Sticks Tree Service Inc. is a Houston tree service working the northwest and west side of the city from its office in Cypress. Trey Lamar’s crews handle tree removal, tree trimming, stump removal, storm damage and tree health work for Houston homes and businesses west of I-45, with the heaviest schedule in the neighborhoods closest to US 290: Jersey Village, Willowbrook, Champions, Spring Branch and the Cy-Fair side. Call 281-373-1472 for an estimate.
Which Houston tree services does Sticks Tree Service offer?
Every service has a Houston page of its own:
- Tree removal in Houston: dead pines, split oaks, trees on a setback or too close to the slab, taken down in sections on small city lots.
- Tree trimming in Houston: roof and service-drop clearance, raising limbs over the street, thinning a heavy live oak, dead wood out before storm season.
- Stump removal in Houston: grinding below the grass line and chasing surface roots so a bed, sod or new tree can go in.
- Emergency tree removal in Houston: a tree on the roof, the car, the fence or across the driveway.
- Arborist services in Houston: a careful look at a declining tree, oak wilt timing, cabling and deep root fertilization.
- Land clearing near Houston: trees, brush and stumps off a lot or fence line.
Where in Houston does the crew work most?
Houston is a big city and the crews do not try to cover all of it. The office is at 14120 Cypress North Houston Rd in Cypress, a short way north of US 290, and the work is planned outward from there. US 290, the Northwest Freeway, is the spine: downtown is about 24 miles and 35 minutes in normal traffic, while Jersey Village is about 7 miles and Spring Branch about 14. That shapes where the crew spends its days.
- Northwest Houston: Jersey Village, Willowbrook, Champions, Fairbanks and the FM 1960 corridor. Start at tree service in Northwest Houston.
- West Houston: Spring Branch, the Memorial side and the Energy Corridor along I-10. See Spring Branch.
- Inner northwest: Oak Forest, Garden Oaks and the Heights, by appointment and for larger jobs.
- Not covered: addresses east of I-45, including Humble and Kingwood.
What should Houston homeowners know before a tree comes down?
Whose tree is it?
The first question on a Houston job is ownership. The Houston Permitting Center says a permit is required to remove a tree on city property, including rights of way, medians and parks, and for trees on a setback. The permit is posted on site for 20 days before the work, review takes about 10 business days, and it is good for one year. A tree in the strip between the sidewalk and the street is the one to ask about. A tree in the back yard is usually the owner’s decision, but deed restrictions still matter in a city without zoning.
Will the city take care of a dead tree on private property?
No. Owners are responsible for the trees on their own lots. The city works on its own trees, not on private ones, even after a storm.
What about the power lines?
Trees touching a primary line on the poles are a job for the utility’s line-clearance crews. Do not trim near an energized line yourself. The line from the pole to the house, the service drop, is the one homeowners deal with most; tell the crew about it when you call so the work can be planned around it.
Why are so many Houston trees in trouble?
Houston trees have had a rough fifteen years. The 2011 drought killed millions of trees across the region, and Memorial Park lost so many that it needed large-scale clearing and replanting. In May 2024 a derecho tore through the city, and in July 2024 Hurricane Beryl followed; Texas A&M Forest Service estimated about half of Houston-area urban trees were affected by Beryl’s winds. Many trees that stayed standing were left with cracked unions, hanging limbs or root damage that only shows up in the next storm.
Common Houston problems the crew sees:
- Loblolly pines that died a few years after a drought, standing gray over a house.
- Water oaks and laurel oaks with decay at old pruning wounds, which tend to shed big limbs.
- Live oaks grown heavy over a roof, a pool or the street, needing thinning rather than removal.
- Chinese tallow, an invasive tree that seeds into fence lines and beds.
- Oaks wounded in spring. Texas A&M Forest Service advises avoiding pruning oaks from February through June to limit the spread of oak wilt.
How does a Houston job work on a small city lot?
- Look and measure. Someone walks the tree, the fence lines, the neighbor’s roof and the line from the pole, then writes the estimate.
- Settle ownership and permits. City-property and setback trees go through the permit before the job is booked.
- Climb and section. On tight Houston lots, the tree is climbed and taken down in pieces, each one lowered by rope past roofs, fences and wires.
- Protect the yard. The trucks stay on the street or the drive where possible.
- Clean up. Brush is chipped, wood is hauled or stacked, and the drive and street are blown clean.
- Stump. Grinding is priced as its own line and is often done the same day.
What goes into the quote?
- Size, species and condition of the tree
- What it could hit: house, garage, fence, the neighbor’s roof, cars
- Access from the street or alley and the width of the side gate
- Wires through the crown and the service drop to the house
- Time to wait for a city permit, if the tree is on city property
- Wood and brush to haul, and stumps to grind
Sources
- Houston Permitting Center: Tree Removal/Tree Trimming permit (PRD1001)
- City of Houston Planning: Tree and Shrub ordinance (Chapter 33)
- Community Impact: About 50% of Houston-area trees took hit from Beryl winds
- CultureMap Houston: Bringing Memorial Park back
- Texas A&M Forest Service: oak wilt
- Texas A&M Forest Service: Chinese tallow tree
Frequently asked questions
Does Sticks Tree Service work inside the City of Houston?
Yes, on the northwest and west side of the city, west of I-45. The busiest areas are the ones closest to US 290 and the Cypress office: Jersey Village, Willowbrook, Champions and Spring Branch.
Which Houston trees need a city permit before work?
Trees on city property, such as a right of way, median or park, and trees on a setback. The Houston Permitting Center lists a 20-day posting period and about 10 business days for review. Trees on private lots away from the setback are usually the owner's call, subject to deed restrictions.
Will the City of Houston remove a dead tree in my yard?
No. Trees on private property belong to the owner, and the city does not work on them, even after a storm.
Can a big tree come down on a small Houston lot?
Yes. It is climbed and cut in sections, with each piece lowered by rope past the roof, the fence and the wires.
When should Houston oaks be pruned?
Texas A&M Forest Service advises avoiding pruning oaks from February through June, when the beetles that spread oak wilt are most active. Late summer, fall and winter are the safer windows.
How far is the Sticks office from central Houston?
About 24 miles up US 290, roughly 35 minutes in normal traffic. That is why the crews concentrate on the northwest and west side.
How do I get an estimate for Houston tree work?
Call 281-373-1472 with the address, the trees in question and how the crew gets into the yard. Someone comes out, looks in person and writes the estimate before anything is scheduled.
Sticks Tree Service Inc, 14120 Cypress North Houston Rd, Cypress, TX 77429. Phone 281-373-1472.