What to Expect From Elite Tree Service Ocala

Elite Tree Service Ocala takes down, prunes and grinds out trees for homeowners in Ocala and the rest of Marion County: the older streets around downtown and the historic district, the big subdivisions to the southwest and southeast of town, and the acreage and horse country that surrounds the city on every side.

A job here begins with someone walking the property. Most of what decides how a tree should be handled in Ocala is visible from the ground if you know what to look for: a laurel oak with a hollow at the base or a seam running up the trunk, a live oak with two trunks squeezed together at a tight fork, a pine whose needles have gone from green to rust in a few weeks, a queen palm that came through a cold snap with a brown crown, or a limb that has grown out over a roof, a pool cage or a barn. We also look at everything a falling piece could hit and at how a crew reaches the tree, because a backyard behind a privacy fence, a septic drain field or a soft sandy lawn after a week of summer rain changes how the work has to be done.

We ask whose tree it is and what rules apply before quoting. Inside city limits, the City of Ocala requires a tree removal permit for any tree 4 inches or more in diameter at 4.5 feet above ground, whatever its species or condition; the fee is $100, review takes at least 10 business days, and replacement trees are required. The city's application exempts single-family homes on parcels zoned R-1, R-1A or R-1AA that are under 3 acres, so many in-town homeowners need no permit at all, but homes on other zoning do. In unincorporated Marion County, the Land Development Code exempts tree removal on a parcel used for a single-family dwelling. Many neighborhoods here also have a homeowners association with its own approval process for removing or replacing trees. Florida law (section 163.045, Florida Statutes) lets the owner of a single-family home prune or remove a tree without a local permit when an ISA certified arborist or a Florida licensed landscape architect has documented that the tree is an unacceptable risk. If a tree may stand in a public right-of-way, or a branch touches a power line, we tell you who to contact first.

After the visit you receive a written quote. It names each tree, says exactly what will be cut and how much, states whether the stump is included, and spells out the cleanup: brush chipped and hauled, logs cut to firewood length and stacked, or wood left for you. Pruning follows the ANSI A300 standard that the tree care industry uses, which means no topping and no stripping a palm down to a few green fronds. Nothing changes from the quote unless you agree to it first.

What you can count on

• A person who looks at the tree before anyone names a price.
• Plain answers about whether a tree can be saved, and when it can't.
• Limbs lowered on ropes where dropping them would damage a roof, fence or lawn.
• Storm calls sorted by danger: trees on houses, blocked driveways and leaning trunks first.
• Payment for the work on the written quote and nothing else.

Call (352) 320-5752 to schedule a free estimate, or send the form with a few photos.