The morning after a storm, Lakeland looks the same every time: oaks across the brick streets in Dixieland, pines snapped in Lakeland Highlands, palm fronds and limbs in every yard, and a city hotline — 863-834-TREE after Milton — taking calls about public trees while private ones wait for crews like ours. The city and county run curbside vegetative-debris pickup after a declared storm, with rules: Lakeland's piles are limited to 6 by 4 by 4 feet, cut to size, at the curb and not in the street or on a drain; unincorporated Polk ran its Milton pickup for 52 days and 545,000 cubic yards with a December 1 deadline. Anything that doesn't fit those rules, or that you don't want to wait weeks for, is ours.
What we do: cut and remove downed trees from yards, fences and driveways; take down the hangers — the half-broken limbs still in the canopy that are the most dangerous thing in the yard a week after a storm; chip and haul what we cut, or cut it to the city's size and stage it at the curb if you'd rather use the free pickup; assess the trees still standing for the damage that'll fail in the next thunderstorm; and grind the stumps. We dispatch by priority after a big storm — structures first, access second, yards third — and we tell you honestly where you are in the line.
What's included
Downed trees
Cut, sectioned and removed from yards, fences, driveways and cars.
Hangers
Broken limbs still hanging in the canopy brought down before they come down on their own.
Chip & haul
Everything cut goes into the chipper and the truck — or cut to size and staged at the curb for the city's pickup.
Standing-tree assessment
Racked, split and root-heaved trees evaluated for the failure that comes in the next storm.
Stumps
Root plates and stumps ground after the lot is clear.
Insurance photos
Dated photos of every tree on a structure, for the claim.
Storm cleanup cost in Lakeland, FL
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single downed tree, cut and hauled | $400 – $1,500 | Size and position |
| Hanger removal, per limb | $150 – $500 | Bucket or climb |
| Cut-to-size and stage at curb | $250 – $800 | Uses the free city pickup |
| Whole-lot storm cleanup | $1,000 – $5,000+ | Depends on the lot and the storm |
| Post-storm hazard assessment | Free with any cleanup | Written list of what to watch |
These are 2026 Polk County ranges so you can budget. Your written price is itemized — the climb or bucket work, rigging, chipping and haul-off, stump grinding, crane time, permit check — and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about storm cleanup
Should I wait for the city pickup?
If the debris is already on the ground and not on anything, cutting it to size and waiting for the free pickup is the cheapest route; after Milton the wait was weeks. Trees on structures, hangers over the yard and anything blocking a driveway shouldn't wait.
Do you charge more after a hurricane?
Emergency work in a storm's aftermath carries a 20–50% surcharge because crews are working around the clock. Scheduled cleanup a week or two later is at regular rates.
A tree fell from my neighbor's yard onto mine.
In Florida, the tree is the neighbor's but the cleanup on your side is generally yours — and your insurance's — unless the tree was obviously dead and they'd been told. We photograph it either way.
Is the tree still standing safe?
Maybe. A tree that leaned in the storm and stayed up has moved its roots; one that lost a major limb has a wound that may or may not matter. The assessment is free with cleanup and it tells you which to watch.
Can you help with FEMA or insurance documentation?
We provide dated photos and itemized invoices. The claim itself is between you and your carrier; we don't negotiate it.