Tree removal
Dead tree removal in Brevard County
A dead tree does not get safer with time. It gets more brittle, harder to take down and closer to the next storm. Nobody climbs it: the 62ft lift and the grapple truck bring it down in sections, and the wood leaves with us.
Office hours Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Emergency and storm calls are prioritized ahead of routine work.
- 30+ years in Brevard
- Licensed and insured
- Nobody climbs dead wood
- Years in Brevard County
- 30+
- Trees removed
- 10,000+
- Acres cleared
- 1,000+
- Google reviews, 5.0 average
- 42
On the roster
Companies that have had TR on their property
Dead and hazardous tree removal for homes and commercial sites across Brevard County.
Is it actually dead?
Eight signs a tree is past saving
One sign on its own can be stress. Two or three together, and it is time for a look.
01No leaves when the neighbors have them
Bare in June while everything around it is green. In Florida that is not dormancy.
02Bark sloughing off in sheets
Smooth bare wood underneath means the layer that moves water is already gone.
03Mushrooms or conks at the base
A shelf fungus on the trunk means the inside has been rotting for a while.
04Brittle deadwood through the canopy
Twigs that snap instead of bend, and grey limbs with no buds on them.
05Limbs dropping on their own
Wood on the lawn after a calm night is the tree shedding weight it cannot hold.
06A new lean or lifted soil
Cracked or heaving ground on one side means the root plate is letting go.
07Storm-snapped or split trunk
A hollow, cracked or half-broken trunk will not heal. It waits for the next gust.
08A palm browning from the top down
Fronds collapsing and the spear pulling loose point to a palm that is finished.
How it goes
A dead tree is a different job than a live one
Check that it is really dead
A freeze browns a palm and a wet summer stresses an oak, and both can look finished in January and push growth in March. We scratch a twig and read the canopy first. Green under the bark means we tell you to wait.
Plan around what is underneath
Roof, pool cage, fence and lines: the drop zone and the rigging are set before a cut is made.
Work from the lift, not the tree
Decayed wood will not hold a climber or a tie-in point, so the cuts happen from the 62ft boom lift.
Lower it in sections
Pieces are rigged and lowered, not dropped, because dead wood breaks where you least expect it. The grapple loads them as they come down.
Grind the stump the same visit
A dead stump is soft, which is what termites and fire ants look for. Grinding it while the equipment is there costs less than a second trip.
Brevard County rules
County code may already require it
In unincorporated Brevard, county code section 114-28(c) makes a dead standing tree a public nuisance when it stands within 25 feet of an improved property line or a road right-of-way and is taller than that distance. The duty to remove it sits with the property owner.
Inside a city, that city's ordinance governs instead. It is a common code complaint here, and it costs less to handle before a notice arrives than after.
A starting point, not legal advice. We will tell you which office covers your parcel; check with the county or your city for a decision on your property.
“Tim and his crew did a great job trimming a big oak tree and palm trees I have around our property. I’m very happy with their work. Anyone looking for Lawn and Tree services give Tim a call!”
When we get there
What to do before the crew arrives
Keep people out from under it
Dead limbs drop without warning. Keep kids, pets and cars clear of the canopy until it is down.
Send photos
One of the whole tree and one of what sits under it. That tells us whether the lift, the grapple or both are needed.
Clear a path for the lift
The boom sets up on the drive or the lawn edge. Move cars and anything fragile from that side.
The equipment
Dead wood is lift and grapple work
62ft Imer boom lift
- On the job
- Puts the saw at the top of the tree without anyone climbing it.
- Why it matters
- Dead, split or storm-loosened wood is not climbed. The lift reaches over roofs, cages and fences from the driveway.
Grapple truck
- On the job
- Lifts trunk sections and whole crowns off whatever they landed on and swings them straight into the truck.
- Why it matters
- The debris leaves with us the same visit, so there is no pile at the curb and nothing to burn.
Stump grinders, large and small
- On the job
- The large grinder handles big oak and palm stumps. The small one is for backyards and tight access.
- Why it matters
- Two sizes means the right machine for the access, not the one that happens to be on the truck.
Where we work
Dead tree removal from Mims to Palm Bay
TR is based in Cocoa and works the whole county. During office hours, leaning and split trees go ahead of routine work. We will travel further in Florida for the right job. Call 321-504-1054 and ask.
Questions
Dead tree questions
Something not here? Call 321-504-1054 during office hours or book a free estimate.
What counts as a dead tree?
No leaf-out in season, bark peeling to bare wood, twigs that snap instead of bending, and no green under a scratched twig. Fungus at the base or a hollow sound when the trunk is struck says the inside is gone even if part of the canopy still looks alive. One dead limb is a pruning job; a whole tree with none of those signs reversing is a removal.
Can a tree that dropped all its leaves come back?
Sometimes. After a freeze or a bad drought a stressed tree can stay bare for weeks and then push new growth. That is why we scratch-test the twigs and check under the bark before recommending anything. If there is green, it gets a chance, and we will say so.
Can you take down a dead tree leaning over my house?
Yes, and that is the one we would rather get to first. Decayed trees are not climbed, so we work from the 62ft boom lift and lower sections on rigging instead of dropping them. Nothing free-falls onto the roof or the pool cage.
Do you grind the stump too?
We can, and on a dead tree it is usually worth doing in the same visit. A rotting stump draws termites and fire ants, and grinding it while the equipment is on site costs less than a separate trip.
Does Brevard County require me to remove a dead tree?
In unincorporated Brevard it can. County code section 114-28(c) makes a dead standing tree a public nuisance when it sits within 25 feet of an improved property line or a road right-of-way and is taller than that separation, and it puts the duty to remove it on the property owner. Inside a city, that city's ordinance governs instead. Check with the county or your city for a decision on your parcel.
Do I need a permit to remove a dead tree?
Often not, or the fee is waived, because dead and hazardous trees are treated differently from healthy protected ones. Rules differ by city and by parcel, so treat this as a starting point, not legal advice. We will point you to the right office before anything is cut.
How much does it cost to remove a dead tree?
A dead tree is priced the same way as a live one: height, access, what sits underneath and how much has to be hauled. You get the number in writing before work starts.
Is a dead tree cheaper to remove than a live one?
Not always, and often the opposite. There is less canopy, which helps, but decayed wood cannot be climbed or rigged as hard, so the job moves to the lift and goes slower. A dead tree caught early costs less than the same tree two years later.
How fast can you get to a tree that is about to come down?
Leaning, split or hanging trees go ahead of routine work during office hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Call rather than using the form, and send a photo so we know what to bring.
Next step
Get it looked at.
Free written estimate, no obligation. Send a photo if that is easier.
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Email Tim@TRLawnTree.com with photos any time.
