AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Lee’s Summit, MO

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Lee’s Summit?

With its varying temperatures and hospitable landscape, Lee’s Summit is home to an endless variety of hearty, strong, and healthy trees. Sadly, there are plenty of diseases and pests which cause severe damage to our trees and vegetation. Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease in Lee’s Summit that causes grey to white, powdery splotches to form on the leaves, stems, and buds of infected trees. This disease occurs when there is too much moisture and not enough sun and air circulation. While this disease may not be deadly to your tree, it will cause unsightly leaves that will wilt and discolor.

Pine wilt is another common disease affecting trees in Lee’s Summit. It’s caused by the pinewood nematode, which is spread by the pine sawyer beetle and kills conifers, especially pines species including Austrian, white, and mugo pines. However, Scots pines are particularly susceptible to pine wilt. The nematode feeds and multiplies in the tree’s resin canals, causing wilting and death in several weeks to several months. 

In the first stages, the needles turn grey or green, then yellow and brown. The discoloration sometimes occurs branch by branch, sometimes all at once. The best way to prevent the spread of this disease is through sanitation. The infected tree should be cut down as soon as possible–and the stump removed.

Other diseases and pests affecting Lee’s Summit trees include: 

• Needle and tip blight
• Heart rot disease
• Oak wilt
• Thousand cankers disease
• Defoliating caterpillars
• Anthracnose of shade tree
• Emerald ash borer
• Gypsy moth

If you suspect disease, insect infestation, or fungus, call tree experts such as Tree Triage. We can provide applications to protect your trees as well as remove trees which are too far gone. Remember that prevention and a proactive approach are key to keeping these tree diseases and pests under control.

Does the City of Lee’s Summit Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?

No, the city of Lee’s Summit doesn’t provide any assistance with tree removal. If trees fall during a storm, the city’s maintenance crews can only move trees, limbs, and brush to the side of streets to keep traffic open; they do not remove or dispose of it. If trees, brush, or limbs are blocking traffic on the street, you can call the Public Works Department during regular business hours at 816-969-1800 or the Fire Dispatch after hours at 816-969-7407. 

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Lee’s Summit?

Trees provide shade and complement landscaping nicely, but they can also cause major disputes when they fall over. A tree may fall if it’s not properly maintained, diseased, or it may fall over during a storm. A fallen tree is not just a nuisance, but it can also be quite costly to remove. That’s why knowing who is responsible for tree removal in Lee’s Summit is important–it can save you hundreds of dollars. 

If you’re a homeowner?

The city of Lee’s Summit requires homeowners to maintain trees on their property to not pose a threat to adjoining private or public property. This includes treating, pruning, and removal of dead, dying, or diseased trees. Typically, homeowner’s insurance covers tree damage and removal costs in Lee’s Summit.  

If you’re a renter?

Renters aren’t usually responsible for tree removal in Lee’s Summit. This responsibility belongs to the landlord or property management company unless your lease agreement stipulates otherwise. Renter’s insurance often covers the damage caused by a fallen tree, but if you don’t have it, then your landlord’s insurance will kick in and cover the damage.

If you’re a landlord?

As a landlord, you’re responsible for maintaining the landscape and trees on your property. That includes trees in the right-of-way. For example, if a limb from your tree falls into the street, you are responsible for properly disposing of it. In most cases, your insurance will cover the tree removal costs and any property damage.

If you’re a neighbor?

Generally, if any part of the trunk is on the property line, the tree is considered the common property of both homeowners, and both of you are responsible for its removal. But when a neighbor’s tree falls onto your property, its removal is your responsibility unless the tree was damaged, diseased, or destroyed. 

However, proving that the tree was damaged and your neighbor was aware can be difficult and costly in a court of law. The best case here is to talk with the neighbor and agree to share tree removal costs. Besides, your homeowner’s insurance will likely pay for the tree removal cost as well as any structural damage to your property.  

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Lee’s Summit?

Lee’s Summit soils fall under the prairie residual soils category. These soils are some of the most fertile soils in the world! Our soils are thick and deep and have a good nutrient supply for growing trees. Oak, maple, hackberry, dogwood, cottonwood, cedar trees grow well in this type of soil. Because it rains a lot in Lee’s Summit, adding lots of organic matter, such as compost, farm manure, or shredded leaves, to your soil will allow it to drain more easily and hold the right amounts of water and air for better tree growth.

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Lee’s Summit?

In Lee’s Summit, the weather is warm and temperate. Our summers are hot, muggy, and wet, the winters are very cold and windy, and it’s partly cloudy year-round. The rainfall in Lee’s Summit is significant, with precipitation even during the driest month. 

While trees need water to flourish, too much can do more harm than good. Continuous rainy conditions create an environment where deep tree roots eventually stop functioning properly and begin to die. Also, a higher water concentration in the soil means the roots are more vulnerable to attack by fungi that cause root rot. Root rot infections are highly damaging to your tree, causing poor growth, dieback, and can even be fatal.

One way to combat this problem is by having a proper drainage system in place. This will help your trees use the water needed and rid the excess. You should also choose plants adapted specifically to our weather conditions–having the right plants in the right environment will result in healthy, thriving trees. Native trees including shortleaf pine, eastern red cedar, bald cypress, flowering dogwood, roughleaf dogwood, gray dogwood, red hawthorn, pawpaw, red maple, river birch, American hornbeam, and hardy pecan are adapted to our climate.  

Planting at the right time can also set your trees up for success. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), fall is usually the best month to plant trees since it brings milder temperatures, frequent rainfall, and reduced daylight hours. These conditions are good for encouraging new trees to establish strong root systems.  

What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Lee’s Summit?

Trees touching or near power lines can be very dangerous, especially if the tree is dead or dying. Dead trees are less stable and can easily fall over power lines, causing a power outage or fire. 

Electric utilities often perform vegetation management to prevent this from happening. They trim, prune, and remove branches near power lines to a 15-foot minimum distance. In case of a dead tree, the arborist will recommend removal to eliminate risk. The utility company will trim or remove the dead tree if it grows out over public land and into power lines. But if the tree is on your land, along the service line to your house, you’re responsible for calling us for maintenance and removal. 

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Lee’s Summit?

The average tree removal cost in Lee’s Summit is $250 to $1,950 for typical jobs. You will likely get a discount if you have multiple trees that need to be cut down since our crew and their equipment are already there. However, emergency tree removal will cost you much more than standard tree removal. The price will vary significantly depending on when you make the call, how dangerous removing the tree is, and the time needed to complete the job. Some insurance companies may help cover emergency tree removal, so be sure to check with your provider first. Other factors that can affect the cost of your tree removal in Lee’s Summit include: 

Tree Size

When it comes to the cost of tree removal in Lee’s Summit, tree size matters. Height and diameter determine how large the tree is, so the taller and wider the tree, the larger it is and the more costly it will be to remove. Small trees, no more than 30 feet tall, are usually thinner in diameter, and easier and safer for our arborists to remove. Removal of a small tree can cost anywhere from under $150 to over $450. Removal of medium-height trees (30 feet to 60 feet tall) could cost anywhere between $450 and $1,150 or more. Tall trees, typically 60 feet to 80 feet tall, often cost more than $1,400 to cut down. 

Location

The location of the tree is critical, too. Removing a tree in an open space is quicker and presents fewer obstacles than removing a tree located in a hard-to-access area. If your tree is located in between two structures or near your house, fence, or power lines, our arborists will have to work around the obstacles and use special equipment to access and remove the tree safely without damaging surrounding structures. This will increase your overall cost.

Extra Services

We also provide other services such as stump grinding or removal, chipping, and root removal. However, these services are priced separately, and you will have to pay extra for them. For example, removing a stump and its root system typically costs between $175 and $516, with most homeowners in Lee’s Summit paying $326. If you prefer to have the stump ground instead of removing it, expect to pay between $158 to $450. Chipping will cost $65 to $125 and if you need the tree split for firewood, expect to pay an extra fee of $50 to $90. Ask our tree care specialists to review what services will be included in the final bill.