Most tree removal calls in Georgetown are one of three things: a post oak or cedar elm that died from the top down after a drought summer, a live oak that dropped a leader in an ice storm and has a split you can see from the street, or a tree that's simply in the way of a pool, a casita or an addition. Each one gets the same first step — our arborist looks at it and tells you whether it actually needs to come down, because plenty of "dead" post oaks are just slow leafing out after a dry spring and plenty of leaning cedars have leaned that way since the house was built.
When a tree does need to go, how we do it depends on what's underneath and what the code says. A tree with room to fall gets dropped and bucked. A tree over the house, the pool, the service drop or the neighbor's fence gets climbed and rigged down in pieces, or lifted out whole with a crane when that's faster and safer. A dead post oak that's too brittle to climb gets a bucket truck or a crane, never a climber. And before any of that, we measure the trunk at 4½ feet: a Heritage species at 26 inches or more needs a Tree Removal Permit from the city no matter whose lot it's on, and we file it. Either way the yard is raked, the wood is chipped or hauled, and the stump is ground if you want it gone.
What's included
Arborist assessment
Is it dead, dying, structurally unsound, or just ugly? A straight answer before you spend money.
Code check
DBH measured, species identified, plat date checked — we confirm whether it's a Heritage Tree, a Protected Tree on commercial land, or simply yours, and who has to sign off.
Climbing & rigging
Sectional takedowns over roofs, pools, fences, sheds and service drops, with rigging lines and a ground crew.
Crane removals
Large live oaks, pecans and elms lifted out over the house when rigging would take days or risk the roof.
Cleanup
Wood chipped or hauled, lawn raked, driveway blown, firewood left cut if you want it.
Stump grinding
Scheduled with the removal or after, at the per-inch price on your estimate, with Texas 811 called first.
Tree removal cost in Georgetown, TX
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small tree (under 25 ft, open access) | $300 – $800 | Crape myrtle, redbud, small cedar, Bradford pear |
| Medium tree (25–45 ft), open lot | $700 – $1,800 | Dropped and bucked |
| Large live oak, pecan or elm (45–70 ft) near structures | $1,800 – $4,500 | Climbed and rigged in sections |
| Dead post oak, any size near a structure | $1,000 – $4,200 | Bucket or crane — too brittle to climb |
| Crane-assisted removal | $3,000 – $8,000 | Big trees over the house or pool |
| Heritage Tree permit preparation | $150 – $400 | Arborist letter, photos, application; city fees separate |
| Emergency / storm removal | $700 – $5,000 | Any hour; insurance documentation provided |
These are 2026 Williamson County ranges so you can budget. Your written price is itemized — removal, rigging or crane, hauling, stump grinding, any permit paperwork — and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about tree removal
How much does it cost to remove a tree in Georgetown?
Between about $300 for a small ornamental and $8,000 for a crane job over the house, with most live oak, pecan, elm and post oak removals landing between $700 and $4,500. Height, what's underneath it, whether a truck can get down the side yard, whether the tree is dead and brittle, and whether the stump is ground all move the number. You get it in writing on site.
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in my yard in Georgetown?
Only if it's a Heritage Tree: one of the thirteen listed species — live oak, post oak, Shumard oak, bur oak, chinquapin oak, Monterey oak, bald cypress, American elm, cedar elm, pecan, walnut, Texas ash, southern magnolia — measuring 26 inches or more in diameter at 4½ feet. Those need a Tree Removal Permit anywhere in the city or ETJ under UDC Section 8.02.030, and removal is mitigated at 3 inches for every inch. A smaller tree on a single-family lot is yours to remove; a Protected Tree (12 inches and up) only needs approval on commercial or multifamily property. Residential lots platted before February 13, 2007 are exempt entirely, and a dead or fatally diseased tree, confirmed by a certified arborist, owes no mitigation. We measure and check before we cut so you're never the one holding a violation.
Can you remove a tree close to my pool or the power drop?
Yes. A lot of Georgetown removals are within twenty feet of a pool, a covered patio or the service drop from the pole. We rig each section down on ropes or lift it with a crane so nothing touches the house or lands in the water. If limbs are within ten feet of an energized line, Georgetown Utility Systems will disconnect or relocate the service drop on request so it can be done safely — no one should be cutting inside that distance with the line hot.
Will you remove a tree the HOA wants gone?
If it's on your property and not a Heritage Tree, yes. Sun City, Wolf Ranch, Teravista, Berry Creek, Rancho Sienna and most of the newer subdivisions have architectural review rules and tree lists of their own; we know them and we'll tell you what paperwork they'll want.
What happens to the wood?
Chipped on site and hauled, or left as chips or firewood rounds if you'd rather keep them — post oak, live oak and pecan rounds are worth keeping; cedar elm burns fine but rots fast. Large trunks go on the log truck. Diseased red oak from an oak wilt center gets chipped and hauled, never stacked as firewood.
Is your tree service licensed?
Texas doesn't license tree services, which is exactly why you should ask for a certificate of insurance. Ours covers general liability and workers' compensation for tree work specifically — not a landscaping policy that excludes climbing — and we'll send it before we start.