A limb has come down or hangs over the garage, and the first call goes to a company that will cut it. The bill depends less on the saw than on what surrounds the tree: how high the limb sits, what it is touching, how a crew gets in, and whether the wood leaves the yard. This piece shows you which of those things move the total, so you can ask for a quote that adds up.
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What pushes the cost up
Height comes first. A limb that needs a lift or climbing rigging takes more people and more time than one a short ladder can reach. Access is next. A tree behind a narrow side gate, over a fence, or past a shed means the crew carries wood by hand. Contact with the roof or gutter adds careful lowering, and a limb resting on a garage roof usually needs more hands. Timing matters too: a crew with a backlog after a storm may have more work than hours, and the wait for an opening can change the total. Finally, look at the cleanup line. Some companies cut, haul, and sweep the yard. Others cut and leave the rounds in a pile for you.
What brings it down
A reachable limb, a clear path from the tree to the street, and a written decision to leave or take the wood. Some crews will leave logs for firewood, which you may or may not want. Stump work is a separate line, so decide whether you want it at all. If the limb is small and the rest of the tree looks healthy, a single cut may be the whole job.
Check before you sign
Ask for a written estimate that lists each part separately: removing the limb, lowering it over the roof, hauling, cleanup, and stump work if you want it. Ask whether the company carries liability insurance and workers' compensation, and ask for a certificate. Ask them to note any damage to the roof or gutter before they start, so there is a record of what was there. Ask her homeowner's insurer what paperwork it wants before work begins. If the tree sits on a city strip, ask whether a city permit is needed before anyone cuts.
Stay clear of the lines
If any branch touches a power line or the service line from the pole, call the utility and keep everyone back. Do not let a helper climb to clear it. This is the one part of the job that is never a do-it-yourself task.
Tonight
Take photos from the street and from the yard: the limb, the roof below it, the width of the gate, and any power lines overhead. Send them to the company you call, and ask for the estimate in writing with each line separate. If a line is tangled in the branches, stop there and call the utility before anyone touches it.