Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, if the work falls between April 1 and October 15. Madison General Ordinance 23.40(7) requires a permit to work on any oak in the city during that window, including oaks on private property. The permit is free and comes through Urban Forestry (608-266-4816). Outside that window, oak work does not need this permit, which is one reason dormant-season pruning is the norm here.

The city's private property tree guidance says trees in your yard are your responsibility and that the city cannot work on them; the permit it highlights for private trees is the oak permit. Trees on the terrace between sidewalk and street are city trees and are handled by Urban Forestry, not by private companies. Neighboring municipalities have their own codes, so we check what applies at your address.

It depends most on height, what the tree is next to and how a crew can reach it. Homeyou's 2026 Madison figures put a medium tree removal at about $571 to $774 and pruning at about $375 to $525, with trees over 60 feet around $1,000. HomeGuide's 2026 national guide puts most removals between $400 and $1,200. We give you a written price after seeing the tree.

If the ash is healthy and you want to keep it, treatment may be worth it; the city's EAB page says the insect is 100% fatal to an untreated ash. If more than half the canopy is already dead, UW Extension guidance does not suggest treatment, and removal is the safer choice, ideally before the wood turns brittle. In Wisconsin, insecticide treatment for hire is applied by businesses licensed through DATCP.

MGE prunes trees near its lines on a schedule, using its own arborists and a contractor, and notifies residents with a postcard or door hanger. If branches are touching a line, call MGE at 608-252-7000 and keep away. For a tree you want removed near MGE lines, MGE suggests contacting a residential tree service first; we coordinate with the utility so the line is safe before we cut.

Madison collects brush at the curb during the season if it follows the rules: pieces between 18 inches and 8 feet long, no thicker than 8 inches, cut ends facing the same way, and piles at least four feet from terrace trees, signs, poles and hydrants. Logs larger than that do not fit those rules. We can chip everything on site, cut brush to the city's sizes, or haul it all away, and the quote says which.

For most hardwoods, late fall through winter, while the tree is dormant and the branch structure is easy to see. For oaks it matters more: UW-Madison's plant disease clinic advises pruning oaks only in the dormant season, and the city permit window runs April 1 to October 15. Dead, broken or hanging limbs should come down whenever they are found.

Ask any company you call whether the tree is on your lot or the terrace, and whether oak work needs a city permit for the date they propose. A company that works here regularly will know both answers without looking them up. Also ask for a written quote per tree and for proof of insurance sent straight from the insurer.

Homeyou's 2026 Madison figures put a medium tree at about $571 to $774 and a tree over 60 feet at about $1,000. HomeGuide's 2026 national guide runs from $200 for a small tree to $2,000 or more for a large one. Access and what is under the tree usually move the price the most. We give you a written price after seeing it.

Only with a permit. Madison requires a permit from Urban Forestry to work on any oak between April 1 and October 15, including private oaks. The permit is free but needs an inspection. If the oak is not an immediate danger, waiting until after October 15 avoids the permit and lowers the risk of spreading oak wilt.

Usually. Dead wood, especially dead ash, breaks in ways that are hard to predict, so climbing may not be safe and a lift may be needed. The rigging is slower and the drop zone has to be bigger. That is why we suggest removing a dying tree before it has been dead for several seasons.

If it is on the terrace between the sidewalk and the street, it is a city tree, and Urban Forestry removes city trees that are dead, dying or unsafe at no added cost to you. The city's FAQ says it does not remove terrace trees for reasons like sidewalk damage, shade or leaf cleanup. Call Urban Forestry at 608-266-4816 to report a concern.

Only if you want it to be. Stump grinding is a separate line on the quote so you can decide. Many homeowners grind the stump the same day; others leave it for a while or plan to plant nearby and want the grinding done later.

Young trees benefit from structural pruning every few years while they are establishing. Mature trees usually need attention every five to ten years, or sooner if they hang over the house or drop dead wood. Madison's own crews aim for three to five years on young city trees and ten years on older ones, which is a useful guide for yard trees too.

Only with a city permit, and it is not advisable unless the limb is a hazard. Madison requires a permit for any oak work between April 1 and October 15, and the Wisconsin DNR names roughly April through July as the highest risk for oak wilt. If a damaged oak limb must come off in that window, the wound should be sealed right after the cut.

Topping cuts limbs back to stubs with no side branch to take over. The tree responds with dense, weakly attached sprouts that break easily, and the large stubs tend to decay. The ANSI A300 standard and ISA guidance both treat topping as harmful. Crown reduction cuts achieve a smaller tree without those problems.

MGE prunes near its distribution lines and checks the service line to your house during the same visit, trimming small branches in hard contact. If branches are touching a line, call MGE at 608-252-7000. Do not trim near a line yourself.

It lowers the odds. Removing dead wood, thinning a dense crown and shortening long limbs over the house reduce the weight and wind load that cause failures. It cannot fix hidden decay at the base or a badly undercut root system, which is why we look at the whole tree, not just the branches you point to.

HomeGuide's 2026 national guide puts stump grinding at about $2 to $6 per inch of diameter, with a first stump typically $120 to $400 and each additional stump $30 to $60. Hardwood stumps like oak and maple, roots that spread across the lawn, and tight access all push the price up. We price each stump in writing.

Most trees, including oaks and maples, do not regrow from roots once the stump is ground below grade, and the roots slowly decay. Some species sprout from roots, so you may see a few shoots for a season; mowing or clipping them usually ends it. Surface roots can be ground if they are in the way.

Yes, but grind deeper and wider, remove most of the chips and replace them with soil, because chips tie up nitrogen as they break down. Many people plant a few feet to the side of the old stump instead, which is easier for the new tree's roots.

Yes. Grinding goes below the surface, and buried gas, electric and communication lines are common in Madison yards. A request goes to Diggers Hotline before the work, and MGE asks for at least three business days of notice. We handle the request as part of the job.

The city. Terrace trees belong to Madison, and Urban Forestry removes their stumps after locating utilities. Timing varies with the season and crew workload, and late-fall removals can wait until spring.

Get everyone out of the damaged part of the house and away from any wires. Call 911 if anyone is hurt or a wire is down, and call MGE about any line. Then photograph the damage, call your insurer and call us; do not try to cut a tree that is resting on the roof yourself.

Often, when the tree falls on a covered structure such as the house or garage, subject to your policy's limits and deductible. Trees that fall in the yard without hitting anything are covered less often. Ask your insurer, and keep the photos and our written quote for the claim.

The city. If a terrace tree blocks the road or lands on a house, Madison says to call 911 or Dane County Dispatch at 608-255-2345. For less urgent damage to a city tree, report it to Urban Forestry.

Not while the line is energized. MGE has to make the line safe first; call the utility and stay well back. Once the line is de-energized or cleared, we remove the rest of the tree and clean up.

Not always. Storms leave cracked limbs, hangers caught in the canopy and trees with loosened roots that fail in the next wind. After the urgent work is done, we walk the rest of the trees on the lot and tell you what we see.

If it is untreated and emerald ash borer reaches it, almost certainly; the city's EAB page calls the insect 100% fatal to untreated ash. The borer has been in Madison since 2013 and is found across most of Wisconsin. The question for most owners is not whether, but when, and whether the tree is worth treating.

HomeGuide's 2026 national guide lists ash removal at about $650 to $2,000, and This Old House lists $250 to $1,800. A dead ash that needs a lift or crane, or one leaning over a house, sits at the high end or above. We give a written price after seeing the tree.

Out in the open, away from anything it could hit, a dead ash can be left for wildlife. Near a house, garage, driveway, play area or the alley it is a growing risk, because dead ash becomes brittle and drops limbs and tops without warning. The longer it stands, the harder and costlier it becomes to remove.

The city. Terrace ash are city trees; Madison treats about 10,000 ash and removed those that did not meet its treatment criteria. If a terrace ash looks like it is dying, report it to Urban Forestry.

Without a permit, from October 16 through March 31. Madison requires a permit from Urban Forestry for any oak work between April 1 and October 15, including private oaks. UW-Madison's plant disease clinic also advises pruning oaks only in the dormant season.

Leaves wilt and drop from the upper canopy first, often while still partly green, usually from June through September. In red oaks the whole tree can die within about a month. Other problems look similar, so the DNR recommends lab confirmation; UW-Madison's Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (608-262-2863) tests samples.

No. The permit is free. It requires contacting Urban Forestry and an inspection, and the city asks for a bid or consultation from a private arborist as part of the process, so allow some lead time unless it is an emergency.

Normally, wound paint is not recommended on trees. Oaks during the April-to-July high-risk period are the exception: the DNR advises a light coat of sealer right after the cut, ideally within 15 minutes, because that is when beetles carrying oak wilt spores are attracted to wounds.

Keep it on your property or nearby, never move it far. The DNR advises covering wood from infected trees with 4 mil plastic until the bark loosens, which keeps the beetles from carrying spores out of it.