Fort Wayne Tree Co.: Tree Removal, Stump Grinding and Tree Trimming in Fort Wayne, IN
Fort Wayne Tree Co. is your tree service contractor in Fort Wayne, IN, for anything from a stump in the lawn to the big maple leaning over the roof. Around here a removal averages about $1,100, within a usual spread of $400 to $1,800 set by reach and height. We write the price out in steps, so the tree, the stump and the haul each get a line.
Request a quote
Which tree is it, and what made you pick up the phone? Someone rings back with a first range.
The average house here was built around 1971, which means mature trees, most likely a lot of large branches overhanging on roofs. This area also has soft clay that any kind of heavy machinery coming in for tree service can leave pretty deep ruts in your yard.
- Most Fort Wayne tree removals $400 to $1,800
- A 20 to 50 ft yard tree down in 2 to 5 hours
- Street trees wait for the city's written permission
- Indiana 811 flags in before any stump grinder runs
- Mats laid wherever a truck crosses wet clay
Rough out a removal by height
Typical prices per tree for Fort Wayne jobs, from the source below. Your quote follows a look at the job.
$340 to $650
Call (260) 319-3650 for your priceAt a glance
| Average tree taken down | About $1,100; most $400 to $1,800 |
|---|---|
| 50 ft tree, removal only | $560 to $1,080 |
| Trim crew of three | $170 to $227 an hour |
| One stump ground out | $177 to $303 |
| Several trees on one visit | 10% to 25% less per tree |
| Same-day storm work | Twice to three times the normal rate |
| Trees in the public right of way | Written city permission first |
Residential Tree Removal, Stump Grinding and Trimming
Stump Grinding Below the Grass Line
Stump grinding below the grass line should go down to a depth of around 8 inches below the grass. This makes it deep enough to seed over. Before any grinding is done, we call 811 to locate any type of underground lines or pipes. They typically need two working days in advance to come out. The chips that are left over from grinding can stay as fill or be hauled out.
Tree Removal Over Roofs and Garages
Tree removal over roofs and garages can be tricky. In most cases, the tree needs to be cut in sections from the top down. Ropes can lower each of the large limbs safely down past the eaves, and then the trunk of the tree comes down last. A 40-foot tree in this area can run about $450 to $860 to be taken out near a house. Any tree near a structure is a longer job than if it's out in the open grass.
Tree Trimming and Crown Reduction
In tree trimming and crown reduction, if there are any obvious dead or crossing limbs, those can come out first. We always want to leave at least two-thirds of the leaves on the crown. The trim time is typically about three to four hours and can cost $510 to $900. Topping these trees can leave stubs, and then they can rot. It's better to trim.
Stump Removal and Surface Roots
Stump removal and surface roots is where the whole root plate comes out. With grinding, there are still roots down below, which are left to rot, but they take many years to rot. If the stump is near a patio or a shed slab, or you're going to replant a new tree, then the whole root plate needs to come out. Be sure to check for any kind of electric wires or sprinklers below the ground before you grind or remove any stump.
Emergency Fallen Tree Removal
In emergency fallen tree removal, we first deal with homeowners who have a trunk or large limbs resting on a roof during or right after a storm. After that, the second group of customers we deal with are those who have a driveway blocked by fallen trees or limbs, and then last would be trees out in the open. Always take pictures of the damage before anything is moved by us or by you.
Emerald Ash Borer and Dead Ash Removal
Emerald ash borer and dead ash removal is quite common around here, since the ash borer beetle resides in 92 counties. About 13,000 ash trees have been removed here. If your ash has a thinning crown and the bark is stripped by woodpeckers, this is a good sign there are beetles in the tree. Injections with a certain pesticide can get rid of the beetles, unless it's too late for the tree. Injection takes an Indiana pesticide business license, so we explain the treatment and leave it to those who hold one.
Dead Tree Removal Near the House
Dead tree removal near the house should never wait until the storm season comes in, as the wood can get brittle and cause severe damage to structures, especially with about 33.6 inches of snow per year here. It's also great to check for fungus or cracks at the root flare, which is where the roots go into the ground. It's good to always get a second opinion before the ice season hits. We would decide whether a climber can be used, or a lift or a crane is needed.
Tree Limb Removal Over Walks and Streets
City code 99.145 makes limbs from your tree your duty when they block the street, the walk or the view of a streetlight. After notice and 10 days, the Board of Park Commissioners can do the work and charge you, and the cost can become a lien on the house (99.144). We shorten the limb at your property line and leave the crown alone. Doing it before the letter comes is the cheaper way round.
Power Line and Service Drop Tree Trimming
Indiana Michigan Power clears trees along its pole-to-pole lines at least every four years, but the service drop running to your eaves is yours to deal with. OSHA 1910.333 holds workers with no line training, tools included, 10 feet off a live wire. So two business days ahead, you call I&M at 800-311-4634, and its crew disconnects the drop before our saws start.
Want a figure before anyone climbs?
Tell us the street, about how tall the tree is and what grows or parks beneath it. You get a call with a range, broken into the tree, the stump and the haul.
Commercial Tree Service for HOAs and Property Owners
Boards and owners with several addresses usually want one walk and one written list.
HOA Common Area Tree Removal
We walk the common ground with the board and tag each tree. The written list says which go now and which can wait. Any homeowners association can read it out at its next meeting and vote line by line.
Apartment and Rental Property Tree Service
Renters live in about 37% of Fort Wayne homes, so an owner often hears about a cracked limb second-hand and late. We give each address its own quote line, so three houses mean three clear numbers.
Parking Lot and Storefront Tree Trimming
We lift low limbs over aisles and delivery routes on your own lot, before a truck mirror does it for you. A street tree blocking your sign is another story, since the city does not allow trimming for sign visibility.
Commercial Storm Cleanup
In commercial storm cleanup after a storm, the first thing is to clear any fire lanes, then the driveways, and then wood hanging over any cars.
Commercial Lot Clearing
We clear wooded parcels headed for a building pad to bare ground, so the grader has a clean start. Forestry mulching leaves chips behind, which is why it does not suit ground under a slab.
Specialty Tree Work, Arborist Checks and Land Clearing
Tree Risk Assessment and Arborist Reports
A Level 2 tree risk assessment means a full walk around the trunk on the ground with a mallet and a probe. A hollow knock or a soft spot points to rot. Often the answer is good news, and we think a sound tree beats any removal. We say so when that's the case, and put it in writing for an insurer or a board. We think that if you are attached to the tree and don't want to lose it, getting a risk assessment first is a good idea before taking out the whole tree. A lot of times, tree pruning can fix a lot of issues with trees.
Land Clearing and Brush Removal for Wooded Lots
Land clearing on a wooded lot starts with ribbon on the trees worth saving. Light growth on a small parcel runs 1 to 3 days, and thick brush adds to that. We pile clean brush apart from stumps and soil, since the two go to different places. Wet Allen County ground can decide which week the machines come in.
Tree Cabling and Bracing
Silver maples and elms often fork into two stems with a weak seam between them. A cable about two-thirds of the way out from the fork, with hardware to the ANSI A300 Part 3 standard, lets those stems move together. A brace rod runs through the wood lower down. We fit both only on solid wood, since no hardware rescues a tree that has already rotted.
Crane Tree Removal
A crane swings whole sections past the house when the wood is too far gone to climb or no spot in the yard can take a drop. Most residential crane removals take 4 to 8 hours. We settle outrigger placement first, because April clay and a buried line can each rule out the easy spot.
Tree Replacement After Removal
For tree replacement we mark a spot a few feet off the old one, away from leftover chips and roots. Pick something other than what died. Bur oak handles clay, and the city posts an approved list for street planting. Its Citizen Match program closed for 2026 and takes applications again in 2027.
How a Tree Job Runs From First Call to Clean Lawn
A call back and the yard back are the two hard parts of hiring tree work.
I remember a neighbor who had a large tree near our shared property line, with a shared fence. We had a significant ice storm. Before the storm, I had talked to him several times about trimming that tree, but he didn’t give it any thought. When the ice storm hit, a few large branches came down and took out a section of the fence. He ended up paying to fix the fence, but when the trucks came in, the lawn had thawed, and they left heavy ruts over his backyard, which he had to fix with a landscaper.
Step by step
- You describe the tree, and the estimator calls back with a first range.
- We walk the property with you and mark what must survive, beds and sprinkler heads included.
- The written quote lists the stump, the hole fill and the haul apart, so it lines up against other bids.
- Mats go down where a truck crosses soft ground. If rain turns the lawn to soup, we’d rather move the date.
- The last job is a rake-out on both sides of the fence and a look at the gutters.
Whose Tree Is It in Fort Wayne?
Duties split by where the trunk stands, and the sidewalk isn’t always the line.
Street trees belong to the city
The right-of-way, which is owned by the city, is the public land along the street, and it can run past your sidewalk. It usually goes about eight feet from the curb. Code 99.146 requires written permission first to do anything with these public trees. If any of these trees become damaged because of what you did, roots included, it could be billed to you, the homeowner. If there’s a failing tree, dial 311 for an arborist specialist who can inspect the tree.
Alley and vacant lot trees are private
A tree in an alley or on an empty lot belongs to its owner. The city doesn’t trim a neighbor’s private tree for you either, even one over the sidewalk. That duty stays with the owner.
How Long a Tree Job Takes in a Fort Wayne Yard
Taking a big tree down over a house works like emptying a full attic through one hatch. Each load is easy. Getting every load past the roof is the job.
Typical times
| Job | Typical time | What sets the pace |
|---|---|---|
| Tree under 20 ft | 30 min to 2 hours | Room for the chipper |
| Tree 20 to 50 ft | 2 to 5 hours | Lean and what’s below |
| Tree 50 to 80 ft | 5 to 10 hours | Rigging over the roof |
| One stump | 30 min to 2 hours | Width at the root flare |
What Tree Service Costs in Fort Wayne, IN
Few companies here print a number, so here are going rates for checking any bid.
Fort Wayne Tree Service Prices
| Job | Typical range | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Removal, 30 ft tree | $340 to $650 | tree |
| Removal, 50 ft tree | $560 to $1,080 | tree |
| Removal, 80 ft tree | $900 to $1,720 | tree |
| Trim crew of three | $170 to $227 | hour |
| First stump ground | $177 to $303 | visit |
| Each added stump | $30 to $60 | stump |
| Land clearing | $1.06 to $1.43 | sq ft |
| Risk assessment | $100 to $250 | tree |
| Cabling | $200 to $350 | tree |
Removal and crew rows are Fort Wayne figures; first stump and clearing are zip 46802, November 2026; other rows are national. A crane or a rush job adds to these. Your figure follows a walk around the property.
What moves the price
- Soft ground: wet clay can call for mats or a dry-day wait.
- What’s below: a roof or a drop wire means rope work on every section.
- Same-day work: a rush job after a storm often runs 2 to 3 times the normal rate.
Where the wood goes
The city doesn’t take bundled branches outside a cart, so a bid with no haul leaves you the pile. The Biosolids Facility at 6202 Lake Avenue charges a fee.
When a low bid is fine
A small ornamental in open ground with no wire nearby doesn’t need a rope crew. Take the low bid there.
Your choice depends on how attached you are to the tree that’s still living. Booking both to be taken out can save 10 to 25% per tree. If you’re not concerned or attached that much to the second tree, having both taken out would be your best option.
Where the Crews Work Around Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne Tree Co. takes down, trims and grinds out trees across Fort Wayne, IN, and the Allen County towns around it.
Allen County, IN
- New Haven
- Huntertown
- Leo-Cedarville
- Grabill
- Woodburn
- Monroeville
Whitley County, IN
- Churubusco
- Columbia City
Wells County, IN
- Ossian
- Bluffton
Huntington County, IN
- Roanoke
- Markle
- Huntington
DeKalb County, IN
- Garrett
- Auburn
Noble County, IN
- Avilla
Adams County, IN
- Decatur
Code 99.145 and the street tree rules apply inside Fort Wayne's city limits; the other towns set their own. Indiana 811 covers every place on this list.
The Woodburn EF-3 of August 24, 2016 reached 160 mph. The airport clocked a 91 mph gust on June 29, 2012, and the March 2023 EF-2 tornado laid trees down from northeast Fort Wayne out to Harlan.
What Fort Wayne Owners Want to Know Before the Saws Start
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in my own yard in Fort Wayne?
Fort Wayne has no such rule that we could find for private ground. Check whose trunk it is first, since the Allen County GIS viewer shows where the city's strip ends on your block.
Does Indiana license tree services?
Not that we can find, in the state or in Allen County, for trimming or removal. Ask each crew for a current certificate showing liability and workers' compensation cover.
Does homeowners insurance cover tree removal?
Usually, your homeowners insurance will only cover a tree that has already fallen on or damaged a structure on your property, and that can typically pay around $500 to $1,000 per tree.
What is the cheapest time of year for tree removal in Fort Wayne?
Winter or early spring is typically the off-season for tree service companies, and bids can often come in lower during these times. Frozen ground also carries a truck better than March mud.
When is the best time to prune an oak here?
The best time to prune an oak tree around here is December 1st through the end of February, because of oak wilt, a deadly oak disease that can kill the tree. From March through November, treat a fresh wound on an oak at once.
Can I cut branches hanging over from my neighbor's tree?
Generally, trimming a neighbor's tree is allowed, but only to the boundary line, from your side of the property and at your expense. Doing anything else with the tree itself would need the neighbor's consent.
Can I rent a stump grinder instead of hiring it out?
Renting a grinder generally makes sense for small stumps in an open grass area. You will want to call 811 and have flags placed in case there are power or water lines.
Does tree removal include the stump?
Often not. Many bids end at a cut near the ground with grinding as an add-on, so ask every company to list it.
The written price follows a walk around the yard
Where the wood can come down, how soft the ground is and what a truck can reach set most of the cost. We check those in person and write the number out step by step.
Request a quote
Call (260) 319-3650 to talk now, or describe the tree below and we will call you.