Tree Removal Service
Hazard trees, dead trees, storm-split trunks still standing near structures. If the job needs to get done before the next freeze cycle shifts the weight, call (517) 793-5658 - we dispatch same day for active hazard situations across Lansing and Ingham County.
Most tree removal quotes focus on the trunk. The real complexity is access and descent control. On Lansing's Southside and Eastside - where 50-year-old silver maples and ash trees grow within 8 feet of wooden garages, fence lines, and rooflines - felling the tree in one piece isn't an option. Every section has to be rigged down.
Rigging means setting anchor points in the tree, attaching lowering lines to each section before the cut, and controlling descent so nothing contacts the structure below. A two-man crew on a tight residential job in Old Town moves slower and uses more equipment than a crew felling a tree in an open field. That's what drives the cost difference between access categories.
Dead, structurally compromised, or storm-split trees posing an active risk to structures, utility lines, or people. Same-day dispatch available for trees already in contact with a structure. Emergency tree removal Lansing calls are triaged by hazard level - tree on a roof goes first.
Ash trees killed by Emerald Ash Borer, oaks confirmed with oak wilt, silver maples with extensive internal decay. EAB-killed ash becomes brittle within one full season - the wood dries, checks, and cracks unpredictably. If your ash has been dead for more than a year, the removal crew needs to account for brittle wood in their rigging setup. See our EAB removal guide.
Trees removed for landscaping, construction prep, view clearance, or proactive risk reduction before they become an emergency. The cheapest time for tree removal in Lansing is January through early March - crews are between post-storm surge and spring demand, and frozen ground protects lawns from equipment damage. More detail: best time for tree removal in Michigan.
Multi-tree removal for construction site prep, fence line clearance, and land clearing across Ingham and Eaton County. Large-volume jobs use chippers and skid steers. See our lot clearing service for full-acreage clearing projects.
Price ranges below reflect typical Lansing-area residential jobs. The biggest variable is access - a 40-foot silver maple in an open yard and the same tree between a garage and a fence line are completely different jobs. All estimates are done on-site at no charge. See the full Lansing tree removal cost guide for a detailed breakdown by size and complexity.
| Tree Size | Open Access | Tight / Near Structure | Crane Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (under 25 ft) | $250-$625 | $450-$975 | N/A |
| Medium (25-50 ft) | $500-$1,200 | $900-$1,800 | N/A |
| Large (50-75 ft) | $900-$2,100 | $1,500-$3,100 | $2,000-$4,200 |
| Very large (75 ft+) | $1,500-$3,000 | $2,500-$4,500+ | $3,000-$6,200 |
Stump grinding: add $85-$425 depending on diameter and root spread. Most homeowners bundle it - a stump left in the ground creates drainage issues and a potential lawn sinkhole as the root system decays.
Silver maples grow fast and are planted heavily across Lansing's Southside, Eastside, and the neighborhoods along the Grand River corridor. They also develop weak crotch unions, produce long lateral branches, and fail under ice load faster than most other Mid-Michigan species. Most of our emergency tree removal Lansing calls involve silver maples. Because they grow fast, many reach 50-60 feet on residential lots - a large tree in a small yard is not unusual here.
Ingham County has significant ash coverage on residential lots, particularly on the Southside and in older East Lansing neighborhoods. EAB has been active in Mid-Michigan since the late 2000s. An ash tree that looks structurally sound in late summer can be dangerously brittle by the following spring. We factor brittle-wood protocols into every EAB ash removal quote.
Lansing's older residential neighborhoods - particularly along Michigan Avenue on the Eastside and the Waverly Road corridor on the Westside - have overhead utility lines running through backyards and between structures. Any tree within falling distance of a live line requires either a utility hold request to Consumers Energy or a fully rigged removal with no free-fall. Both add time and cost to the job.
For trees on private residential property, no permit is required. The rules change for trees in the city right-of-way - the strip between your sidewalk and the curb. Those belong to the City of Lansing and require authorization from Urban Forestry at (517) 483-4277. Full breakdown: tree removal permits in Lansing, Michigan.
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Tree or major limb on the roof or structure | Call now - 24/7 emergency line |
| Tree blocking driveway or property access | Call now |
| Limb on or near a power line | Call Consumers Energy (800-477-5050) first, then us |
| Tree split at trunk but still standing | Schedule within 24-48 hours - structurally unpredictable |
| Dead tree near a structure | Schedule within the week - don't wait for the next storm |
| Tree fell away from structures into yard | No urgency - schedule at your convenience |
| Non-urgent scheduled removal | Best window: January-March for maximum flexibility |
We do on-site estimates at no charge across all of Lansing, East Lansing, Okemos, DeWitt, Holt, Haslett, Mason, and Grand Ledge. One call reaches a dispatcher directly.
Call (517) 793-5658We cover every zip code within Lansing city limits and surrounding communities. Southside calls along Cedar Street and Waverly Road make up the bulk of our residential volume - that area has the oldest housing stock and the most mature silver maples in the city, with decades of deferred canopy management behind them.
On the Eastside near Michigan Avenue, most removal calls involve trees close to multi-unit properties where a failed limb can damage more than one structure. Old Town and REO Town regularly involve mature trees in tight spaces between historic buildings - those jobs need rigging setups, not just a chainsaw and a truck.
We also serve East Lansing, Okemos, DeWitt, Holt, Haslett, Mason, and Grand Ledge, and all communities in Ingham and Eaton County. For same-day emergency tree removal, we triage by hazard level: structural impact first, access blockage second, standing hazard trees third.
