AFFORDABLE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE IN Hopewell, VA

What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Hopewell?

Hopewell is on the southeastern side of Virginia and sits at 15 meters above sea level. The topography and climatic conditions are befitting for a variety of fruity, woody, and ornamental tree species. The most common native tree species include huckleberry, shagbark hickory, Eastern redbud, dogwood, Eastern red cedar, American holly, river birch, red maple, magnolias, pines, and oaks.

The city is also home to non-native species that make their way to private and public properties through intentional or accidental human introduction. According to the US Forest Service, invasive plant species have resulted in a 42% recession of threatened and endangered species. Some common examples of invasive trees in Hopewell include tree of Heaven, silk tree, and Japanese honeysuckle.

Tree health is also threatened by various diseases, some of which are species-specific, like oak wilt that is fatal to red oak species and verticillium wilt, a fungal disease adapted to attack maple trees. Similarly, poor tree health affects hickories and oaks, while anthracnose kills dogwood trees. The tree illnesses are no good as they compromise the integrity of a tree, often resulting in hazardous situations like falling branches or toppling trees.

Furthermore, various insects bore and make homes inside the branches and bark of trees in Hopewell. These wood-boring insects include gypsy moths, bark beetles, and caterpillars. Their activities weaken the bark or branches, and the cankers that are left behind create a breeding ground for other insects or diseases. 

Does the City of Hopewell Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?

The city of Hopewell has a code of ordinance that ensures the control of hazardous trees in the town. According to the ordinance, trees or other vegetation with overhanging limbs or branches extending into any public alley, right-of-way line, or sidewalk, causing an obstruction or impeding public safety, are considered nuisances. This ordinance also pertains to dead trees or branches likely to fall and cause damage or injury. The city declares property owners or occupants jointly responsible for correcting the named nuisances. 

Failure to correct the nuisances by trimming, pruning, or removing the dead trees, branches, or limbs, will see that you receive a notice of violation from the city manager or their authorized agent. You must take adequate corrective measures within ten days of the notice. Otherwise, the city manager or their authorized agent will employ a private contractor or use city forces to correct the nuisance on behalf of the property owner or occupant. 

They will then bill the total cost of removal plus an administrative charge of $100 to the occupant or property owner. Additionally, failure to pay the billed expenses within 30 days sees that the costs are added and billed to you as real estate tax.

In contrast, Virginia’s Department of Transportation can help remove dead or fallen trees that encroach traffic flow around the state.  

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Hopewell?

Responsibility for fallen tree removal in Hopewell changes due to several reasons, including tree ownership, cause of the fall, tree condition before the fall, and the extent of your insurance coverage. Read on to understand how this responsibility shifts depending on ownership.

If you’re a homeowner?

Hopewell property owners are responsible for removing any dead, diseased, or stressed trees on their premises that cause a public nuisance or hazard. Failure to do so leading to the fall of said tree, a homeowner will have to take on the costs of damages and repairs. When a tree falls due to covered perils or acts of nature, your homeowners insurance may step in to help with these costs. The amount you can recover from your insurance provider depends on your type of coverage.

If you’re a renter?

As a renter, you should inform your landlord of a diseased or stressed tree on the property. If the tree in question falls and damages the property and some of your belongings after you’ve informed them, the liability for the damages, injuries, and removal is on the landlord. At the same time, your renters insurance can cover the costs for personal property damage, injury, and temporary living expenses if your current residence becomes uninhabitable.

If you’re a landlord?

A landlord is responsible for ensuring that their rental property’s inside and outside surroundings are safe and habitable at all times. Failure to do so automatically makes them liable for the costs of damage and injuries caused by the fallen tree.

If you’re a neighbor?

When your neighbor’s tree falls and damages your home and personal belongings, homeowners insurance is likely to cater to the costs of repair and removal. However, this reality depends on the cause of the fall, the extent of your coverage, and whether there was negligence on your neighbor’s part. But if the tree falls on your yard and does not cause any damage, you may split the removal costs with your neighbor or pay out-of-pocket. 

How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Hopewell?

The state soil of Virginia is known as Pamunkey soil and it is the same kind of soil you find in Hopewell. The soil is formed as a result of coastal plain sediments being washed down to our city by the James River. 

Pamunkey’s topsoils have a fine, sandy loam texture followed by clay-loam subsoil, and the lowest part of the soil consists of fine mica flakes. These soils are very fertile and support the growth of multiple healthy hardwood and softwood trees. 

However, a limitation of these soils is the varying soil textures that affect the soil’s water retention and drainage rates. For this reason, any trees growing here must be well adapted to both wet and dry soils. 

Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Hopewell?

Hopewell experiences precipitation at least 105 days every year. The kind of precipitation we experience ranges from rain to snow and also features hail and sleet. As a result, our grounds are primarily wet, which stresses oak trees and causes oak decline. 

Oak decline has devastating effects on the trees and makes them susceptible to secondary infections and pests, leading to the trees’ eventual death. 

Climate change is also threatening tree health in Hopewell due to the rising sea levels which may increase the occurrence of floods in the area. 

What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Hopewell?

Dominion Energy is the leading electricity and natural gas distribution company in Hopewell. They are dedicated to delivering clean and reliable energy to their customers while protecting the planet’s natural resources. 

To protect the community, Dominion Energy takes on trimming, pruning, and removing diseased or dead trees near power lines. The utility company will not charge you for removing such trees if they are on your property, but they will leave you to clean up large trunks and debris. Of course, tree debris resulting from storm damage is also a property owner’s responsibility. But in the case of maintenance trimming, they will clear smaller debris. 

If you need help removing or trimming dead trees near power lines, call Dominion Energy at 866-366-4357. 

How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Hopewell?

Tree removal is not cheap. But understandably, our qualified and fully insured arborists offer competitive pricing and utilize modern equipment. The average tree removal prices in Hopewell range between $165 and $2,100. Most residents will pay an average of $715, which is significantly more than the national average cost of $435. The following are the top factors that affect the price of tree removal in Hopewell: 

Danger

You will pay more for dangerous tree removal projects. These include removing a dead or dying tree, heavy or extremely large trees, trees near busy roads, or tree removal during extreme weather.

The higher prices are due to our safety-conscious removal practices that slow down operations and increase the chances of a worker’s compensation claim. Removing trees close to homes, fences, or sidewalks also increases the dangers of the job and directly impacts our prices.

Supplementary Services

The standard tree removal quote includes hourly labor, equipment, material, ground preparation, and cleanup costs. However, we exclude some services from this standard quote. Some of these services that you may need to pay for separately include:

• Stump grinding or removal, which costs an average of $150. (We recommend stump grinding over removal due to its environmental benefits.)
• Log splitting
• Trunk hauling, which will cost you an additional $50 to $100.

Equipment 

Unbeknownst to many customers, we do not use the standard equipment for all tree removal projects. For instance, while a chainsaw and ropes may be all we need to bring down a small tree of less than 30 feet, a larger tree that measures more than 60 feet requires cranes, tractors, and a stump grinder. These extra equipment cause an upsurge in the prices due to the costly purchasing, maintenance, transportation, fuel, and operational costs we incur.