The equipment behind the work

Big trees close to houses are an equipment problem as much as a skill problem. This is what we bring, what each machine is for, and how the arborist decides which one your tree needs.

Why does equipment matter on a tree job?

Traditional removal means complex rigging and lowering each piece on ropes, with trucks and machines driven across the yard. A crane or a boom truck reaches over the house instead, which cuts the time on site and the impact on your property.

Our certified arborists decide which machine fits after they see the tree: how tall it is, what is under it, how sound the wood is and where a truck can set up.

What does each machine do?

Each machine has its own job: the crane lifts sections over a house, the boom truck puts an arborist in the crown, the track loader carries logs, the chipper turns brush into chips, and the dump trucks haul debris away. The table below lists the rest, from the brush mower to the snow equipment.

Crane, boom truck or climber: how is it decided?

The arborist chooses after seeing the tree. A crane suits a large tree with no open ground to lower pieces onto, or wood too weak to rig from. Cranes can work near homes, wires and other obstacles, and using one removes the need to drive other heavy machinery across the yard.

The boom truck suits pruning, dead wooding and removals where a truck can park within reach of the crown. Where no truck can get close, a climber goes up on ropes. Many jobs use more than one method. The guide to crane, climbing and bucket truck work goes through the trade-offs.

How does a crane removal work?

This is the process our crew follows on every crane job.

1. The team chooses the setup location for the crane. Elevation, overhead obstacles and distance to structures all count.
2. Outriggers and other equipment stabilize the crane.
3. The climber attaches the crane to the cut point on the tree, allowing for the weight of the piece, the direction it will move and the area around it.
4. The climber makes the cut while the crane operator holds the piece in position. Climber, operator and ground crew stay in clear communication.
5. The operator moves the piece to the drop zone, where it is cut up and removed from the property.

The result, in our own words: a safe and efficient no impact tree removal at a lower cost than traditional methods. More detail is on the crane-assisted removal page.

What do the machines need from your property?

Access decides a lot. When you ask for an estimate, tell the office about anything that limits where a truck can go.

• Gate width and the path from the street to the tree
• Overhead wires on the street side or to the house
• Septic tanks, leach fields, sprinklers and buried lines under the route
• Slopes, soft ground and retaining walls
• Cars that will need to move on the day

The arborist checks all of this on the site visit. A tight back yard is not a reason to give up on a job. It is a reason to pick the right machine. See removing a tree in a tight backyard.

Which machines do the fire and land work?

The brush mower and the masticating head on the Bobcat clear brush and small trees for defensible space and lot clearing. Mastication grinds standing brush into chips and leaves them on the ground. The backhoe and skid steer dig, grade and move material. Hand crews with saws and the chipper do the work close to the house.

What runs in winter?

Commercial-grade snow plows, pushers, front-end loaders and skid steers. We plow, haul, shovel and salt for homes and commercial properties, and the snow team is available 24 hours a day through the snow season. Details are on the snow and ice removal page.