Tree removal on Hilton Head Island, SC
Removal of dead, damaged and hazardous trees, with a straight answer up front about whether the town's permit rules cover it.
- Bluffton
- Hilton Head Island
- Okatie
- Hardeeville
- Ridgeland
Tree removal on Hilton Head is not the same job it is off the island, and the difference is not the cutting. It is that the Town of Hilton Head Island requires a Natural Resources Permit before a protected tree is removed or pruned, published in its own tree removal guidance, and a homeowner who takes one down without checking first can be in a genuinely expensive position.
So the first thing we do here is tell you where you stand. We look at the tree, tell you whether it falls under the Town's rules, and price the work. If a tree is dead, leaning over a roof or dropping limbs, that usually needs to move quickly, and knowing the rule up front is what keeps quickly from turning into a problem.
What a removal includes
- A look at the tree, what it threatens, and whether the Town's permit rules apply to it
- Taking the tree down in a controlled sequence rather than dropping it whole
- Protecting what is under and around it, including irrigation heads, beds, fencing and hardscape
- Cutting the wood down and hauling it off the property
- Raking and blowing the work area so the ground is usable when we leave
- A price on grinding the stump at the same visit, which is cheaper than bringing a grinder back separately
How a removal goes
We look at it with you
We come out, look at the tree, and tell you plainly whether it is a hazard, whether it can be saved by pruning instead, and whether the Town's permit rules apply. No charge for the visit.
You get a written price
Removal, haul off, and stump grinding priced separately so you can decide what you want done.
We take it down in sections
On island lots with houses, pools and neighbors close by, a tree comes down in controlled pieces, not in one drop.
The Town's tree rules, plainly
The Town of Hilton Head Island requires a Natural Resources Permit before a protected tree is removed, and the rules reach further than most people expect: they cover pruning and limbing, not only removal. Trees over sixteen inches in diameter require a permit to take down, and Live Oaks carry stricter protection than most species.
There are exemptions for some single family situations, which is exactly why guessing is a bad idea in either direction. Some homeowners assume they need a permit for a small tree they do not, and some take down a mature oak that they very much did. We will tell you which side of that line your tree sits on before any work starts, and the Town's information line at 843-341-4757 can confirm it independently.
Related services
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Canopy raising, deadwood removal, storm prep and palm work, done within the Town's rules on protected trees.
Stump Grinding
Stumps ground out below grade so the ground becomes usable again, whether it is going back to turf or to a bed.
Storm Damage Clean-Up
Downed limbs, split trees and blown debris cleared off the property and hauled away.
Tree Removal questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree on Hilton Head?
Often yes. The Town requires a Natural Resources Permit before removing a protected tree, generally including any tree over sixteen inches in diameter, and Live Oaks are protected more strictly than most species. Some single family situations are exempt. We will tell you which applies to your tree when we look at it, and the Town's information line is 843-341-4757.
Does the permit rule cover trimming too?
Yes, and this is the part that catches people out. The Town's language covers pruning and limbing a protected tree, not just removing it. A heavy cut back on a protected oak is not automatically a free action because the tree is staying.
Can you take a tree down close to the house?
Yes. On island lots that is most of them. The tree comes down in controlled sections rather than being felled whole, which is slower and is the only sane way to work over a roof, a pool cage or a neighbor's property.
Do you take the wood away?
Yes, haul off is included in the price we quote. If you want the wood cut to length and left for firewood, tell us and we will.
Get a free estimate
We come out, walk the property with you and price the work before anything starts. Serving Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, Okatie, Hardeeville, Ridgeland.