Straight answers, plain English.
The questions folks across central North Dakota ask most, answered the way John would answer them in person.
How John actually quotes a job.
No price lists, no online calculators. Every job is different, and John quotes it in person.
Are tree service estimates really free?
Yes, always. John drives out, walks the job himself, and gives you a written quote on the spot. even if you decide not to hire us.
How does pricing actually work?
Every job is different, so John doesn’t quote off a price list. He comes out, walks the property, looks at the tree, the access, the drop zone, the disposal needs, and the drive distance, then quotes a flat price on the spot. With over 30 years of cutting experience, he knows exactly what each job actually takes, and what he quotes is what you pay. No surprise upcharges later.
Do you require a deposit?
For larger jobs we typically ask for a small deposit to lock the schedule. John will walk you through the specifics on-site when he quotes the job. Balance is due on completion.
What if the job turns out bigger than expected?
The written quote is the price. John walks every job himself with over 30 years of cutting experience, so he catches what less-experienced operators miss before the saws come out. If something genuinely unexpected comes up during the work (a hollow trunk, a hidden hazard), he stops and talks to you before doing additional work, never after.
How do I pay you?
We accept cash, check, and credit cards.
What happens after you call.
From the first call to the final walk-through.
How fast can I get an estimate?
Most estimates are scheduled within a few days, sometimes same-day if you happen to be on a route John is already driving. Storm cleanup and emergency hazards get priority and are typically assessed within 24 to 48 hours.
How long does the work itself take?
A typical yard tree removal takes 2 to 5 hours including cleanup. Large trees with rigging or close proximity to structures take a half-day to a full day. Lot clearing and shelter-belt jobs are scheduled as one- to three-day projects.
Do I need to be home for the work?
Not for the work itself, as long as we’ve walked the job and locked the scope with you. You do need to be present (or have someone authorized) for the initial estimate so John can talk through the plan.
Can I keep the wood?
Of course. We’ll buck it to firewood length and stack it where you want it at no extra charge. If you don’t want it, it goes with us. Brush and chips are always hauled off unless you specifically ask us to leave them.
What if it rains the day you’re supposed to come?
We reschedule. Most tree work, especially climbing, is unsafe in heavy rain or high wind. John will call you the morning of if there’s a weather concern and re-book at the next available slot.
How fast can you respond to storm damage?
Usually within 24 hours for an on-site assessment, often the same day if you call early. Active cleanup typically starts within 48 hours. After major regional events we triage by hazard: trees on structures and blocking access come first.
I have a tree leaning toward my house after a storm, what should I do?
Don’t wait. Leaners and partially uprooted trees are the silent hazard after a storm. A windless day can still drop a compromised tree, and they cost more (and are more dangerous) to remove once they actually fall. Call for a same-day or next-day assessment.
Should I hire out-of-state storm chasers after a major event?
Hire local. Out-of-state storm-chase crews are notorious for disappearing with deposits, leaving debris piles, and being unreachable when something goes wrong a week later. A locally based operator is here next year, picks up the phone, and stands behind the work.
Do you handle emergency tree removal at night or on weekends?
We respond as quickly as we can to genuine emergencies, trees on structures, blocked emergency access, hanging limbs over occupied rooms. Most after-hours work is scheduled for first light the next morning unless the situation requires immediate action.
Will my homeowner’s insurance cover storm tree damage?
The fastest way to confirm is to call your agent the same day the damage occurs and file a claim.
What you show up with.
Full kit, owned outright, kept in working order. And we’ll drive a long way to get to you.
What equipment do you bring to the job?
John brings a dedicated work truck and dump trailer, a commercial-grade brush chipper, a self-propelled stump grinder, full arborist climbing kit with rigging gear, and a full set of professional chainsaws, all owned outright and maintained in working order.
Can you handle trees near power lines?
For trees directly touching or within 10 feet of energized power lines, the utility (rural electric cooperative or city electric department) needs to be contacted first to de-energize the line. For trees in the general vicinity but not in contact, John handles them with appropriate rigging and clearance.
How far will you travel for a job?
Approximately a 100-mile radius around Washburn, anywhere within an hour-and-a-half drive. This covers most of central North Dakota including Bismarck, Mandan, Minot edge, Garrison, Underwood, Hazen, Beulah, Center, Wilton, Turtle Lake, and surrounding rural areas. Travel is factored into the quote, what John quotes is the all-in price, no separate mileage charge tacked on later.
What towns are in your service area?
Service area includes Washburn, Bismarck, Mandan, Underwood, Garrison, Hazen, Beulah, Center, Wilton, Turtle Lake, Mercer, Riverdale, Pick City, Coleharbor, Wing, Steele, Linton, and many other rural communities within a 100-mile radius. Not sure if you’re in? Just ask.
Is emerald ash borer in North Dakota?
Yes. EAB was first confirmed in LaMoure County in August 2024 and has since been detected in Cass County (Fargo). The North Dakota Department of Agriculture has established quarantine restrictions on the movement of ash wood and hardwood firewood out of infested areas.
Should I remove my ash tree now or wait?
For most rural and farmstead ash in ND, sooner is better. Removing a healthy or only lightly affected ash tree is significantly safer and easier than removing a dead, brittle one a few years from now. Dead ash become unpredictable to climb and rig, with branches that snap without warning. John will walk your property, assess the trees, and tell you honestly which ones can wait and which ones should come down this season.
How do I identify an ash tree?
Common ND ash species (green ash and black ash) have compound leaves with 5 to 9 leaflets, opposite branching pattern (branches grow directly across from each other), and diamond-pattern bark on mature trees. Text a photo to (701) 315-0249 and John will ID it for you free.
Can I burn ash wood as firewood under the EAB quarantine?
If you cut and burn the wood on the same property, yes. The ND quarantine restricts moving ash wood and hardwood firewood out of infested areas, so you can’t haul it to a cabin or sell it across county lines.
Finish work, dirt, and the rest of it.
The questions that don’t fit anywhere else.
Will the stump grinding chips kill my grass?
Only if the chips are left in a pile, they smother the grass underneath. We can spread the chips across the yard as mulch, haul them off entirely, or backfill the grinding hole with them. Your call when John quotes the job.
Can you grind out surface roots too?
Yes, within the working reach of the grinder, typically a 3 to 4 foot radius from the main stump. Roots running further out into the yard can usually be left to decompose naturally without affecting future mowing or planting.
How deep do you grind stumps?
Standard depth is 6 to 8 inches below grade, deep enough to allow replanting grass, putting in new landscaping, or eventually planting a new tree nearby. Deeper grinding is available on request.
Do you do dirt work or light landscaping after a removal?
Yes. After a stump grind, most yards need backfill, grade work, topsoil, and seed before they look finished. John handles all of it as a bundle add-on, usually significantly cheaper than hiring a separate landscaper. We’ll talk through what the spot needs during the on-site quote.
Can you plant a replacement tree for me?
Yes. John can recommend species suited for ND conditions, like bur oak, hackberry, linden, disease-resistant elm cultivars, or autumn blaze maple depending on the site. We talk through what you want to grow and quote it as part of the removal job.
Most of your trees seem old. Why is that?
A lot of yard trees across central North Dakota were planted in the late 1930s, small towns growing, federal shelter-belt programs (Roosevelt’s Prairie States Forestry Project ran from 1935 to 1942), and a wave of post-Depression homestead landscaping. That whole cohort is now 85 to 90 years old and reaching the end of its natural life. Combined with emerald ash borer arriving in ND in 2024, we have an entire generation of trees aging out at the same time. If a tree on your property looks like it’s been there since your grandfather’s day, it probably has.
Do you work in the snow?
Yes, John actually prefers it. Cold weather keeps the saws running cooler, the ground stays firm under the equipment, and there’s no foliage in the way to complicate climbing or rigging. Storm cleanup, hazardous tree removal, and shelter-belt work all run smoothly in ND winters. Snow days are work days, not days off.
Didn’t see your question? Just ask John.
Most calls get answered the same day, in plain language, with a fair quote when one’s needed.