Emergencies and storm damage
Winter fronts off the Indian Ocean are what bring trees down here, and they bring several down at once. Storm work is handled in two stages: make the tree safe and clear enough of the property to be usable, then remove and clean up once nothing is under load. After a big system every crew in the area has a queue, and an honest wait is better than a promise nobody can keep. Anything touching power lines goes to Western Power on 13 13 51 first, not to a tree crew. The emergency page covers what happens on the first visit.
Palms, and why they keep coming up
Palms are the most common enquiry this site receives. Cocos, Canary Island date and Washingtonia palms were planted heavily through these suburbs and are now well past the size anyone expected. They are cleaned, not pruned, they are not climbed on spikes, and their root plates need a different approach to a tree stump. Everything species by species is on the palm cleaning and removal page, and pricing logic is separate again in the palm cost guide.
Councils, verges and significant trees
The City of Fremantle and the Town of East Fremantle both regulate significant trees, and the City of Melville and City of Cockburn have their own rules over the boundary. Verge trees are council property everywhere. The order that saves money is: confirm what the tree is and whether it is protected, then get the quote. The permits page sets out where to check, and the arborist page covers the reports councils ask for.
What actually drives the price
Access, height, what sits under the drop zone, and what happens to the debris. On the narrow lots and limestone laneways around Fremantle, access wins more often than size does - a tree a chipper can park beside costs a fraction of the same tree lifted out over a cottage roof. The tree removal cost guide works through each variable in the order a quoter thinks about them.
Older Fremantle gardens
Mature Norfolk Island pines, Moreton Bay figs and long-neglected palms sitting on small heritage blocks throw up the same three problems: root plates spreading sideways across limestone rather than down, crowns that catch the afternoon sea breeze like a sail, and no way to get machinery within thirty metres of the trunk. A crown reduction done properly fixes more of those than people expect, and it is worth asking about before agreeing to a full removal.
Still stuck? The contact page lists what to have ready, and the about page explains how the referral works and who carries out the job.
Frequently asked questions
Why does palm removal cost more than a tree of the same height?
Because it is a different job. A palm cannot be climbed on spikes without permanent damage, so access is by rope, elevated platform or crane. The crown holds far more weight than it looks, the fronds of a date palm carry spines that injure people, and the trunk does not chip - it is wet and fibrous and has to be cut and carted. The root plate then blunts an ordinary stump grinder.
Will a palm grow back if the top is cut off?
No. A palm has one growing point, at the top of the trunk, and once it is cut the palm is dead even though it can stay green for weeks. This is why palms are cleaned rather than pruned: dead fronds, flower spikes and seed heads come off and the living crown stays. Anyone offering to cut a palm back hard is selling you a dead palm.
Can I prune the verge tree outside my house?
Generally not on your own initiative. Street trees on the verge belong to the council, and in Fremantle, East Fremantle, Melville and Cockburn pruning or removing one without approval can attract a penalty. If a verge tree is blocking sightlines, dropping limbs or lifting a footpath, report it to the council and let them send their own crew or issue approval first.
My neighbour's branches hang over my fence. What can I do?
At common law in Western Australia you can generally prune branches back to the boundary line at your own cost, without entering your neighbour's property, and you should offer the cuttings back to them. That right does not override council rules, so if the tree is a registered significant tree, check first. A conversation before a chainsaw saves a great deal of trouble.
How deep does stump grinding go, and can I plant afterwards?
Grinding typically goes around 250 to 400mm below grade, which is enough to lay turf, pave or plant something shallow-rooted. In Fremantle the grinder often meets Tamala limestone before it meets the bottom of the root plate, so depth is dictated by the rock. If you intend to plant another tree in the same spot, say so, because that needs a wider and deeper grind.
When is the best time of year to prune trees in Perth?
For most established trees, late winter into early spring, once the worst of the wind has passed and before the summer heat arrives. Heavy pruning in the peak of a Perth February stresses a tree that is already struggling for water. Dead, broken or hazardous limbs are the exception and come off whenever they are found. Palms can be cleaned any time, nesting birds permitting.
How do I know whether a tree is actually dangerous?
Look for a fresh lean with cracked or lifted soil on the opposite side, mushrooms or bracket fungi at the base, a hollow that sounds different when tapped, dead limbs held in the canopy, and splits where two trunks join. Any of those on a tree within falling distance of a house is worth an arborist looking at it rather than a guess from the ground.
Do I need an arborist report or just a quote?
A quote is a price to do work you have already decided on. A report is an independent assessment of the tree's condition, risk and value, and it is what a council application, a development approval, an insurance claim or a neighbour dispute actually needs. If the question is whether the tree should come out at all, the report is the cheaper first step.
Why do two quotes for the same tree differ so much?
Usually because they are not quoting the same job. One includes stump grinding, green waste removal and a clean site; the other leaves the stump and a pile of mulch. One allows for a crane over the roof, the other plans to drop it and hope. Insurance and traffic management cost money too. Compare what is written down, line by line.