Tree Removal in St. Louis, MO
Need a tree removed? Thompson Tree Care and Landscaping provides safe, efficient tree removal services throughout St. Louis, Missouri. From small ornamental trees to massive oaks, our licensed and insured crew handles it all.
- Licensed & Insured
- 24/7 Emergency
- Free Estimates
What Is Tree Removal and When Do You Need It?
Tree removal in St. Louis, MO is the complete process of cutting down and removing a tree from your property, including disposal of the trunk, branches, and debris. While trees add beauty, shade, and value to your property, there are situations where removing a tree is the safest and smartest decision you can make.
At Thompson Tree Care and Landscaping, we specialize in tree removal throughout the St. Louis metro area. Our certified arborist evaluates every tree before removal to confirm it is the right course of action and to develop a safe removal plan tailored to your property's unique layout. That includes tight brick-lined blocks in St. Louis City, mature canopy in Kirkwood, and newer subdivisions in O'Fallon.
When Does a Tree Need to Be Removed?
Not every tree problem requires removal, but some situations make it the only practical solution. Here are the most common reasons homeowners in St. Louis, MO call us for tree removal:
Dead or Dying Trees
A dead tree becomes structurally unsound and can fall without warning, posing a serious safety risk to your home, vehicles, and family.
Storm Damage
St. Louis gets its share of severe thunderstorms, derechos, and tornadoes. Trees with split trunks, broken crowns, or exposed root systems after a storm often cannot recover and should be removed.
Construction or Landscaping
Building an addition, installing a pool, or redesigning your landscape may require removing trees that are in the way.
Safety Hazards
Trees leaning toward your home, growing into power lines, or lifting your foundation with invasive roots are safety hazards that demand professional attention. If roots are the worry, read about tree roots in sewer lines.
Disease or Pest Infestation
Emerald ash borer, oak wilt, and other diseases common in the St. Louis region can kill trees from the inside out. Once infection spreads beyond treatment, removal prevents it from affecting nearby healthy trees.
Our Tree Removal Process
Every tree removal job at Thompson Tree Care follows a careful, step-by-step process designed to protect your property and ensure everyone's safety:
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1
On-Site Assessment
Our certified arborist visits your property to inspect the tree, evaluate surrounding structures, power lines, and access points, and develop a safe removal plan. We also provide a transparent written estimate at this stage.
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2
Permit Check
Who owns the tree decides the paperwork. A City of St. Louis street tree needs a Forestry permit (city code 22.48.110); a tree wholly on your own lot does not. Kirkwood's Tree Clearing Permit applies once 4,500 square feet or more of canopy leaves a parcel within 24 months, and Ladue requires a permit before a living tree of six inches or more comes down. We tell you at the estimate which rule applies and who files; the permit guide covers the rest.
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3
Safe Cutting & Rigging
Our crew uses professional equipment, including chainsaws, rigging lines, and aerial lifts, to section the tree down piece by piece. In tight spaces, we use crane-assisted removal techniques to lower heavy sections safely to the ground.
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4
Stump Options
After the tree is down, you can choose our stump grinding service to remove the stump below grade, or we can leave the stump if you prefer. We will help you decide based on your plans for the area.
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Complete Cleanup
We chip all branches, cut the trunk into manageable pieces, and haul away every bit of debris. Your property will be cleaner than when we arrived.
What Affects the Price of Tree Removal in St. Louis?
Thompson Tree Care and Landscaping prices a removal on six things, all checked during the free on-site estimate: the size of the tree, what is underneath it, how the crew gets in, what wires are near it, the condition of the wood, and what you want done with the stump and logs. The written estimate lists each one, so two quotes for "a 60-foot oak" can differ for reasons you can see.
1. Height and trunk diameter
A tree that stays below the roofline can often be felled from the ground in a few pieces. Once the crown is over the house or beyond bucket-truck reach, every limb is cut, lowered and dragged separately, and the trunk is cut into sections small enough to move. More wood also means more chipping and more hauling.
2. What is under the drop zone
Open lawn is the cheapest case. A roof, a fence, a pool, a neighbor's garage, a patio or a planting bed under the tree means each piece is roped and lowered instead of dropped. This is the single biggest reason two trees of the same size get different prices.
3. How the crew gets in
A driveway the bucket truck and chipper can reach keeps the job quick. A backyard reached only through a gangway, a closed alley or a gate too narrow for equipment is climbed, and the wood is carried out by hand or with a compact tracked loader. On some lots a crane set in the street is the safer and faster option; see large tree removal.
4. Wires
Ameren Missouri allows only qualified line-clearance contractors to work within 10 feet of its higher-voltage lines, and the service drop from the pole to your house is the homeowner's responsibility. Ameren can disconnect that drop by appointment so the tree can be worked safely. A tree grown through lines usually means a call to Ameren before the removal date is set.
5. Condition of the tree
A dead, hollow or storm-cracked tree is not safe to climb, so it comes down from a bucket truck or a crane with more rigging and more time. The warning signs are covered in 8 signs a tree is dead or dying and is a hollow tree dangerous. A tree that is still sound is usually cheaper to remove than the same tree a year after it dies.
6. Stump, logs and permits
Stump grinding is a separate line, quoted by the diameter at ground level. Leaving the trunk cut to firewood length saves hauling. If a permit is needed (City street trees, Kirkwood's canopy rule, Ladue's living-tree permit), the time to get it goes into the schedule; the permit guide explains who files.
For typical St. Louis price ranges, read How Much Does Tree Removal Cost in St. Louis? The only exact number is the written estimate after a walk of your property.
Questions St. Louis Homeowners Ask Before a Removal
Straight answers to the questions that come up on the phone and at the estimate, written out in full rather than tucked into a drop-down.
Is the tree mine or the city's?
In the City of St. Louis, the tree between the curb and the sidewalk, typically within 10 feet of the curb, is a City tree. The Forestry Division maintains it, and city code 22.48.110 requires a Forestry permit before anyone prunes or removes it. Report a dead or split street tree to the Citizens' Service Bureau at 314-622-4800. In St. Louis County subdivisions the required street tree normally sits on the lot, in front of the setback line, so it is the owner's. If you are not sure, say so when you call and it is settled at the estimate.
The tree is in the power line. Who do I call first?
Ameren Missouri. For a line that is down or sparking, call 800-552-7583 and stay away from both the line and the tree. For a tree grown through a live line, Ameren trims within its rights-of-way and easements, and it can disconnect the service drop to your house by appointment so the tree can be worked safely. Thompson Tree Care and Landscaping schedules the removal once the line is made safe. Never cut a limb that is touching a wire.
Should a dead ash tree come down now, or can it wait?
Sooner is cheaper and safer. Emerald ash borer has been in Missouri since 2008 and was widespread statewide by 2020, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation, and an infested ash dies within a few years. Dead ash dries out and sheds limbs quickly, which rules out climbing and pushes the removal to a bucket truck or crane. If the tree still holds most of its crown, read whether treating the ash is still an option.
Will my homeowners insurance pay for the removal?
Usually only when the tree has damaged a covered structure, such as the house, garage or fence, or is blocking the driveway. A standing dead tree that has not fallen is normally the owner's expense, and policies cap the removal amount. Check your declarations page or ask your agent, and read Does Insurance Cover Tree Removal in Missouri? for what to photograph before cleanup starts.
What should any tree company show me before I sign?
A current certificate of general liability and workers' compensation insurance, a written price that says whether stump grinding, log removal and haul-away are included, and a plain answer on who pulls the permit if one is needed. Thompson Tree Care and Landscaping is licensed and insured and puts every removal in writing after the site walk.
How do I get the yard ready for the crew?
Move cars out of the driveway and off the street in front of the house, unlock gates, keep pets inside, and point out anything the crew cannot see: sprinkler heads, a septic lid, a drain line, an invisible-fence wire or low-voltage lighting. Missouri 811 marks public utilities only; private lines like these are yours to flag.
Why Choose Thompson Tree Care for Tree Removal in St. Louis?
Choosing the right tree removal company in St. Louis, MO matters. An unlicensed or inexperienced crew can cause property damage, personal injury, or leave you liable if something goes wrong. Thompson Tree Care and Landscaping gives you confidence with every job because we are fully licensed, insured, and led by a certified arborist who understands the science behind safe tree work.
Owner Jodie Thompson has built this company on the principles of honest pricing, careful work, and genuine respect for our customers. We show up on time, communicate clearly, and treat your property as if it were our own. That commitment is why St. Louis homeowners continue to recommend us and why we have completed over 500 successful tree jobs since 2014.
Last Updated: October 2026
Where Do You Offer Tree Removal?
Thompson Tree Care and Landscaping removes trees across the St. Louis area, on both sides of the river. Town pages with local details: tree removal in Kirkwood, MO, Chesterfield, MO, Florissant, MO, O'Fallon, MO, Belleville, IL. For any other town, see our service areas or call (314) 712-3035.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tree Removal
Tree removal costs in St. Louis typically range from $300 to $2,500 or more depending on the size, location, and complexity of the job. Small trees under 30 feet may cost $300–$700, while large trees over 60 feet can run $1,500–$3,000+. Thompson Tree Care provides free on-site estimates so you know the exact cost before work begins. The factors behind those ranges are listed under what affects the price.
Most standard tree removals take between 2 to 5 hours to complete. Small trees can be removed in under 2 hours, while large or complex removals near structures or power lines may take a full day. Our crew arrives with all the equipment needed to work efficiently and safely.
It depends on who owns the tree and which municipality you are in. In the City of St. Louis, chapter 22.48 of the city code requires a Forestry permit for a City tree, the one between the curb and the sidewalk, and no permit for a tree wholly on your own lot. Kirkwood requires a Tree Clearing Permit once 4,500 square feet or more of canopy leaves a parcel within 24 months, and Ladue requires a permit before a living tree of six inches or more is removed. Rules change, so the one for your address is confirmed at the estimate. The St. Louis tree removal permit guide lists the municipalities.
After tree removal, we chip the branches into mulch and can cut the trunk into firewood-length logs. We haul all debris off your property as part of the service. If you want to keep the wood for firewood or other purposes, just let us know and we will stack it neatly for you.
Other Services You May Need
Stump Grinding
- Ground below grade
- Reclaim your yard space
- Debris removal included
Large Tree Removal
- Crane & heavy equipment
- 60'+ tree specialists
- Complex removal experts
Certified Arborist
- Tree health assessments
- Disease diagnosis & treatment
- Expert planting recommendations