pickups have required bundles tied with twine, no longer than 4 feet and no thicker than 4 inches, scheduled through 311. Rules can change, so check with 311. Anything bigger, like logs and trunk wood, is usually something we chip or haul as part of the job.

Ask for a written quote that lists every tree, the cleanup and whether the stump is included. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the insurer. For a tree lawn tree, make sure the city permit is issued before anyone cuts. And be wary of anyone who suggests topping a tree; South Bend's forestry division publishes guidance on why topping hurts trees.

Homeyou's 2026 figures for South Bend put a medium tree at about $606 to $821, with trees over 60 feet around $1,000 and hard-to-reach trees up to about $1,200. National guides run from about $150 for a small tree to $2,000 or more for a large one. Access and what's under the tree move the price the most.

The South Bend permit program covers tree lawn trees, the ones between the sidewalk and curb, and those need a free permit from Forestry at 574-299-4766 before removal. The city's permit page doesn't extend that to back yard trees. Subdivision covenants in some neighborhoods outside the city may have their own rules, so check yours.

Usually. Dead wood breaks unpredictably, so rigging takes longer and sometimes a lift is safer than climbing. Angi notes poor tree health can add up to about 15% to the cost. Taking a declining tree down before it's fully dead is often simpler.

Yes. Limbs over the neighbor's side are cut and lowered on ropes so nothing lands where it shouldn't. We may need to stand on their side of the fence, so a heads-up to them helps. Make sure the tree is actually on your side of the line before it comes down.

Only if you want it. The stump is listed separately on the quote. Many people grind it the same day; others leave it or grind later.

Many mature shade trees do well with a pruning every three to five years, with deadwood taken out in between as it shows up. Fast growers like silver maple may need attention more often, especially if they hang over the house. Young trees benefit from light structural pruning every year or two.

If it stands in the tree lawn between the sidewalk and curb inside South Bend city limits, it's yours to maintain, but the city requires a permit first. Call Forestry at 574-299-4766; the permit is free and good for a year.

Because sap beetles that carry the oak wilt fungus are drawn to fresh wounds in spring and summer. Purdue's Landscape Report recommends pruning oaks from November through February and avoiding it from March through August where oak wilt occurs. Red and black oaks can die within months once infected.

It lowers the risk, especially for long limbs over roofs and trees with lots of deadwood, but no one can make a tree storm-proof. If we see decay, cracks or root damage that pruning won't solve, we'll tell you.

Not the utility's main lines; Indiana Michigan Power handles those. For the service drop to your house, I&M will disconnect it if you call 800-311-4634 at least two business days ahead, and then the branches can be cleared.

HomeGuide puts most first stumps at about $120 to $400, with each additional stump about $30 to $60 and minimum fees around $80 to $160. Very large stumps can run $300 to $800. We price each stump after measuring it.

Grinding removes the stump and the root crown, which ends sprouting for most trees. A few species can still send up shoots from roots left in the ground, and those can be cut or ground as they appear.

You can, but it helps to shift a few feet over and to grind deeper first. Remove most of the chips and replace them with soil, because decomposing wood chips in the planting hole can rob the new tree of nitrogen.

Yes, buried lines should be marked before any grinding. Indiana 811 is free to call. Gas and electric lines often run closer to old stumps than people expect, especially near the street.

A typical residential stump takes well under an hour to grind. Large hardwood stumps and jobs with lots of surface roots take longer, and cleanup and backfill add time.

Get everyone out of the affected rooms, stay clear of any wires, and report downed lines to I&M at 800-311-4634. If it's safe, take photos. Then call us to get the weight off the house, and call your insurance company.

Usually not. Indiana Michigan Power's forestry FAQ says that during storm restoration it does not remove cut trees or limbs, and that the property owner is responsible for the debris.

GoTreeQuotes puts typical emergency removals at about $1,250 to $6,150, and a tree on a house at about $1,500 to $6,350. Trees on wires, cranes, and night or weekend work push it higher. We give a written price before starting whenever the situation allows.

If the lean is new and the soil is cracked or heaved on the far side, the roots have likely failed, and the tree can come down without warning. Keep people and cars out of its path and have it looked at quickly. An old, stable lean is usually not urgent.

South Bend has offered extra branch pickups through 311 for bundled branches no longer than 4 feet and no thicker than 4 inches. Trunks and large limbs are beyond that, which is where we come in. Check with 311 for current rules after a storm.

In summer, a dead ash has no leaves or only a few tufts low on the trunk. In winter, scratch a small twig with a fingernail; green underneath means living tissue, brown and dry means dead. Woodpecker damage and D-shaped holes are strong signs of emerald ash borer.

No. Insecticide treatment only helps ash that is still mostly healthy. Once a tree has lost much of its crown, treatment isn't worth the cost and the tree should come down before it becomes brittle.

Because brittle wood can snap under a climber or rigging, so a lift or crane is often the safer choice. Angi puts crane time at about $250 to $600 per day, and total crane-related costs on difficult jobs can run much higher.

Yes. Indiana lifted its emerald ash borer quarantine in 2016 and no longer restricts moving ash firewood within the state, though the DNR encourages using firewood locally. Burn it completely rather than hauling it to a campground or another state.

A mix of species, so one pest can't take out the whole yard. South Bend's Forestry office keeps a master list of recommended street trees, and a free permit is required to plant in the tree lawn.

Not in South Bend's tree lawn program. The city's forestry pages say property owners are responsible for planting, trimming and removing tree lawn trees, and a city permit is needed first.

Call the Forestry office at 574-299-4766, or reach 311. The City Forester evaluates the tree before deciding, and approved permits are mailed to the owner. There's no fee, and the permit is good for one year.

Tell the Forestry office when you ask for the permit, since root work or removal of a tree lawn tree falls under the same rules. Cutting large roots can destabilize a tree, so the decision between root pruning and removal should be made with care.

No. The city keeps a list of recommended street trees, requires a permit for planting, and sets spacing and size rules. Only small species can go under or near overhead wires.

The tree lawn permit described here is South Bend's and applies inside its city limits. Mishawaka and unincorporated St. Joseph County have their own arrangements, so check with the local government for a street tree outside South Bend.