Questions about tree work in Northwest Florida.

Quotes and scheduling

Quotes and scheduling

How do I get a quote?

Call (850) 323-1269 during business hours, or send the property address, a short description and a few photos by text from our quote page. For most jobs we come out and look at the tree in person before giving you a number.

Do you charge for estimates?

No. On-site quotes are free, and we would rather look at the job properly than guess from a description. You will get a straight answer on what needs doing, including when the answer is that the tree does not need to come down.

What are your hours?

Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Closed Sunday.

What areas do you cover?

H&L is based at 8 Deason Dr in Apalachicola and works across Franklin, Gulf, Bay, Liberty and Calhoun counties — Eastpoint, St. George Island, Carrabelle, Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Mexico Beach, Panama City, Wewahitchka, Blountstown and the towns between them. If you are not sure your property is in range, call with the address.

Tree removal

Tree removal

Does a tree need to come down, or can it be saved?

It depends what is actually wrong. A fresh lean, a lifted root plate, a split trunk or significant decay in the main stem are the signs that point toward removal. Deadwood, limbs over a roof and a crowded canopy usually point toward pruning instead. We will tell you which one you are looking at.

What does tree removal cost?

There is no flat rate, and anyone quoting one over the phone is guessing. Cost tracks the size of the tree, how close it is to structures and power, how much room there is to work, whether it has to come down in sections, and how much debris comes out of it. That is why we look at the job first and why the quote is free.

Do you clean up and haul the debris away?

Yes. Cut material and job debris leave with us. The yard should be usable when we pull out, not stacked with brush for you to deal with later.

Will you damage the yard getting the tree out?

We plan the setup before anything comes down — roofs, fences, driveways, septic, flower beds and the space available to work. On tight lots that means taking the tree in smaller sections rather than dropping it whole.

Trimming and pruning

Trimming and pruning

When is the best time to trim trees in Northwest Florida?

Dead, broken or clearly hazardous limbs can come off any time of year. For larger structural pruning on healthy trees, the cooler dormant months are generally easier on the tree than cutting during a summer growth flush.

Should I have trees trimmed before hurricane season?

It is worth doing. Removing deadwood and thinning a dense canopy gives wind somewhere to go and takes out the limbs most likely to come down. What does not help is topping a tree or stripping it back hard — that produces weak regrowth and usually leaves the tree in worse shape for the next storm.

How much should come off a tree at once?

Less than most people expect. Good pruning takes the problem limbs — deadwood, clearance over a roof or drive, crossing branches — without removing so much live canopy that the tree is stressed. If it looks like a haircut rather than a shave, it was probably done right.

Palms

Palms

How often do palms need trimming?

It varies by species and how exposed the site is. Near the coast, fronds, seed pods and storm debris build up faster. On rental properties we can schedule around turnovers so the job is not landing in the middle of a booking.

What is a “hurricane cut” and should I ask for one?

It is the practice of stripping a palm back to a handful of upright fronds. It is popular and it is bad for the palm — the fronds are how it feeds itself, and severely over-pruned palms tend to be weaker in wind, not stronger. We do not recommend it.

How do I know if a palm has lethal bronzing?

Common signs include premature fruit drop, older fronds discolouring and dying off with the damage progressing upward, and the spear leaf dying. Those symptoms overlap with other problems, so it needs confirming rather than assuming. Inside Apalachicola city limits the City's Code Enforcement Officer inspects the palm as part of the removal application.

Storm damage

Storm damage

A storm left a limb hanging over my house — what now?

Stay out from under it and call. Hanging limbs, split trunks and fresh leans are the things most likely to cause a second round of damage, and they are worth clearing before the next system rather than after it.

Do you handle storm debris cleanup?

Yes — downed limbs, cut material and storm debris, cleared and hauled off. We handle storm-related work during our published hours; call for current availability, since scheduling gets tight in the days after a system moves through.

A tree looks fine but went through a bad storm years ago. Is that a problem?

It can be. Trees that took structural damage in a past storm often decline slowly and fail on an ordinary day years later. We see a lot of this west of us around Port St. Joe, Mexico Beach and Panama City. If a tree lost its top or has a healed-over split, it is worth having looked at.

Permits

Permits

Do I need a permit to remove a tree?

Inside Apalachicola city limits, tree removal normally requires a City application under Tree Ordinance 2018-07. Other communities in the area follow county or their own municipal rules. Our permit guide walks through the Apalachicola process in plain English, including the lethal bronzing fee waiver and Florida's residential hazard-tree rule.