Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the tree, which is why we price every removal with a free on-site estimate instead of a flat rate sheet. The biggest cost factors are height and trunk diameter, how close the tree stands to your house, garage, fence, or driveway, how much room the crew has to work, and the condition of the wood — dead or decayed trees often take extra care to bring down safely. Access matters too: a tree in an open front yard is a very different job from one leaning over a roofline in a tight backyard. Matthew or a member of our crew will look at the tree in person, explain what the job involves, and put a clear price in writing before anything is scheduled.

Yes. Every project starts with a free estimate, whether it's a single stump or clearing a wooded lot, and there's no obligation to book. We come out, look at the work in person, talk through your options, and give you a written price for the full scope — including hauling away the debris. We'd rather earn the job with a fair number and a clear explanation than pressure anyone into a decision. If you're comparing bids, that's fine too; an in-person quote also lets us flag anything the job actually needs, like a tree that's more hazardous than it looks from the ground. Call (989) 658-5541 or use the Get Free Estimate form to set one up.

Start by requesting a free estimate — call (989) 658-5541 or fill out the short form on our free estimate page; we take calls seven days a week. From there, we set up a time to come out, look at the trees, and give you a written quote. Once you approve the price, we put the job on the crew's schedule and confirm the work date with you. We don't make promises about response windows we can't keep; we simply tell you when we can realistically get to your project, and then we show up when we said we would. Most jobs, from a single trim to a full removal, follow that same simple path.

We're based in Sidney, Michigan, and Montcalm County is home turf — Sidney and Greenville are both regular stops for our crews. We also travel into Kent County for work in Rockford and Grand Rapids. If you're on rural acreage, a lake property, or a wooded lot anywhere in that stretch of West Michigan, we're set up for it: the same crew and equipment handle everything from a single backyard trim in town to logging and clearing work in the country, for both residential and commercial properties. Not sure whether you're in our area? Call (989) 658-5541 and ask — if the job is a fit, we'll tell you, and if it isn't, we'll say so honestly.

Stump grinding uses a machine to chew the stump down below ground level, leaving wood chips that backfill the hole; the roots are left to decay naturally underground. Full stump removal means digging out the entire root ball — a much bigger, messier, and more expensive job that tears up a wide patch of yard, and it's usually only necessary if you're building or replanting in that exact spot. For most homeowners, grinding is the practical choice: the stump is gone, the tripping hazard is gone, and you can rake soil over the spot and reseed grass. We offer stump grinding as a standalone service or as an add-on when we remove a tree, and it's covered in your free written estimate either way.

It comes down to the tree's health and structure. A healthy tree with overgrown limbs, branches touching the roof, or a crowded canopy usually just needs a proper trim — good pruning keeps the tree strong and can head off bigger problems later. Removal makes sense when a tree is dead or mostly dead, badly decayed, storm-split, or leaning toward something it could hit. Warning signs include large dead limbs, bark falling off, mushrooms growing at the base, and a lean that has gotten worse over time. When we come out for your free estimate, we'll give you an honest read: if a trim will do the job, we'll say so rather than sell you a removal you don't need.

Take it seriously, especially if the lean is new or has gotten worse after a storm. Cracked or mounded soil at the base of the trunk is a warning sign that the root plate is shifting, and a tree that starts moving rarely re-anchors itself. In the meantime, keep people, pets, and vehicles out of the area the tree could reach, and if any part of it is touching a power line, call your utility company first — no tree crew should work near an energized line. Then give us a call at (989) 658-5541. We handle this kind of work through our hazardous tree removal service: we'll assess the tree, tell you plainly how urgent it looks, and get the job scheduled.

For most species, late fall through winter — the dormant season — is ideal. With the leaves down it's easier to see the tree's structure, the tree loses less energy from pruning cuts, and insects and fungal diseases are far less active. Oaks are the big exception: to limit the spread of oak wilt, a fungal disease that kills Michigan oaks, the general guidance is to avoid pruning them from roughly April 15 through July 15, when the beetles that carry the disease are most active. That said, trimming that addresses a real problem — dead limbs over a roof, branches rubbing the siding — is worth doing whenever you find it. Request a free estimate and we'll recommend timing for your specific trees.

We walk the property with you and look at the actual work — the trees, the stumps, what's underneath and around them, and how we'd get equipment in. You tell us what outcome you want, whether that's a cleaner canopy, a tree gone entirely, or a lot cleared, and we talk through the options. Then we put together a written quote covering the full scope, including debris cleanup, so there are no surprise add-ons on work day. You're free to take the number, compare it with other bids, and decide on your own timeline — there's no pressure to book on the spot. If questions come up afterward, just call and ask.

Our own crew — on every single job. 100% of the work G & R Tree Surgeons takes on is done by our own crews; we don't sell your job and subcontract it out to whoever's available that week. That matters in tree work, because the people who looked at your trees and quoted the job are the same people who show up to do it, running equipment they know and following the plan they made. It's how we've completed more than 500 projects since Matthew founded the company in 2023, and it's a big part of why our Google reviews look the way they do. When you hire us, you get us.

Yes — storm removal is one of our core services. After Michigan wind and ice storms we handle downed trees, hanging and broken limbs, split trunks, and the debris they leave across yards, driveways, and fields. One important safety note first: if a fallen tree or limb is touching a power line, contact your utility company before calling anyone else — nobody should touch it until the line is confirmed safe. For everything else, call us and we'll assess the damage, give you a written price, and get the cleanup onto the crew's schedule. We work through storm jobs as scheduled cleanup rather than making dispatch promises, so you'll know exactly when to expect us.