Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Pleasanton?
- 2 Does the City of Pleasanton Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Pleasanton?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Pleasanton?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Pleasanton?
- 6 What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Pleasanton?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Pleasanton?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Pleasanton?
Here in Pleasanton, many people take great pride in their beautiful properties. That being said, if you haven’t done tree maintenance yourself, you may be in for a shock, since there are a variety of threats that can make a tree fail to thrive in your yard. Here are some issues that people run into frequently in this area, and how you can work to avoid them.
- Just this past year, Pleasanton residents were sad to discover that a 125-plus-year-old eucalyptus tree contracted sulfur fungus, turning a beautiful gem of Lions Wayside Park into danger because of the falling hazard. Other diseases and funguses are common among trees in the area, particularly if they are already stressed by situations like drought or having been over pruned.
- The City of Pleasanton has a tree planting guide that helps residents choose wisely, but there are many ways to choose a tree that has a hard time surviving. Given, for instance, that Pleasanton is in USDA tree hardiness zones 9b/10a, trees that don’t have those zones as part of their ideal range may fail to thrive in the particular mixture of climate factors common in our area. New trees are also fairly vulnerable in their early years, requiring extensive watering to thrive.
- There are always new insects moving around the United States, and Pleasanton has seen insects like the Ficus leaf-rolling psyllid which targets specific trees and, by eating too much or in the wrong places on the tree, can cause the tree to die.
Does the City of Pleasanton Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
Because of the natural beauty of the city, Pleasanton has a few ordinances that may affect tree removal. Any city-owned street trees, for instance, are maintained by the city team, so if you think a tree might be in the right of way, you can call the City Landscape Architect’s Office and find out if it is a city-owned tree. You should also know that Heritage Trees (55 inches or more in circumference or 35 feet or more in height) must have a permit in order to be removed, even if you suspect they are a hazard because of dead limbs or being entirely dead.
Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Pleasanton?
No one wants to leave a tree to the point where it becomes a hazard and falls, necessitating removal. However, certain kinds of storms can bring up this problem all of a sudden, and a big cost must be distributed to the responsible parties. Here are some ways to think through whether a particular fallen tree removal job is your responsibility to handle or pay for.
If you’re a homeowner?
Generally, homeowners in Pleasanton will be responsible for their tree-related costs, be their maintenance or removal. When trees fall on your property, you’ll want to contact our experts for removal or file with your homeowner’s insurance. As long as the project will be well above the cost of your deductible, getting a tree removed by filing an insurance claim can be an economical way to handle the challenges of this unexpected maintenance need.
If you’re a renter?
As a renter, you are the first one impacted when a tree falls on your landlord’s property, but thankfully, you aren’t liable to pay for it. Because your landlord is the owner, they should be informed immediately so that they can arrange for tree removal that can give you back full access to the property and remove any hazards or nuisances created by the fallen tree. The one exception would be if, say, the landlord had evidence that you deliberately harmed the tree causing it to fall, they could seek for you to pay damages or for the removal, but that’s a pretty rare circumstance.
If you’re a landlord?
As a landlord, even if you aren’t visiting your properties often to notice whether a tree needs maintenance, either you or a property manager should be evaluating the health of all the landscaping around your rental homes. If your renter mentions that a tree has fallen, especially if it has damaged any part of the property or their property, you’ll want to hire our arborists quickly, since leaving maintenance work unhandled can strain your relationship with your renter.
If you’re a neighbor?
The disputes may begin if a tree requires maintenance and is along a neighboring home’s property line. Generally, it’s accepted that you can prune limbs that overhang your property even if the tree is on the other side, but it’s best to work together with the tree’s “owner” to ensure that pruning projects don’t jeopardize the tree’s health. You can also encourage a tree owner to maintain his or her tree if it appears in distress and needs tending. However, if a tree falls in your yard from their yard, the way to proceed will be determined by whether they were neglecting a major issue or the tree fell due to extreme weather. If there was documentable negligence, there could be a lawsuit to get them to pay for the damage and the removal, but if not, you’d likely each make homeowners insurance claims for the damage done on your side of the property line.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Pleasanton?
Our city has the honor of having a whole series of soils, the Pleasanton series, named after it, with the standard level that you’d most likely see being gravelly fine sandy loam. Lacking in clay, this soil typically will wick water away from roots fairly well, keeping root rot or fungus away. That being said, you may need to water more frequently for new trees that perhaps were accustomed to a soil that didn’t have quite such good drainage.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Pleasanton?
California’s droughts can affect trees by stressing them, and wildfires, while not really a weather phenomenon, are nonetheless affected by weather and deeply connected to tree health. In this sense, both situations may cause damage to trees, though drought without fires can be mitigated by choosing to irrigate young or otherwise stressed trees back to health.
What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Pleasanton?
Pacific Gas and Electric does not want you to try to trim dead or dangerous trees yourself near power lines; even skilled arborists aren’t certified to the extent that they can handle trees near power lines. Instead, contact the power company and find out if the proximity and danger are enough to warrant trimming or removal. They’ve seen enough power line and tree situations to make that call. If they decide that the danger isn’t high for the power lines themselves and the tree is on your property, you can decide whether or not to have it removed. If it is within a certain distance, you’ll want to make sure your tree removal team is certified to remove trees near power lines. Consider Tree Triage for the job, as we’re certified throughout California.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Pleasanton?
Given the average age, size, and location of trees in the Pleasanton area, the average cost of removal is going to be about $699. That being said, young, short trees that need to be removed after a disease or pest harmed them to the point of death will be substantially cheaper (as little as $200), while older, taller trees may require a city permit in addition to potentially $2,000 or more in removal expenses. To start estimating the ballpark rate for a tree you want to remove, use these cost factors.
Where is Your Tree?
Trees that are located near complicated terrains, like the edge of a lake or a busy street, are going to be harder to remove than trees that fall conveniently in a wide-open field with a nearby driveway. Our tree removal professionals take into account the extra time it will take them if they have to haul equipment a long way or if they need a specialized truck or even a crane to handle the location of the tree.
How Big a Tree Are We Talking About?
You’ll also find that particularly wide trees and particularly tall trees are not just incrementally more expensive, but exponentially so. Often, a very large tree will be harder for even industrial chainsaws to cut through, requiring top-of-the-line equipment, and taking down a very tall tree requires skill and safety equipment to keep everyone clear of falling limbs as they remove them. Don’t be surprised if tall trees over 35 feet are particularly expensive but shorter trees that are very wide can also incur surprisingly expensive bills.
Making It Worth the Crew’s Time
What you’ll typically find accounts for the rest of the costs in our tree removal estimates amount to conveniences. If our crew can take down two or more trees on your property, for instance, you may find the average cost per tree is lower, since we don’t have to travel to a new site and set everything up twice to cut down two trees. On the flip side, if you have a major tree fall that damages a structure and needs to be removed quickly to reduce continued strain on a broken structure, you’ll be paying a premium to effectively jump to the front of the line. Taking the appointment we have available, even if it takes a few weeks, is going to give you the best price for that particular tree.