Crane tree removal in Reno, NV

Reno has roughly 124,000 housing units, and about 37% of them were built before 1980. That is something like 46,000 homes with trees old enough to be a serious removal. We bring the crane from Carson City, about 43 minutes away without traffic.

At a glance

• No City of Reno permit for tree removal on private property
• Right-of-way trees need a Tree Work Permit and a Certified Arborist
• About 37% of Reno homes predate 1980
• Our own crane, not a rented one

Which Reno trees call for a crane?

The table sorts Reno trees by situation: large trees tight between houses, back-yard trees with no vehicle access and storm-broken trees over a roof call for a crane, while medium and small trees use a boom truck, a climber or a ground crew.

The table is a guide, not a promise. The arborist chooses the method after seeing the tree, and the estimate explains the choice. Our guide to crane, climbing and bucket truck work goes into the reasons.

Where in Reno is crane work most common?

Where the houses are oldest. Census figures put about 12% of Reno's homes before 1960 and about 36% after 2000, so the city is really two kinds of place. The older neighborhoods near the center have full-grown shade trees on narrow lots. The newer edges have young trees that rarely need more than a boom truck.

We have separate pages for Old Southwest Reno, where about 63% of homes predate 1980, and for the North Valleys, where most do not.

How does a crane job work when the crew comes from Carson City?

The distance means we plan once and do it right. The arborist's visit settles the set-up spot, the drop zone, the number of lifts and what happens to the wood. On the day the crane, the chip truck and the crew travel together. The crane is leveled on outriggers, the climber rigs and cuts, the operator flies each piece out, and the ground crew chips as it lands. When the last section is down the site is cleaned and the equipment leaves in one trip.

What does the City of Reno require?

On private property, nothing: the City says no permit is needed to remove, prune or plant a tree on your own lot. A tree in the City right-of-way or on City property is different. That work needs a Tree Work Permit and must be done by a Certified Arborist. We have ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff. If you are not sure which side of the line your tree is on, Reno Urban Forestry can tell you.

Does Reno weather affect a lift?

It can. Reno is dry, about 9.2 inches of precipitation a year at the Reno 1.4 NNE gauge, but the same gauge averages about 33 inches of snow, and afternoon wind is a fact of life along the Sierra front. A crane lift needs calm enough air to control the load. The crew makes that call on the day.