Straight Answers to the Questions We Hear Most
About Working With Top Tree
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes — licensed, bonded, and insured in Washington (WA Contractors TOPTRTS911DD) and Oregon (CCB #236232).
Do you have certified arborists?
Two. Ryan Hone, ISA Certified Arborist #PN-8664A, and Robert Wellington, ISA Certified Arborist #PN-384050A. Certification matters because tree care is judgment work — the credential is why you can trust the call.
How do estimates work?
Call, text, or send the form with your address and what is going on. We come out, look at the tree, the access, and the risk, and give you a straight recommendation with a free, no-pressure estimate.
What areas do you serve?
Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, West Richland, Benton City, Burbank, and Finley at standard rates — the whole Mid-Columbia from Prosser to Connell, and south to Hermiston, Oregon (Oregon-licensed, CCB #236232). For larger projects we travel: Yakima, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, and Walla Walla.
How fast can you get to my job?
Faster than a one-crew outfit — we dispatch five to six crews daily, and most jobs finish in a day once they start. Scheduling depends on the season; storm damage moves to the front of the line.
Questions by Service
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Why won't you top my tree?
Topping — cutting a tree back to stubs — is the single most damaging thing you can do to it. It invites decay, forces weak regrowth, and shortens the tree’s life. We will tell you honestly what a tree needs instead. Sometimes that is a heavy reduction. It is never topping.
When is the best time of year to trim?
We trim year round. On most trees here, structural pruning is best in the dormant season — late fall through winter — when the tree is not actively growing and its structure is easy to see. Dead, damaged, or hazardous limbs come off any time of year. If summer is the wrong window for your particular tree, we will tell you straight at the estimate — and our proposals are good for 90 days, so you can get the estimate now and schedule the work for later.
How often should my trees be trimmed?
Most mature trees want attention every three to five years. Young trees benefit from more frequent structural pruning — it is the cheapest work you will ever do on that tree, because it prevents the expensive corrections later.
Do you trim shrubs and ornamentals too?
Yes. We shape shrubs and ornamentals along with the trees, so the whole yard gets handled in one visit.
Tree Removal
What does tree removal cost?
Every removal is different — the size, the location, and what is around it all change the work. We come out, look at the tree, and give you a free, no-pressure estimate. You will know exactly what it takes before anything is scheduled.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree?
It depends on the city and on where the tree stands — street and right-of-way trees often have rules attached (each city’s rules are on our service-area pages). Tell us the address and we will tell you what applies before any cutting starts.
Can you tell if my tree actually needs to come down?
Yes — that is the point of having certified arborists on staff. If the tree can be saved, we say so and tell you what saving it takes. When it truly has to go, we tell you that straight, too.
Do you haul everything away?
Yes. Limbs, trunk, and debris leave with us, and we clean up like we were never there. Want the wood left as firewood rounds? Just say so at the estimate.
Stump Grinding
How far down do you grind?
Several inches below grade — enough to re-sod, seed, or plant over the spot. If you have a specific plan for the space, tell us and we grind to suit it.
Can I plant a new tree where the stump was?
Yes, with a little prep. We can haul off the grindings and backfill with soil so the spot is ready for planting instead of full of wood chips.
What happens to the grindings?
Your choice — we leave them on site as free mulch, or haul them off and backfill for an added cost.
Do you rent out stump grinders?
No. We do the stump grinding for you as a service, but we do not rent out stump grinders or any other equipment. Grinding a stump is heavier and more hazardous work than it looks, and our crews come with the machine, the training, and the insurance.
Tree & Plant Health Care
How do I know if my tree is sick?
Thinning or yellowing leaves, early leaf drop, branches dying back from the tips, and small holes or sawdust on the bark are the signs we see most. Any of them is worth a photo and a phone call — early is cheap, late is a removal.
What are the little D-shaped holes in my birch?
That is bronze birch borer, the pest killing birch trees across the Tri-Cities. Caught early it is treatable; caught late the tree usually cannot be saved. If you are seeing exit holes, do not wait a season.
Is treating a tree really worth it?
A mature tree takes decades to grow and shades, shelters, and holds up the value of your whole yard. Treatment costs a fraction of removing a tree and starting over with a sapling. And if treatment will not work, we tell you that too.
When does treatment happen?
It depends on the pest and the treatment — many treatments go in during spring and early summer, ahead of the insects’ active season. That is why we set up seasonal plans: the right treatment at the right time, without you having to track it.
Storm Damage
Do you really offer 24/7 emergency service?
Emergency service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and during those hours you reach us directly. After hours, the same number — (509) 512-1955 — gives you the option to leave a message or reach the on-call person.
A tree fell on my house. What do I do first?
Get everyone out of the affected rooms and stay clear of any power line the tree is touching. Call 911 if anyone is hurt or there is fire, and call the utility if a line is involved. Then photograph the damage before anything is moved, call your insurer, and call us.
My neighbor's tree fell on my property. Who is responsible?
In most cases your own homeowners policy handles damage to your property, whatever grew the tree — that is what it is for. It can change if the tree was already dead and the owner had been told about it. Ask your adjuster. Either way, we can remove it and document what the tree looked like.
Will you cut a tree off a power line?
No. A tree in contact with an energized line is utility work until the line is de-energized. Call Benton PUD at (888) 582-2176 or Franklin PUD at (509) 542-5300, and call us at the same time — we will be ready to clear the tree as soon as the line is safe.
Can a storm-damaged tree be saved?
Sometimes. A tree that lost a limb usually can. A tree that split at the trunk, lost more than about half its canopy, or lifted its root plate usually cannot. That is the call a certified arborist should make on site, and we will tell you straight either way — including when the answer costs us the removal.
Do you charge more for after-hours calls?
Emergency work is quoted on what the job takes — the size of the tree, what it landed on, and what has to be protected getting it off. You will know before we start. Estimates are free.
Firewood
When should I order firewood?
Early. Demand climbs fast from September on, and properly seasoned wood is a limited supply — reserving ahead of the season is the difference between having wood in October and waiting in November.
Do you deliver?
Yes, across the Tri-Cities. Tell us how much you need and where it goes.
