Tree removal in Houston, TX from Sticks Tree Service Inc. means a dead, dangerous or unwanted tree taken down in controlled sections, the wood hauled away and the yard left clean. Trey Lamar’s crews work the northwest and west side of Houston from the office at 14120 Cypress North Houston Rd in Cypress. Before anything is cut, the crew settles whose tree it is, because Houston treats a tree on city property very differently from one in your back yard. Call 281-373-1472 to have the tree looked at.
When does a Houston tree need to come out?
Most removals start with one of these:
- The tree is dead. A pine that went brown after a dry summer, or an oak with no leaves on half the crown in May. Dead wood gets brittle fast in Houston heat and humidity.
- The trunk or a main union has split. A crack running down from a fork, often found after a storm, does not heal.
- It is leaning more than it used to. Look for lifted soil or cracks on the side away from the lean, especially after heavy rain.
- Decay at the base. Mushrooms on the root flare, soft or hollow wood, or carpenter ants working the trunk.
- It is in the wrong place. Roots lifting the slab or the drive, a trunk crowding the foundation, or a tree that cannot be trimmed away from the roof without ruining it.
If the tree might be saved, the better call may be tree trimming or an arborist look at the tree’s health. The estimate says which.
Whose tree is it, and do you need a permit?
The Houston Permitting Center says a permit is required to remove any tree on city property, including rights of way, medians and parks, and for trees on a setback. The permit must be posted on site 20 days before the work, review takes about 10 business days, the permit is good for one year, and the fee depends on the size and location of the tree.
In practice, the tree in the strip between the sidewalk and the curb is the one to ask about. If it is in the right of way, it is a city tree and goes through the city. A tree in the back yard is usually the owner’s decision, though deed restrictions still count in a city without zoning, and Chapter 33 of the city code adds a protected trees list for development projects. Outside the city limits, in unincorporated Harris County, Jersey Village or Tomball, different rules apply; see tree service in Northwest Houston.
How does the crew take a tree down on a Houston lot?
- Plan the drop zone. The crew looks at the roof, the fence, the neighbor’s garage, the power lines and the cars, and decides where every piece will land.
- Climb and rig. On most city lots there is no room to fell a tree whole. A climber works up the tree, and limbs and trunk sections are cut and lowered on ropes.
- Work around the wires. The service drop to the house is planned around. Trees touching the primary lines on the poles are for the utility’s line-clearance crew first.
- Bring down the spar. Once the crown is off, the trunk comes down in short rounds.
- Clean up. Brush goes through the chipper, wood is hauled or stacked if you want firewood, and the drive and street are blown clean.
- Grind the stump if wanted. Stump removal is a separate line on the estimate and can often be done the same day.
What makes Houston removals harder than they look?
Houston lots are small, old neighborhoods have alleys and overhead lines, and the soil is clay that stays soft after rain. A crew that has to keep a 50-foot pine from touching two roofs and a fence needs the rope work and the patience to do it piece by piece. The weather adds to it: after the 2011 drought, CultureMap Houston reported an estimate that 66 million trees in the region would die within two years, and Texas A&M Forest Service estimated that about half of Houston-area urban trees were affected by Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. Trees left cracked by one event are often the next ones to fail.
Which Houston neighborhoods does Sticks Tree Service cover for removals?
The closer to the Cypress office, the easier it is to fit a job in: Jersey Village, Willowbrook, Champions and the FM 1960 side first, then Spring Branch, the Memorial side and the I-10 Energy Corridor, with inner northwest neighborhoods such as Oak Forest and Garden Oaks by appointment. Addresses east of I-45 are outside the area. Start at tree service in Houston for every service in the city, or tree removal in Cypress near the office.
What goes into the quote?
- The height, spread and condition of the tree
- Whether it can be felled or has to come down in sections
- What is under it: roofs, fences, pools, a neighbor’s property
- Lines in or near the crown
- Access for the chipper and the truck, and the walk from the street
- Permit time if the tree is on city property or a setback
- Wood to haul or leave, and the stump
Sources
- Houston Permitting Center: Tree Removal/Tree Trimming permit (PRD1001)
- City of Houston Planning: Tree and Shrub ordinance (Chapter 33)
- CultureMap Houston: More than 66 million trees expected to die (Sept. 1, 2011)
- Community Impact: About 50% of Houston-area trees took hit from Beryl winds
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Houston?
For a tree on city property, such as a right of way, a median or a park, or on a setback, yes. The Houston Permitting Center lists a 20-day posting period, about 10 business days of review and a permit good for one year.
How do I tell whether the tree by the curb is a city tree?
If it stands in the right of way between your lot line and the street, it may be city property. Check your survey or ask the city before anyone cuts it.
Can a tree be removed next to my house without hitting the roof?
Yes. It is climbed and taken down in short sections, each lowered by rope, so nothing free-falls near the house.
Will tree removal tear up my Houston lawn?
The truck and chipper stay on the street or drive where possible, and wood is carried or lowered rather than dragged. Soft ground after rain can push a job back a day to protect the yard.
Can I keep the wood?
Yes. Tell the crew when you call and the trunk can be cut to firewood length and stacked where you want it.
Is the stump removed with the tree?
Only if you ask. Stump grinding is its own line on the estimate and is often done the same visit.
Does Sticks Tree Service remove trees east of I-45?
No. Houston addresses east of I-45 are outside the service area. The crews work the northwest and west side of the city.
How soon can a dead tree be removed?
That depends on the schedule and on whether a city permit is needed. Call 281-373-1472 and describe the tree; a dead tree over the house is booked ahead of one at the back fence.
Sticks Tree Service Inc, 14120 Cypress North Houston Rd, Cypress, TX 77429. Phone 281-373-1472.