The Ranking
Our top 6 tree services in Houston
Houston's trees are big, old and under constant stress. Live oaks and water oaks shade the older neighborhoods inside the Loop, loblolly pines crowd the yards toward The Woodlands and Kingwood, and pecans and sweetgums fill the bayou lots in between. The soil is heavy clay that swells in wet months and cracks in dry ones, and roots that spend a summer in drought can fail in the next storm. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and a single wind event can bring down limbs on roofs and fences across a whole ZIP code, so calls pile up fast and prices swing. Pine bark beetles are a recurring problem in drought stressed pines, which is why a few of the companies below sell diagnosis and treatment as well as removal.
Permits are less of a hurdle than most people expect, but check before you cut. The City of Houston's tree ordinance mainly covers trees in the public right of way and sites under development, and a homeowner can often remove a tree on their own lot without a city permit. Deed restrictions and HOA rules are another matter, and many Houston subdivisions require approval first. If a tree is near power lines, leave it alone: CenterPoint Energy handles line clearance, and a private crew should not work inside the utility's clearance distance. When in doubt, call 311 or your HOA before the crew arrives.
Texas does not license tree trimming or tree removal at the state level, so the credentials that exist are voluntary or specialized. The International Society of Arboriculture certifies arborists, and you can look up any certificate number on the ISA website. A pesticide applicator licence from the Texas Department of Agriculture is needed for tree injections and similar treatments. Texas also does not require private employers to carry workers' compensation, so ask whether the crew is covered, and ask for a certificate of insurance that shows liability coverage. Get the quote in writing, with the trees and the work named, and agree on cleanup, haul away and stump grinding before the saw starts. Be wary of anyone who offers to top a live oak or pull a large tree for cash with no paperwork.
Here is how this list was built. We searched Google Maps for tree service, tree removal and arborist companies in Houston, kept those with a rating of 4.5 or higher and at least 50 reviews, then checked each website, address, logo and credentials. The list follows Google's order. No company paid for a place. Several Houston tree firms work from a home address, a mailbox or a suite we could not confirm, and we left those out, so some well reviewed crews are missing.
