Researched rankings in 38 cities across the United States and Canada, each with a last-reviewed date.

TenBestFindThe best, verified
Add Your Business

Independent Tree Service, Inc.

Tree service Company in Tampa, Florida.

Independent Tree Service, Inc. is a tree service based in Tampa, FL. Its ISA Certified Arborists on staff is reported by the company and not yet verified, so check it with International Society of Arboriculture before work starts.

5.0on Google · 764 reviews48 years in business
  • TenBestFind Reviewed
  • Top 10 Winner
  • iWhat do these badges mean?
    TenBestFind Reviewed
    Our editorial team has researched and reviewed this business.
    Verified Business
    Key business information or ownership has been verified against a primary source.
    Top 10 Winner
    The company currently appears in at least one active TenBestFind Top 10 ranking.
    Featured Partner
    A paid commercial relationship with TenBestFind. It never earns or influences a ranking position. This company holds no such relationship.

    Advertising & Sponsorship Disclosure

Quick Overview

iHow this is made

This summary is generated from the verified data on this profile: services, service area, credentials, warranty terms and the company's Google review record. It is reviewed by an editor before publishing and refreshed whenever the underlying data changes. Nothing here is asserted that is not stated elsewhere on this page.

Editorial Standards

Independent Tree Service, Inc. has worked out of North Armenia Avenue in Tampa since Jerry Upcavage founded it in 1978. The company says it now has five ISA certified arborists and five production crews, and it offers pruning and trimming, tree removal and stump grinding, preservation assessments, plant healthcare and palm treatments, and commercial work. Its approach is to explain the reasoning behind each recommendation instead of pushing the biggest job. It serves South Tampa, Carrollwood, Westchase, Town 'N' Country, Temple Terrace, Brandon and Lutz. Independent holds 5.0 from 764 Google reviews, read November 7, 2026, with office hours Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.

  • Best for mature oaks, palms and specimen trees that need a diagnosis first
  • Founded in 1978 and still family run, with the founder and his son both ISA certified
  • Office hours are weekdays only, 8 AM to 5 PM

Company Facts

Independent Tree Service, Inc. at a Glance

By the numbers

Google rating
5.0out of 5
Customer reviews
764on Google
In business
48years

Rating and review count pulled from Google on November 7, 2026. Years counted from 1978.

The work

Best for
Mature oaks, palms and specimen trees that need a diagnosis first
Primary service
Tree service

Where

Headquarters
Tampa, FL
Service area
Tampa
Emergency service
Not advertised

Money and guarantees

Free estimates
Not advertised
Financing
Not advertised

Credentials

ISA Certified Arborists on staff
ISA Certified Arborists on staff (reported by the company, not verified)

Editorial Review

Our Take on Independent Tree Service, Inc.

Independent is the long-established, arborist-led pick on this list, with a family team that has been in Tampa since 1978. Its office keeps weekday hours only, so storm work may mean waiting for a callback.

Best forMature oaks, palms and specimen trees that need a diagnosis first

What We Like

  • Founded in 1978 and still family run, with the founder and his son both ISA certified
  • Five ISA certified arborists named or counted on the company's own site
  • Preservation assessments and plant healthcare offered alongside removal
  • Reviews praise clear options, careful yard protection and root grinding done cleanly
  • 5.0 stars from 764 Google reviews, the largest total on this list

Things to Consider

  • Office hours are weekdays only, 8 AM to 5 PM
  • The site does not publish prices or a 24 hour emergency line
  • Mail goes to a PO box, so use the Armenia Avenue address for visits

Customer Ratings

Google Reviews for Independent Tree Service, Inc.

Customer ratings shown here come from Google. They are separate from our editorial review above.

Google rating

5.0

Based on 764 Google reviews

Review data updated November 7, 2026

View on Google Maps

Rating Distribution

  • 5 stars98%
  • 4 stars1%
  • 2 stars0%
  • 1 star1%
iAbout this distribution

The distribution reflects the 764 Google reviews available when this profile's review data was last refreshed on November 7, 2026. Ratings and counts change continuously on Google, so figures here may lag the live profile slightly. We publish only the values returned by the source, never estimates for missing bands.

Editorial Standards

Recent Google Reviews

  • Caitilin Kamaris5.0

    Consistently great service, knowledgable, friendly, and on time

    November 2026Google
  • Linda Colon5.0

    Jerry is the best in the business! When I hire him and his crew, I have no worries or concerns because I know it’s going to be done right! He takes care of all of the many trees in my yard! I trust him because he is a certified Arborist ! His team is so kind and professional! They are truly a pleasure to work with! Before finding him, many years ago, companies I hired were complete disasters! I will never use anyone else! Thank you Jerry! May God continue to bless you and your business!

    October 2026Google
  • Cal Hitt5.0

    Juan Delgado and crew did an excellent job. Very careful with no rushing about. Independent has always done very good work for me. Excellent clean up at finish.

    October 2026Google
  • James Sopkin5.0

    Independent Tree Service recently did some tree work for me. From beginning to end, everything went according to plan. Their estimate was very reasonable and competitive. The work was completed on schedule and fully met my expectations, and they left everything clean and neat. What's not to like? I need tree trimming every year or so and was looking for a company that is reliable and does exactly what they say they will do. I have found that go-to company in Independent Tree Service. I highly recommend them!!

    October 2026Google
  • Cole Bennett5.0

    Excellent service throughout, would highly recommend them for tree cutting.

    October 2026Google
  • Ray Williers5.0

    Independent Tree did a great job for me. They removed a huge oak limb from the roof of my house and were quick and professional. They cleaned up as if nothing had ever happened. Totally recommend.

    October 2026Google

View more Google reviews

Ranked#1of 6 tree services in Tampa, FLre-checked November 2026

Editorial Ranking

Why Independent Tree Service, Inc. Made Our Top 6

It took first place in 6 Best Tree Service Companies in Tampa, FL (2026).

See the Full Tampa RankingPositions cannot be bought

Areas Served

Based in Tampa, FL.

iAbout service coverage

Coverage is as the business describes it, cross-checked against where its recent documented work is. A company will often travel beyond the areas listed here for a large job and decline a small one at the same distance, so confirm your address before scheduling.

Editorial Standards

Company Background

About Independent Tree Service, Inc.

Independent Tree Service, Inc. has worked out of 2609 N Armenia Ave in Tampa since Jerry Upcavage started it in 1978 with a truck and a chainsaw, and it is one of the few Tampa tree companies that names five ISA certified arborists on its own site. Jerry is an ISA certified and TRAQ qualified arborist. His son Jordan is certified, TRAQ and PPQ qualified, and holds a horticulture degree from the University of Florida. Operations Manager John Durden, who joined in 1998, is certified too. The company reports five production crews.

Services cover tree pruning and trimming, tree removal and stump grinding, preservation assessments, plant healthcare and palm treatments, and commercial work. The pitch is education over sales pressure, with arborists laying out options that range from trimming to full removal. Reviewers back that up. Marti recommended structural pruning for a sycamore the owner wanted to keep, and Chris and his crew removed banana palms and ground the roots without harming nearby plants. One homeowner says the office found a Saturday visit after Hurricane Milton put a neighbor's tree on a roof. The service area runs from South Tampa, Hyde Park and Carrollwood to Town 'N' Country, Westchase, Temple Terrace, Brandon and Lutz.

Independent holds 5.0 from 764 Google reviews, read November 7, 2026. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and the contact page lists a separate PO box for mail.

It suits owners of mature oaks, palms and specimen trees who want a diagnosis and a clear explanation before any cut. It suits less well anyone who needs weekend appointments or the cheapest bid from a one-truck crew. Before booking, ask for a written quote that names the work and the cleanup, ask which certified arborist will visit, and verify ISA certification and workers compensation coverage.

iWhere this information comes from

Company history, ownership and capability details on this page are provided by the business and reviewed by our editors for plausibility and consistency. They are not the same as the credentials block, where each item carries its own verification status and source.

Editorial Standards

Credentials

  • ISA Certified Arborists on staffInternational Society of ArboricultureReported
  • ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ)International Society of ArboricultureReported
  • ISA Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) qualified arboristsInternational Society of ArboricultureReported
iWhat verified means here

Verified means we checked the credential against the authority that issues it and recorded the date. Reported means the business told us and we could not independently confirm it. We publish both, labelled, rather than dropping what we could not check.

Editorial Standards

Other Sources

Reputation by Source

We show each source separately rather than blending them into a single score, because they measure different things.

  • Google

    5.0/ 5

    764 customer reviews

  • TenBestFind

    Editorially reviewed

    Ranked #1 in Tampa tree services, November 2026

Gallery

Project Photos

Business-submitted, reviewed by our editors

  • Independent Tree Service, Inc.Independent Tree Service, Inc.
  • Independent Tree Service, Inc.Independent Tree Service, Inc.
  • Independent Tree Service, Inc.Independent Tree Service, Inc.
  • Independent Tree Service, Inc.Independent Tree Service, Inc.

Compare

Similar Tree Services in Tampa

Independent Tree Service, Inc. FAQs

  • Is Independent Tree Service in Tampa run by certified arborists?

    Yes. The company's about page says it has five ISA certified arborists and names Jerry and Jordan Upcavage, John Durden and Marti Machado as certified, with TRAQ and PPQ qualifications listed for several. Ask which arborist will visit and look up the certificate on the ISA site.

  • What are Independent Tree Service's hours?

    The office is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM and closed on weekends according to Google and the contact page. The site does not advertise a 24 hour line, so call (813) 971-6217 early in the day for storm damage.

  • What does Independent Tree Service do besides tree removal?

    It offers pruning and trimming, stump grinding, tree preservation assessments, plant healthcare and palm treatments, and commercial tree services. It serves Tampa, Carrollwood, Westchase, Temple Terrace, Brandon, Lutz and nearby areas.

  • Is Independent Tree Service, Inc. licensed and insured?

    We checked 0 of 3 credentials against the issuing authority. Verified items carry the date we checked; reported items are what the business told us and we could not independently confirm.

  • What areas does Independent Tree Service, Inc. serve?

    Tampa. Coverage is as the business describes it, cross-checked against where its recent documented work is. Confirm your address before scheduling, particularly at the edge of a service area.

  • Does Independent Tree Service, Inc. offer emergency service?

    Emergency availability is not listed for this company. If you need an urgent call-out, check the ranking for companies that do list it.

  • What warranty do they offer?

    Warranty terms are not on file. Ask for them in writing before work starts.

  • How was this profile built?

    Credentials come from issuing authorities, ratings from the company's Google Business Profile with the date we read them, and the editorial take from our own review of estimates, warranty documents and public feedback. Anything the business told us is labelled as reported.

  • Can a business pay to improve its profile?

    A business can subscribe to manage its own listing details, and it can buy a labelled sponsored placement. Neither changes a ranking position or the editorial assessment on this page.

Is Something Incorrect?

Business information changes. Tell us about an address, phone, website, service area, credential or ownership change, or let us know if this company has closed.

Suggest an Update

Own Independent Tree Service, Inc.?

Claim your profile to verify and maintain your business information, services and service area.

Claim This Business
iWhat claiming does

Claiming lets you correct and maintain the factual information on this profile. Claiming or upgrading a profile does not guarantee inclusion in a TenBestFind ranking and never affects ranking position, which is decided editorially.

How We Rank

About This Business Profile

Last reviewed
November 2026
Profile last updated
November 11, 2026
Google review data updated
November 7, 2026
Sources checked
Issuing authorities, Google Business Profile, Company website
Could not verify
ISA Certified Arborists on staff (reported only), insurance
Sponsorship status
No commercial relationship
Independent Tree Service, Inc.5.0 on Google · Tampa, FLVisit Website